This edition, our focus is on the potential of cotton farming.

This is because, at this year’s celebration of World Cotton Day, the World Trade Organization WTO urged for the stabilization of the cotton sector to create jobs and strengthen the economies of developing countries.

Across the world, seventy-five countries spread across five continents grow this commodity. For West Africa, Cotton is, in value, the third export product after cocoa and coffee. Francophone West Africa is the world’s third-largest exporter, with an estimate of over 1 million tons representing approximately 12% of total world exports, behind the United States (41%) and India (14%).

While this industry promises long-lasting rewards for farmers and economies, countries like Burkina Faso, have remained stagnant in recent years due to extreme climate conditions, pests, and limited access to fertilisers coupled with insecurity.