Cotton production started a long time in Zambia, but productivity remains low. The low
productivity is despite considerable investments in research and extension by the government
and private sector over the years. Among the major contributing factors to low productivity is
the lack of optimal control of insect pests such as bollworms and sucking pests among others.
Pesticides have been used to control insect pests and over the years, cotton growers have
increased the use of these pesticides to control bollworms. Continual use of these chemicals
poses a huge health hazard. Can Bt cotton be an answer to these problems cotton farmers are
facing in Zambia? The literature on technology advances in cotton production has helped to
solve problems of incidences of bollworms damage, which has resulted in increased yield, the
profitability of cotton production and reduced the risk to pesticide exposure. Successes in
other African countries have motivated cotton stakeholders in Zambia to vigorously advocate
for the introduction of Bt cotton in Zambia as part of the solution to the bollworm
management problem to improve productivity and farm profitability.