Togo: African cotton producers come together to boost the sector
A meeting dedicated to the professionalization of the cotton sector has been taking place since Tuesday, November 21st, in Lomé. Organized by the Association of African Cotton Producers (AProca), this meeting has brought together stakeholders from 15 countries in the West and Central regions of the continent.
The objective of this initiative is to engage in discussions on strategies to improve the sector, mechanisms for setting prices in the international market, seeking financing for processing, and enhancing the capacities of producers.
The discussions are expected to result in several resolutions by this Thursday.
Since the 1970, cotton has been a driving force in transforming agricultural production systems and a significant element of local economies in the savannas of West and Central Africa. The momentum that began during the colonial period intensified during the post-Independence period when cotton cultivation became central to agricultural policies and the development of several countries in West and Central Africa.
As the primary cash crop in Togo, cotton is also the leading sector providing employment in rural areas. Since 2009, the Togolese government has made efforts to reform the cotton sector with the establishment of the New Cotton Company of Togo (SNCT) aimed at boosting production. The new directions applied to the cotton sector reflect the government’s determination to make the sector a pillar of Togo’s economic development.
The cotton sector holds a significant position in the development of the Adéticopé Industrial Platform (PIA) by providing a site for its processing. Therefore, it is fitting that the Togolese authorities place importance on the productivity of this local raw material.
