Since the start of Cotton made in Africa in 2005, the initiative has significantly expanded its network of partners who work with smallholder cotton farmers according to the CmiA Standard criteria. During the year 2018, two new partners have joined CmiA, and three more candidates already have successfully passed the verification missions and are about to finalize administrative requirements to formally become CmiA partners. The resulting extension of CmiA’s network in Zambia, Mozambique, Côte d’Ivoire and Nigeria further strengthens the sustainable cotton sector across Africa.
In early 2018, SOFITEX in Burkina Faso was the first new partner to successfully pass the initial verification cycle on both gin and field level. The cotton company is one of the largest in Africa, with more than 267.000 farmers producing seed cotton and a fibre output of ca. 119.000 metric tons in the 2017/18 season.
Later this year, Highlands Cotton Trading (HCT) in Zambia has joined the CmiA family. HCT is a new company founded by Parrogate after having taken over cotton operations from Cargill in Zambia, which had been a long-time partner. As Parrogate itself is also a CmiA partner through its company Continental Ginnery Limited (CGL), a partnership with CmiA was intended from the very beginning. The Parrogate companies together cover approximately one third of the Zambian cotton market.
In addition to SOFITEX and HCT, three more candidates are nearing completion of the verification cycles and only few administrative requirements remain to be met for them to become new CmiA partners. As a result, CmiA will be represented by a higher number of partners in Mozambique and Côte d’Ivoire. With one new partner in Nigeria, CmiA will also increase the number of countries where the sustainable cotton standard is being implemented.
CmiA annually updates aggregated numbers of farmers, area under cotton cultivation as well as seed cotton and fibre production in its factsheet which you can find here.