State of the art of the cotton research in Africa: Diagnosis and proposals for a revamping strategy

Problems

In Africa, cotton production has experienced a boom from 1970 to 2005. However, the integrated sector model where the state was the majority player, ran out of steam. From 2005 to 2010, an unprecedented financial and economic crisis by its hardness and length, hit the African cotton sector.

 Result of exogenous factors (global cotton prices, depreciation of the dollar, socio-political unrest...) and endogenous factors (low competitiveness, privatization / liberalization of sectors, shortcomings in internal management...), the crisis led to a sharp decrease of African production. Although production has improved recently, the competitiveness of African cotton sector remains low, particularly due to the stagnation and declining yields in the field.

 After many proven success, the future of cotton research in Africa is uncertain. Progressive State disengagements from agricultural sectors and different financial and economic crises have reduced the means at its disposal. To effectively address the priority themes today, the African cotton research should evolve gradually. Before proposing relevant and effective guidelines for the African cotton research, we must first make a realistic and sufficiently comprehensive diagnosis.