White gold: Benin reaffirms its leadership in West Africa’s cotton sector

This success is the product of a collective effort led by the National Federation of Village Cotton Producers’ Cooperatives (Fn-Cvpc), which launched a national assessment tour on May 27, 2025, across major cotton-producing areas including Alibori, Borgou, Atacora, Donga, and the Central-Southern region.

At the core of the initiative are regional workshops with local union cooperatives (Ucom-Cvpc), aimed at conducting an honest review of the past campaign, identifying areas for improvement, and sharpening the ambitions for the next cycle.

In Parakou on May 28, attention turned to the growing strength of the Borgou department, which increased production from 116,973.23 tons in 2023–2024 to 126,051.91 tons in 2024–2025—an impressive gain of over 9,000 tons, praised by stakeholders despite internal tensions and ongoing misinformation in some circles.

Looking ahead to 2025–2026: a one-million-ton goal

With plans to cultivate 159,445 hectares at a projected yield of 1,265 kg/ha, Benin’s cotton engine is in full throttle. Fn-Cvpc president Gani Badou Tamou highlighted the sector’s momentum, declaring:

“Despite unfavorable climate conditions, we didn’t just hold the line—we exceeded expectations.”

He reaffirmed the availability of agricultural inputs and issued a strong call to producers: stay united and resist demobilization campaigns that could hinder collective progress.

The discussions also addressed financial challenges, particularly unpaid debts and internal liabilities within cooperatives. In response, the federation proposed:

• A phased debt recovery plan;
• Mechanisms to prevent future arrears;
• Stronger community dialogue frameworks.

These measures aim to stabilize the value chain and ensure an even more structured and productive campaign in 2025–2026.