Cotton is discussed at the WTO on two tracks:
- the trade reforms needed to address subsidies and high trade barriers for cotton, and
- the assistance provided to the cotton sector in developing countries.
The trade aspects of cotton are handled by the Committee on Agriculture in Special Session including through dedicated discussionson trade in cotton. The development assistance aspects of cotton are discussed in the meetings of the “Director-General’sConsultative Framework Mechanism on Cotton”.
These various tracks of discussion have been developed over the years as a response to a series of proposals to address thesector tabled by four African countries — Benin, Burkina Faso, Chad and Mali — known as the Cotton Four or C4.
Click here to access the WTO cotton webpage to learn about background information on the scope and mandate of the WTO workon cotton and access official WTO documents on cotton-related work.
The Secretariat background paper includes factual information and data available from Members’ notifications and other official submissions to the WTO on market access (including non-tariff measures affecting cotton trade), domestic support and export competition in relation to cotton. The document is used to inform discussions on WTO Members’ cotton trade policies that took place biannually at the WTO.
Click here to access the paper and its amendment.
Discussions on the development assistance aspects of cotton take place twice a year in a forum known as the “Director General’s Consultative Framework Mechanism on Cotton”. The main purpose of these discussions is to track developments and exchange information on development assistance provided to developing countries. This is recorded through the so-called “Evolving Table on Cotton”. Click here to access the paper.
| Development Community | Programmes/Projects/Activities | Value | Operational Status | Disbursement Status | Beneficiaries |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
EUROPEAN UNION | Accompagnement des mutations du bassin cotonnier du Cameroun-ABC | EUR 9,400,000 | PFS 2020-2025 | Cameroon | |
EUROPEAN UNION | Bottom Up! Promoting a sustainable cotton & garment value chain from Ethiopian cotton to European consumers | EUR 1,500,000 | IP 2019-2022 | Ethiopia | |
EUROPEAN UNION | Programme Régional d'Appui à la compétitivité 11ème FED (PACAO) (BF/FED/040-866 -volet BF) | EUR 7,500,000 | IP 2019-2023 | Burkina Faso | |
EUROPEAN UNION | Création d'emplois équitables et développement durable de micro entreprises dans les chaines de valeur liées au secteur du "lifestyle", appelé projet "Mode Ethique" (T05-EUTF-SAH-REG-07-01 Burkina Faso – Mali) | EUR 10,000,000 | IP 2019-2021 | Burkina Faso, Mali | |
EUROPEAN UNION | Création d'activités génératrices de revenu alternatives pour les communautés vivant autour du complexe w-arly-penjari (Projet B807 ACP Burkina Faso – Benin) | EUR 2,273,760 | IP 2021-2022 | Benin, Burkina Faso | |
FRANCE | Support to integrated management of agricultural resources (ASGIRAP) – C2D with a specific component for the enhancement of productivity in the cotton sector | EUR 10,000,000 | IP 2014-2020 | EUR 5,386,911 | Cameroon |
FRANCE | Projet d'appui à la transition agro-écologique en zone cotonnière | EUR 18,500,000 | IP 2019-2022 | 0 | Mali |
FRANCE | Projet de transition agro-écologique dans les zones cotonnières 2 | EUR 10,000,000 | IP 2020-2024 | 0 | Benin |
GERMANY | Accompagnement des mutations du Bassin cotonnier du Cameroun –Programme d'Appui au Développement Rural (ABC-PADER) avec l'UE | EUR 10,000,000 | IP 2020-2024 | Cameroon | |
GERMANY | Global Programme Sustainability and Value Added in the Agricultural Supply Chains-Cotton | EUR 11,959,000 | IP 2019-2023 | - | Burkina Faso, Cameroon, India, Uzbekistan |
GERMANY | Sector Programme Sustainable Agricultural Value Chains and Standards | EUR 1,000,000 | IP 2020-2023 | Western, Central and Eastern African Countries | |
GERMANY | Initiative spéciale Formation et emploi, valeur ajoutée de la chaine du textile et production du coton bio | EUR 425,000 | IP 2020-2021 | EUR 425,000 | Senegal |
ITALY | The Egyptian Cotton Project – II Phase (implemented by UNIDO) | EUR 1,500,000 | PFS | Egypt | |
NETHERLANDS | Initiative Sustainable Trade (IDH): Cotton Value Chain Development | EUR 16,500,000 | IP 2016-20 | EUR 8,792,538 | China, India, Mali, Mozambique, Pakistan, Senegal, Tajikistan, Türkiye |
SWEDEN | Conservation Cotton TechnoServe Programme: Support to farmers in Northern Uganda to become efficient producers of cotton and staple food crops (in cooperation with jeans manufacturer Edun) | EUR 256,213 | IP 2014-15 | Uganda | |
SWITZERLAND | Sustainable Initiative Trade (IDH): Cotton Value Chain Development | USD 780,000 | IP 2016-21 | - | Africa, Central Asia, China |
SWITZERLAND | Better Cotton Initiative (BCI): The Delta Project "Bridging the Gap in Measuring Real-Time Sustainability Performance" | USD 1,103,835 | IP 2018-21 | - | Global |
BRAZIL | Programme for the development of the cotton sector in Africa (Benin, Burkina Faso, Chad, Mali, Togo, Mozambique, Malawi, Kenia, Tanzania) | USD 36,745,841 | IP 2012-2026 | USD 24,599,724 | Cotton-producing countries in Africa (17 countries) |
BRAZIL | Strengthening of the cotton sector through south-south cooperation | USD 16,408,154 | IP 2012-2024 | USD 14,628,834 | Argentina; Bolivia, Plurinational State of; Colombia; Ecuador; Haiti; Paraguay; and Peru |
BRAZIL | South-South cooperation for the promotion of decent work in cotton-producing countries in Africa and Latin America | USD 6,946,395 | IP 2015-2024 | USD 5,360,264 | Mali, Mozambique, Tanzania, Paraguay and Peru |
BRAZIL | Support to small-scale cotton producers and public institutions in selected African countries in the production and commercialization of cotton by-products (such as oil and cottonseed meal) and products from other crops combined to cotton production (such as corn, sorghum and bean) - "Beyond Cotton" project | USD 7,420,630 | IP 2017-2023 | USD 2,699,890 | Benin, Kenya, Mozambique and Tanzania |
BRAZIL | Improved Effectiveness and Transparency of Pesticide Registration Systems in Latin America and Caribbean Countries. | USD 6,231,735 | IP 2019-2023 | USD 1,207,725 | Brazil, Colombia and Paraguay |
INDIA | Cotton Technical Assistance Programme | USD 2,848,809 | IP 2011-2018 | FD | Benin, Burkina Faso, Chad, Malawi, Nigeria, Uganda |
CONVENTION ON BIOLOGICAL DIVERSITY (CBD) | +Seeds: More Biodiversity, More Sustainable Development, More Cotton. (Implemented by ALTER VIDA Paraguay, with FAO Technical support) | USD 26,100 | IP 2020–2020 | 0 | Argentina; Bolivia, Plurinational State of; BRAZIL; Colombia; Ecuador; Paraguay; and Peru |
ENHANCED INTEGRATED FRAMEWORK (EIF) | The Cotton by-Products Project: Unlocking the Hidden Value (Implemented by ITC, UNCTAD and WTO) | USD 204,694 | IP 2019–2020 | USD 96,580 | Benin, Burkina Faso, Chad, Mali, Mozambique, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia |
FAO | Competitiveness and sustainable strengthening of the cotton sector through the reinforcement of cotton farmers' capacities in the Integrated Production and Pest Management | USD 3,315,650 | IP 2012-16 | USD 3,000,000 | Burkina Faso, Mali, Senegal, Tanzania, Zambia |
ITC | Supporting Indian Trade and Investment for Africa | USD 2,000,000 | IP 2015-20 | Ethiopia, Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda | |
Organisation of the African, Caribbean and Pacific States and European Union | Support to business friendly and inclusive national and regional policies, and strengthening productive capabilities and value chains – Intervention on the cotton value chains | USD 2,000,000 | IP 2019 | USD 1,324,602 | Benin, Burkina Faso, Kenya, and Zambia |
Common Fund for Commodities (CFC) | Cotton project in Uganda | USD 1,500,000 | PFS 2022-2027 | USD 0 | Uganda |
|
Argentina |
Under-Secretariat of Agriculture |
Cdor. Delfo Buchaillo |
|
Benin |
Chercheur, Directeur Général de l'Institut National des Recherches Agricoles (INRAB) |
M. Ygué Patrice Adegbola |
|
Burkina Faso |
Secrétaire permanent du suivi de la filière coton libéralisée |
M. Jean Pierre Guinko |
|
Burundi |
Directeur Général de l'Industries |
M. Emmanuel Mbonihankuye |
|
Cameroon |
Sous-Directeur des échanges commerciaux |
M. Olinga Narcisse Ghislain |
|
Central African Republic |
Coordonateur de la Cellule de gestion des stratégies sectorielle et des projets |
M. Edmond Mologodo |
|
Chad |
Point Focal Coton |
M. Ousmane Hassan Abakar |
|
Côte d'Ivoire |
Directeur des organisations et de la commercialisation des produits de base |
M. Edmond Vénance Kodjo |
|
Democratic Republic of Congo |
Conseillère en charge des accords commerciaux et de l'intégration commerciale |
Ms. Youyou Baende Bofota |
|
Eswatini |
Swaziland Cotton Board |
M. Tom Jele |
|
Mali |
Point Focal Coton |
M. Bouya SIDIBE |
|
Mozambique |
Director of the Mozambique Institute for Cotton and Oilseed |
Mrs. Yolanda Milena Gonçalves |
|
South Africa |
Department of Agriculture |
M. Günter Müller |
|
Sudan |
Director of World Trade Accession Unit (WACU) |
Ms. Widad Adelrhman |
|
Uganda |
Assistant Commissioner for Internal Trade Department |
Ms. Elizabeth Tamale |
|
Zambia |
Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives |
The Permanent Secretary |
|
Zimbabwe |
Department of International Trade |
Ms. Beatrice Mutetwa |
The initiative on cotton by-products — established through the WTO, ITC, and UNCTAD in 2018 — aims to help least-developed countries generate additional revenue streams from the production, processing, and trade of cotton. The initiative was requested by four African cotton-producing countries — Benin, Burkina Faso, Chad and Mali — known as the Cotton Four. Please click here and here to find further information on this initiative.
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