Review of the Regional Integrated Cotton Production Programme in Africa

The 15th review meeting of the Regional Programme for Integrated Cotton Production in Africa (PR-PICA) was held in Grand Bassam (Côte d'Ivoire) from 12 to 14 April 2023. CIRAD was represented by Marc Giband (UMR Agap Institut), Ana Lopez Llandres, Janine Jean, Romain Loison and Bruno Bachelier (UPR Aïda).

The programme covered the results of the 2022-2023 cotton season in the 8 PR-PICA member countries: Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Chad, Côte d'Ivoire, Mali, Senegal and Togo, and forecasts for the 2023-2024 season. The damage caused by the infestation of a new jassid species in West and Central Africa, Amrasca biguttula bigutulla (Ishida), and control methods were also discussed. CIRAD took the opportunity to make two presentations: "Gestion de l'invasion de jassides dans les zones cotonnières d'Afrique de l'Ouest et du Centre - Vers une stratégie de recherche interdisciplinaire" and "La feuille de route de la filière coton du Cirad à 10 ans".

Adaptation of innovations for climate change resilience of small cotton producers in Africa (AIRCoA) project

In addition, as part of the AIRCoA - i4Ag project funded by GIZ and implemented by ICAC and CIRAD, a visit was made to the Ecole Supérieure d'Agronomie de l'Institut National Polytechnique Houphouët-Boigny (ESA INP-HB) in Yamoussoukro, a project partner. A demonstration session on biochar production was conducted by the ICAC. The morning of 15 April was devoted to a workshop to discuss the project with all the partners from Cameroon (Irad and Sodécoton) and Côte d'Ivoire (CNRA, ESA, Ivoire Coton and Olam Agri), in the presence of H.E. Mr Ali Touré, Côte d'Ivoire's Ambassador for Commodities to the WTO and Chairman of the ICAC standing committee, and representatives of the Côte d'Ivoire Cotton and Cashew Council.