Project description

Title: Cotton made in Africa (PPP)
Commissioned by: German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ)
Country: Benin, Burkina Faso, Zambia
Partner: Accenture, Aid by Trade Foundation, Deutsche Investitions- und Entwicklungsgesellschaft mbH, Deutsche Welthungerhilfe, Dunavant SA, McCann Erickson, NATURE AND BIODIVERSITY CONSERVATION UNION, Otto Group, Tom Taylor, WWF
Overall term: November 2005 to March 2010

Context

Eight percent of all cotton produced worldwide is grown in Africa, making it the second largest cotton exporting region after the United States. In Benin and Burkina Faso, for example, income earned from cotton exports constitutes 75 percent of all export revenues.

Twenty million people in sub-Saharan Africa, most of them families running small farms, depend on cotton cultivation for their livelihood. Falling prices on the world market and massive agricultural subsidising by Europe and the United States of their own cotton growers have led to a situation in which African producers can no longer survive on cotton cultivation alone. Late payments, poor working conditions and inappropriate use of fertilisers and plant protection products put an even greater strain on cotton farming in sub-Saharan Africa.

Previous attempts to introduce eco and social labelling have not succeeded in achieving the envisaged broad effect and appeal.

Objective

An alliance of major retail businesses regularly buys ‘Cotton made in Africa’. African cotton producers practice sustainable cultivation methods. Cotton growers turn in a greater profit thanks to higher demand and improved productivity.

Approach

Cotton farmers are receiving agricultural training that focuses on environmentally friendly and sustainable production methods. At the same time, efforts are under way to promote cooperation between cotton producers and buyers and to analyse capacities and receptiveness on the textile markets. Based on the results these investigations yield, targeted improvements are being introduced and measures launched to enhance demand.

Results achieved so far

Three pilot projects are currently under way. In Benin about 9,000 small farmers have received training to date, while the training measures kicked off in Burkina Faso last year are targeting around 17,000 cotton growers. In Zambia the cotton trading company Dunavant launched its YIELD Programme (Yield Improvement through Empowerment, Learning and Discipline) in November 2005, aimed at generating higher earnings by introducing sustainable agricultural methods. So far, training activities in Zambia have reached a total of 60,000 farmers. Initial effects are already evident: the yields of Zambian farmers taking part in the project are between 46 and 163 percent greater than the average yields of other farmers, while their earnings lie anywhere from 62 to 253 percent higher than the average gross profit of growers not participating in the project.

Assuming that average families in these regions number eight to ten persons, this PPP project will improve the living conditions of 1.2 million people in Benin, Burkina Faso and Zambia.

As to the demand side, the buyers’ alliance is growing. The Otto Group and Tom Tailor have since been joined by the Bierbaum Group, Bon Prix, Celio, Peek & Cloppenburg, Quelle, QVC, Tchibo GmbH, 3suisses and Witt Weiden.

Download

• Competitive African Cotton Initiative (COMPACI), GIZ 2011
  giz-2011-en-competetive-african-cotton-initiative.pdf, 1.25 MB (English)

Further information

• Website of the ‘Cotton made in Africa’ cooperative
  www.cotton-made-in-africa.com