DIRECTOR‑GENERAL'S CONSULTATIVE FRAMEWORK MECHANISM ON COTTON

COTTON PROJECT

Communication from Benin

The following communication, dated 17 September 2015, is being circulated at the request of the delegation of Benin.

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The Permanent Mission of the Republic of Benin is submitting the project below, prepared by the Government of Benin, with a view to receiving technical and financial assistance from the cotton sector development partners in the framework of the Director‑General's Consultative Framework Mechanism on Cotton.

1  PROJECT TO PREVENT SEED COTTON CONTAMINATION IN BENIN

1.1  Context and justification

1.1.  The Government of Benin has opted for an economic growth policy involving the diversification of agricultural activities. Hence the country's strategic development orientations and its growth strategy for poverty reduction in which the agricultural sector serves as a lever in the fight against poverty. The Strategic Plan to Revive the Agricultural Sector (PSRSA) 2011‑2015, whose priority focus is the promotion of agricultural activities, calls for the development of 13 subsectors, which include cotton.

1.2.  Indeed, for some 30 years now the cotton sector has played a leading role in the national economy. As the leading creator of wealth and jobs, it is one of the pillars of economic growth in Benin and is vital to the improvement of rural household income. Cotton represents 13.5% of Benin's agricultural production and accounts for 5% of the value added of the industrial sector and 33% of exports.[1]

1.3.  In spite of this potential and in spite of the reforms introduced in accordance with the country's economic policies, there has been a downward trend in domestic production since 2010. Having reached a peak of 427,156 tonnes of seed cotton during the record season of 2004‑2005, annual cotton production fell below 200,000 tonnes during the 2009‑2010 season, reaching 136,958 tonnes at the end of the 2010‑2011 season, in spite of the implementation of the Project to Improve and Boost the Cotton Sector in Benin (PARFCB).

1.4.  This fall in production in one of the leading sectors of the national economy led to a sharp decline in domestic resources and export revenue, coupled with the negative impact of a decline in income affecting above all the rural areas and the small producers. At the same time, a number of inefficiencies emerged in the cotton sector during the 2011‑2012 season.

1.5.  Reacting to this situation, the State provisionally resumed control, as from the 2012‑2013 season, over the management of the cotton sector pursuant to the decisions adopted by the Council of Ministers on 29 April 2012, namely: (i) repeal of the decree on the transfer to private operators of responsibility for organizing consultations on the supply of agricultural inputs, and (ii) suspension of the framework agreement between the State and the AIC (Interprofessional Cotton Association). The objective was to regain the confidence of cotton farmers and to restore cotton production.

1.6.  In spite of the problems inherent in operationalizing the palliative mechanism that characterized the former interprofessional management structures, seed cotton production progressed significantly, reaching 240,028 tonnes in 2012‑2013, 307,355 tonnes in 2013‑2014, and already more than 392,000 tonnes for 2014‑2015.

1.7.  To build on this momentum and help improve the quality of seed cotton produced in Benin, taking full advantage of its privileged status, it should be possible to capitalize on the results of the Project to Prevent Seed Cotton Contamination in Benin and ensure their widespread application. It is on this basis that the project is being developed.

1.2  Potential action areas and target groups

1.8.  In principle, the Project to Prevent Seed Cotton Contamination in Benin covers the entire country, but it will have to focus its activities on the cotton‑producing areas.

1.9.  These areas comprise mainly the regions of Alibori, Borgou, Atacora, Donga, Collines, Zou and a few communes in South Benin.

1.10.  The target groups are: the cotton producers and their unions, support and extension staff, cotton transporters, and ginning factory staff.

1.11.  However, specific support could be envisaged for the different structures assisting these groups in the cotton production process.

1.3  Objectives and expected results

1.3.1  Overall objective

1.12.  The overall objective of the project is to contribute to improving the quality of seed cotton produced in Benin.

1.3.2  Specific objectives

1.13.  The specific objectives are:

a.    to identify, train and raise awareness among cotton producers, management and extension staff, transporters and ginning factory staff;

b.    to ensure that producers adopt techniques to avoid contaminating the seed cotton;

c.    to ensure that the uncontaminated cotton is taken in hand, protected and marketed, taking full advantage of its privileged status.

1.3.3  Expected results

1.14.  The main results to be expected are:

a.    cotton producers, management and extension staff, transporters, and ginning factory staff will have been identified and trained, and their awareness raised;

b.    producers will have adopted techniques to avoid the contamination of seed cotton;

c.    the uncontaminated cotton will be taken in hand, and its protection and marketing ensured.

1.4  Project description and role of the different players

1.15.  The Project to Prevent of Seed Cotton Contamination in Benin aims to help achieve the objective of improving the quality of locally‑produced seed cotton.

1.16.  There are three components to this project: (i) identification, training and raising awareness of producers, extension service staff, transporters and ginning factory staff; (ii) voluntary adoption by cotton growers of techniques to avoid contamination; (iii) ensuring that the uncontaminated cotton is taken in hand, protected and marketed in order to take advantage of its privileged status.

1.17.  Identification, training and awareness raising among producers, management staff, transporters and ginning factory staff will involve:

a.    a preparatory phase: planning workshop, national consultations, national and regional workshops and service contract with the cotton companies;

b.    a target group identification phase: groups/cooperatives, producers, management, factories, and transporters;

c.    follow‑up on the results of the Project to Prevent Seed Cotton Contamination in West Africa: development of modules and training (technical aspects, harvesting/storage, marketing and transport/ginning, training of extension agents, producers, transporters and ginners).

1.18.  The adoption of voluntary techniques to avoid contamination will involve:

a.    supplying appropriate kits (harvesting sacks made of cotton, storage tarpaulins made of cotton, buying tarps made of cotton, etc.); identification of domestic or subregional suppliers; exchange visits; selective national or international invitations to tender;

b.    building of pre‑storage racks and distribution of silos;

c.    gathering of information.

1.19.  Ensuring that uncontaminated cotton is taken in hand, protected and marketed to take advantage of its privileged status will involve setting up a project implementation unit that will work under the administrative supervision of SONAPRA and will be responsible for the operational aspects of the project.

1.20.  Roles and responsibilities will be shared between the State, through SONAPRA, and the other players involved in the new organization of the sector as follows:

·        The role of the State will be to provide support for the implementation of the project, while the private stakeholders, including the producers, will assume their different responsibilities and adopt the innovations.

1.5  Project implementation strategy

1.21.  An organizational mechanism will be set up by SONAPRA to implement the Project to Prevent Seed Cotton Contamination in Benin.

1.22.  Specifically, each component of the project will come under the responsibility of a specialized unit under the supervision of a project leader.

1.23.  The process will be implemented in stages as follows:

a.    adoption of the Project to Prevent Seed Cotton Contamination;

b.    setting up of the project management unit;

c.    development of a short‑ and medium‑term action plan;

d.    start‑up of the project's activities.

1.6  Organization and management

1.24.  SONAPRA will be responsible for the administrative supervision of the project under the general coordination of the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries.

1.25.  We note that SONAPRA, as the agency on which the State relies for the management of the cotton sector, with the support of the technical units of the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries, will be responsible for implementing the project through a special unit to be set up for that purpose.

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