News
June 2019 Edition of ICAC Recorder Concludes Four-Part Series on Africa
For Immediate
Release
Date Posted: 5 July 2019
Executive
Summary
Highlights
from the June 2019 ‘Recorder’ include:
- An upbeat and forward-looking editorial from Dr Keshav
Kranthi, Head of the ICAC Technical Information Section — although he
acknowledges the need for African nations to process their cotton rather
than export raw fibre
- ‘Boosting Yields in Africa — What Technologies Work’,
authored by Serunjogi Lastus Katende, Jolly K.
Sabune and Ben Anyama of the Cotton Development Organisation, and Michael
A. Ugen of the National Semi-arid Resources Research Institute
- An article evaluating the impact of COMPACI and
whether it is succeeding in increasing the livelihoods of smallholder
farmers, authored by Daniela Jann and Tobias Bidlingmaier of DEG-Deutsche
Investitions
- ‘Promoting Cotton By-products in Eastern and Southern
Africa’, an article from Kris Terauds of UNCTAD that evaluates the
organisation’s project, which shows the potential for generating
additional farmer income.
- An in-depth article from Zerihun Desalegn, ‘Progress
of Ethiopian Cotton Producers toward Sustainability’, which highlights the
increasing sustainability compliance of Ethiopian farmers — both large and
smallholder
June
2019 Edition of ICAC Recorder Concludes Four-Part Series on Africa
Based on the
content of the June 2019 ICAC Recorder, the future looks bright for African
cotton — but several challenges must be overcome first, including access to
technology, training and inputs; greater strides toward sustainable production;
and the need to establish a business infrastructure for cotton by-products and
the processing of raw cotton fibre.
In the final
issue of the four-part series on Africa, Dr Kranthi remains firmly optimistic
about the continent’s future in his editorial. If Africa processed its fibre
rather than exporting it, it would create up to 5.5 million new jobs and generate
as much as $90 billion in new revenue. The lack of readily available technology
is a serious concern, but as Dr Kranthi says in his conclusion, ‘Where there’s
a will, there’s a way’.
No fewer than four authors collaborated on the
first article, which addresses the critical topic of what are the best
technologies for boosting yields in Africa. Its yields are the lowest in the
world and empowering the continent’s 3.5 million smallholder farmers to boost
yields through technology transfer would go a long way toward lifting millions
of people out of poverty.
In the second entry, Daniela Jann and Tobias Bidlingmaier of DEG-Deutsche Investitions
analyse the impact
of COMPACI — the Competitive
African Cotton Initiative — and its ability to improve training, farming
methods, and access to inputs with the goal of increasing farmer income.
The third article, written by UNCTAD Economic
Affairs Officer Kris Terauds, focuses on the organisation’s project to promote
the processing of cotton by-products, beyond the fibre. The results so far show
promise for increasing farmer income — as well as reviving their incentives to
grow more cotton.
The fourth and final article in the issue
evaluates the progress toward sustainability of Ethiopian cotton farmers in the
regional states of Afar and Tigray. The Sustainable Cotton Initiative Ethiopia
(SCIE) shows that the level of compliance on project farms toward the minimum
requirements of the Better Cotton Initiative are increasing year-over-year.
To view
the June 2019 'ICAC Recorder', please click one of the links below:
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About the International
Cotton Advisory Committee (ICAC)
Formed in 1939, the ICAC is an association of cotton producing, consuming and trading
countries. It acts as a catalyst for change by helping member countries
maintain a healthy world cotton economy; provides transparency to the world
cotton market by serving as a clearinghouse for technical information on cotton
production; and serves as a forum for discussing cotton issues of international
significance. The ICAC does not have a role in setting market prices or in
intervening in market mechanisms. For more information, please visit www.icac.org.