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ORGANIC COTTON

Helvetas and its partners have been supporting an organic and Fairtrade cotton production programme in Burkina Faso coordinated by the Union Nationale des Producteurs de Coton du Burkina (UNPCB – National Union of Cotton Producers of Burkina Faso) since 2004. A field study by the University of Berne assessed the impact of the programme on the socio-economic conditions of men and women producers. The study shows that organic and Fairtrade production enable the producers to increase their income and at the same time to improve soil fertility, human health and food security. As production costs are lower, there is less risk of producers running into debt than with conventional cotton production.

Context

Helvetas’ organic cotton programme started in Burkina Faso in 2004 with financial support from SECO(1) , ICCO(2), LED(3) and other partners. Its main objective is to promote organic and Fairtrade cotton from Burkina Faso on international growth markets so as to improve producers’ living conditions – especially those of women and small farmers – through a viable and sustainable mode of production.
It should be noted that the cotton industry accounts for 50-60% of the country’s foreign currency earnings and the area under cultivation is constantly expanding.

In 2008, organic cotton made up only 1% of total production, yet it involves 7,000 producers, 28% of whom are women. This initiative is managed by the Union Nationale des Producteurs de Coton du Burkina (UNPCB) which carries out the training and monitoring of organic producers. UNPCB implements an Internal Control System (ICS) which is necessary for the annual certification. Helvetas supports UNPCB’s work through organisational advice and knowledge transfer, and by establishing contacts with commercial and financial partners.

At the end of 2008, an impact study carried out by the Centre for Development and Environment (CDE) at the University of Berne analysed the extent to which the living conditions of men and women producers had improved, as well as assessing the economic sustainability of the programme in the field.

(1) State Secretariat for Economic Affairs, Switzerland;
(2) Interchurch Organisation for Development Co-operation, The Netherlands;
(3) Liechtenstein Development Service, Liechtenstein;

  • Future Prospects

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    In a difficult and uncertain economic climate, there is a need to protect and make the best use of existing resources. Over the past few years we were seeing an exponential increase in the area under organic cultivation and in the number of organic producers. Promising though this may be, it poses a number of challenges to the stability and quality of the programme’s work. A strategic review of how the organic farmers are trained and selected should make it possible to expand the cultivated area without necessarily leading to a proportional increase in the number of farmers. The programme must also invest more in helping the producers to become more professional so that they can improve their yields. The diversification of food crops and those for market should continue as this will give the producers greater food and income security.

    One other important challenge the programme faces is the arrival of genetically modified cotton in Burkina Faso. As standards for organic agriculture ban genetically modified (GM) cotton, UNPCB must ensure that organic cotton production is not mixed or contaminated. Some potential answers to this are programmes to multiply non-GM seed and a greater concentration of organic production zones. This study revealed a critical lack of information about GM crops - 70% of producers say they know nothing about them.

  • Key results of Organic and Fairtrade Cotton

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    • 7'000 producers (men and women) in 2008
    • More diversified crop rotations with a higher commercial value
    • An opportunity for women to earn an income
    • 39% lower yields, but a 65% higher price for the farmer
    • 90% less spent on inputs; a 30% higher gross margin
    • Less indebtedness from buying inputs
    • Farmers consider that both human and livestock health have improved
    • Three times more organic manure applied
    • Producers have observed a noticeable improvement in soil fertility
Burkina Faso Quote
image description I am proud of our organic cotton. It protects our health and gives us a better income. image description Wimenga Kourita
Organic farmer from Tenkodogo
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