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Better Cotton expands sustainable cotton initiative in West Africa

Cotton sustainability initiative Better Cotton has launched a new programme in Benin to support the production of more sustainable cotton in West Africa.

The Better Cotton programme aims to engage over 200,000 smallholder cotton farmers in Benin to promote sustainable farming practices, enhance livelihoods, and help them adapt to climate change.

The Interprofessional Cotton Association of Benin (AIC) will serve as a strategic partner, managing both farming and cotton ginning bodies and more broadly facilitating relations with the sector’s stakeholders across Benin.

As a strategic partner, the AIC will lead the establishment and implementation of an impactful Better Cotton Programme, driving engagement with the country’s farming communities and other stakeholders.

Lena Staafgard, COO at Better Cotton, believes there is an incredible appetite for change on the continent and we’ll work with partners new and old to leverage that: "As Better Cotton’s presence across Africa continues to grow, so too does the movement towards more sustainable cotton production.."

According to Eustache Kotingan, president of AIC, the implementation of this programme will help its valiant producers strengthen their resilience by introducing more sustainable production practices.

Kotingan remarked: "The start of a Better Cotton Programme in Benin is a matter of national initiative supported by the entire cotton sector and managed by the Association Cotton Interprofessional Association (AIC)."

The agreement was formalised at a signing ceremony in Cotonou, Benin, on 8 October where both organisations met alongside stakeholders from across the country's cotton sector.

Better Cotton highlighted that Benin is Africa’s second-largest cotton producer, following Mali, with over 580,000 metric tonnes of cotton produced and exported in the 2022/23 season, according to government figures.

The organisation operates programmes across Africa, including Mozambique, Egypt, Mali, and Côte d'Ivoire.

Recently, Better Cotton announced it is transitioning to third-party assessments and certification decisions which it believes complements the existing assurance process by adding a layer of independence and credibility.