Abstract:
Cotton is an important cash crop in Uganda that has been grown for nearly 100 years. The peak of production was realized in the early 1970s when about 500 thousand bales were produced annually. Unfortunately the crop suffered decline due to several factors including civil strife, production and marketing constraints. In spite of this set back, cotton is still a major cash crop for many farmers in Eastern, Northern and Western Uganda. Currently cotton is among the priority crops under the Government Strategic intervention on export commodities and the target is to produce one million bales annually. When achieved, this would increase the export earnings from the current US $ 40-50 millions to US $ 200 million and improve household incomes in the production areas. Achievement of the target however, requires alleviation of a number of production, processing and value addition constraints. Biotechnology could solve some of the prominent production constraints of insect and weed pest management.