Kenya banks on saccos to lift growth of coffee, cotton

Cotton farmers at Muluanda Cotton Ginnery in Busia County. Industrialisation Cabinet Secretary Adan Mohamed has said the government has identified textile as a priority sector in the National Industrialisation Roadmap. PHOTO | TOM OTIENO | NATION MEDIA GROUP

What you need to know:

  • He said in Nairobi that the national government recognises the cooperative movement’s role in the country’s economic expansion and wants it to supplement other growth efforts.
  • The initiative is in line with the recently signed agreement by the East African heads of State to revive the textile sector.

The government wants to multiply the gains made by cooperative movements as it looks to the sector to scale up the fortunes of crops such as cotton and coffee and their value chains.

Industrialisation Cabinet Secretary Adan Mohamed says adequate measures must be taken to safeguard the gains made in the cooperative sector, as the government lays down plans for further growth.

He said the national government recognises the cooperative movement’s role in the country’s economic expansion and wants it to supplement other growth efforts.

“The cooperative movement cuts across all sectors of the economy, including agriculture, finance, housing and transport, among others. The cotton sub-sector, for instance, is critical for the development of textile industries, and a need thus, for the cooperative sector to be supported in order to supplement our efforts as government,” he said.

The CS said savings and credit co-operatives, commonly known as saccos in Kenya, had provided the country’s unbanked segment with an opportunity to save and borrow for personal growth and business development.

“As at December 2015, the sacco sub-sector had mobilised savings to the tune of Sh593 billion and accumulated an asset base to the tune of Sh814 billion,” he said while presiding over the Cooperative Movement’s Ushirika Day celebrations at Uhuru Park at the weekend.

He said the government has identified textile as a priority sector in the National Industrialisation Roadmap.

“It is, therefore, important that the cotton sub-sector is supported. Towards this, the government is making efforts to revive the cotton-textile industry through revitalisation of the cotton cooperatives,” Mr Mohamed said.

The initiative is in line with the recently signed agreement by the East African heads of State to revive the textile sector.