Initiated three years prior, the initiative was established to assist smallholder farmers in Benin to make the switch to organic cotton farming under the Cotton made in Africa Organic (CmiA Organic) standards, which excludes synthetic pesticides and aims to bolster the organic cotton industry, ensuring sustainability for agricultural communities.
The undertaking, facilitated by Organisation Béninoise pour la Promotion de l’Agriculture Biologique (OBEPAB), received funding from the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) in partnership with Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ), Pesticide Action Network (PAN) UK, Paul Reinhart AG, and the Aid by Trade Foundation (AbTF).
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The outreach of this community-centric project has been substantial, with nearly 9,000 farmers transitioning to organic cotton farming.
These farmers have not only converted from conventional to CmiA Organic production but have also witnessed a notable increase in their income 65% growth in organic cotton production and a 9% rise in small-scale farm profitability within three years.
Training sessions and workshops provided crucial knowledge on agricultural practices such as organic pest control and seed selection. Moreover, the initiative placed a strong emphasis on female empowerment, with a 30% rise in women holding leadership roles within cooperative committees by the project’s conclusion.
AbTF standards and outreach head Alexandra Perschau said: “The cotton farmers are very important to The Aid by Trade Foundation. We are pleased to have successfully supported them in switching to organic cotton, and we look forward to continuing to do so together with OBEPAB, which plays a key role in this effort.
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By GlobalData“We also pride ourselves on offering these cotton producers greater market access through two of our standards—Cotton made in Africa (CmiA) and CmiA Organic—as the Aid by Trade Foundation is a key partner for the global textile trade with over 2,700 partners worldwide.”
Approximately 30% of African cotton is certified under CmiA or CmiA Organic standards and is highly sought after worldwide by renowned brands and retailers. For instance, fashion giant Bestseller recently reported a record purchase of CmiA Organic cotton from Africa.
During a visit to Benin’s burgeoning textile production hub and areas cultivating CmiA Organic cotton, delegates from AbTF, GIZ, the International Cotton Advisory Committee (ICAC), and the African Cotton Foundation (ACF) witnessed firsthand the dynamism of Benin’s textile sector and the ascending significance of organic cotton production.
Alessandra Fiedler, who represents GIZ for the implementation of the project in Benin, said: “We met motivated farmers committed to growing high-quality organic cotton that is good for the environment and the health of their families. Everything is in place to expand organic production and to establish Benin as a destination of choice for both the procurement and the processing of organic cotton. We are therefore pleased to start a new phase of co-operation with OBEPAB, Reinhart, AbTF, PAN UK, and SODECO.”
The “Growing Benin’s Organic Cotton Sector” project has proved a success as participating cotton farmers are benefiting from higher incomes.
