BCI aiming for new programmes in Africa
Better Cotton Initiative (BCI), the body that campaigns for increased production and consumption of “more sustainable cotton”, hosted a multi-stakeholder event in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, on March 28.
It said the aim of the event was to explore the potential for new programmes and partnerships across West and Central Africa.
Key stakeholders from across the region were part of the speaker programme, sharing their experiences and perspectives on the future of sustainable cotton production in Africa. Delegates also had the opportunity to learn about Better Cotton programmes and the long-term ambitions that underpin a strategy that BCI aims to have in place by 2030. Better Cotton said it was committed to building upon its presence across Africa to enable smallholder farmers to mitigate climate change and adopt a continuous-improvement approach to sustainable agricultural practice.
At farm-level, programme partners provide training and resources to smallholders to enable social and environmental improvements that culminate in more climate-resilient operations.
In November, at the World Trade Organisation’s Cotton Days event, West African cotton producing countries Benin, Burkina Faso, Mali and Chad, often referred to as the Cotton-Four, called for support to strengthen the resilience of their cotton industries.
A report from the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) at that time estimated that cotton production would increase in the four nations over the coming years, provided appropriate action is taken to promote sustainability standards, empower women and youth, and reduce trade-distorting subsidies.
In Abidjan, Damien Sanfilippo, senior director of programmes at BCI, said: “The event signifies an important opportunity for cotton stakeholders in Africa to engage with one another and explore the partnerships needed to ensure market access and improved sustainability for cotton growers.”
