CmiA strengthens African cotton with WTO & FIFA

A new initiative called "Partenariat pour le Coton" (Partnership for Cotton) is working to improve the cotton and textile industry in West Africa. The group was founded by the World Trade Organization (WTO), FIFA, and other organizations.

A key member of the initiative is Cotton made in Africa (CmiA), a standard for sustainable cotton production in Africa. CmiA works with nearly one million small-scale farmers in eleven African countries.

The Partnership for Cotton aims to create a more sustainable cotton value chain, from growing cotton to producing textiles. This will benefit African cotton farmers and producers by opening up new markets, such as sportswear.

The initiative will focus on helping cotton-producing countries, like Mali, Chad, Burkina Faso, Benin, and Côte d’Ivoire, not only grow cotton but also process it into textiles. This will create more jobs and economic activity in these countries.

In early June, the Partnership for Cotton steering committee met in Benin to discuss the initiative's progress and next steps. They also visited a factory where African cotton is processed into textiles.