WT/CFMC/W/94  
22 October  2021 
(21-8017) Page: 1/5 
Sub-Committee on Cotton  Original:  French  
 
  
DIRECTOR -GENERAL'S CONSULTATIVE FRAMEWORK MECHANISM  
ON COTTON  
COTTON -GROWING INTENSIFICATION PROJECT  
THROUGH  SUPPORT FOR BURUNDI'S PRODUCERS  
Communication from Burundi  
The following communication, dated 22 October  2021, is being circulated at the request of the 
delegation of Burundi.  
 
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The Permanent Mission of Burundi is submit ting the following draft, prepared by the Government of 
Burundi, with a view to receiving  technical and financial assistance from the cotto n sector 
development partners  in the framework of the Director -General's Consultative Framework 
Mechanism on Cotton.  
 
1  IDENTIFICATION  
1.1  Project proponent  
1.1.  The proponent  of the project is the  Compagnie de Gérance du Coton  (Cotton Management 
Company ) (COGERCO).  
1.2  Contact  
Permanent Mission of Burundi  
 
Telephone:  022 732 77 05  
 
Email: mission.burundi217@gmail.com  
2  BACKGROUND AND CONTEXT  
2.1  Project background  
2.1.  The main task of COGERCO is to oversee  cotton  farming, and to  ensure the collection  and 
processing of the cotton and the marketing of the end  products (cotton fibre and seed). Oversight  
consists of provided support to cotton producers organized in cooperatives throughout the country . 
2.2.  Analysis of cotton production trends shows that production has gradually declined from 
8,813  tonnes in 1993 to 763 tonnes in 2020.  
  WT/CFMC/W/94  
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  Total seed cotton production (tonnes)1 
 
 
Key factors that have contributed to the fall in production include:  
 
➢ The 10-year socio-political crisis that began in  1993.  
 
➢ Low levels of mechanization due to:  
 
✓ The lack of private tractors, and those that are available are in a state of disrepair ; and  
✓ The a bandonment of animal traction agriculture.  
 
➢ Lack of financing means it is  impossib le for COGERCO to:  
 
✓ Obtain inputs, including fertilizers, phytosanitary  products and high-quality  seeds; or 
✓ Update  production equipment , rolling stock and ginning factor y. 
2.2  National context of the sector and project  area of action  
2.2.1   National context of the sector  
2.3.  Burundi has sufficient potential to develop a n agro-textile industry value chain , capable of  
producing more exports for the country, generat ing more income for a number of stakeholders, 
creating  many jobs across the chain, and integrat ing easily into the regional and global textile 
industry.  
2.4.  Within the current national and international trade -oriented economic context, Burundi needs 
a new vision for the targets  to be set for its agro -textile sector in the next few  years. In addition to  
the cot ton fibre export target, which was in force for several years, the country must now  set as a 
new vision the develop ment of  an end-to-end agro-textile sector, including  the production, 
processing and export of finished products.  
2.5.  Internal  and external  factor s have prevented COGERCO from promoting and ensuring sustained 
production, which  the country needed to develop the cotton -textiles -apparel  sector.  
2.6.  As the national strategy to revitaliz e the cotton -textiles -apparel  sector has just been adopted, 
COGERCO requires funds to reinvigorate  and revitaliz e cotton production.  
 
1 Chart available in French only.  
WT/CFMC/W/94  
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  2.2.2   Project area of action  
It is located in the cotton -producing  areas in the following provinces and communes:  
• CIBITOKE: Communes  of Rugombo and Buganda;  
• BUJUMBURA: Comm une of Mutimbuzi;  
• BUBANZA: Comm une of Gihanga;  
• RUTANA: Communes of Bukemba and Giharo;  
• RUYIGI: Communes of Kinyinya, Nyabitsinda and Gisuru.  
2.3  Studies already completed  
• East African Community ( EAC) (April 2019): EAC Regional Cotton, Textiles and App arels 
Strategy and its implementation  road map . 
• Economic Community of Central African States ( ECCAS ): Regional strategy to develop the 
cotton , textiles  and clothing sector in Central Africa.  
• Project d'App ui à la Gestion Économique  (PAGE ) (2009): Etude diagnostique de la 
compétitivité et d 'une stratégie de développement de la filière coton au Burundi  (Diagnostic 
study on the competitiveness and for a development strategy of the cotton sector  in Burundi ). 
2.4  Commitment of  and actions already undertaken by stakeholders  
COGERCO and other partners from the cotton-textiles -apparel  sector in Burundi:  
- Development of the National Cotton -Textiles -Apparel Strategy.  
 
GOVERNMENT OF BURUNDI:  
- Validation of th e National Cotton -Textile -Apparel Strategy; and  
- Identification and inventory of land that could be reallocated to cotton farming . 
 
3  RATIONALE FOR AND STRATEGIC FRAMING OF THE PROJECT  
3.1.  The cotton production sector is of great importance in the monetization of  rural communities  
and the Burundian economy , as it is the main provider of raw materials for the textile industry  in 
Burundi  and is highly regarded  on the international market. In addition, its by-products  are also 
used in animal feed and the cult ivation  of edible mushrooms . 
4  PROJECT OBJECTIVES  
4.1  General  objective  
4.1.  Reinvigorate  cotton production in order to develop the agro-textile industry in Burundi and 
export the  surplus so that the country raises  foreign exchange.  
4.2  Specific objective  
Increase production:  
✓ Replenish production equipment ; 
✓ Relaunch  mechanization;  
✓ Increase timely sowing  and plough ing; 
✓ Increas e yields;  
✓ Purchase agricultural inputs of sufficient quality and quantities.  
4.3  Expected results  
- Seed cotton production to be increased up to 12,000 tonnes;  
- The land area subject to mechanized sowing  and ploughing  to be  increased up to 
10,000  hectares;  
- Yields to be increase d up to 1.2 tonnes/hectare;  
- A stock to be b uilt up of agricultural inputs of sufficient quantity to support cotton producers 
in order to improve productivity.  WT/CFMC/W/94  
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  5  PROJECT BENEFICIARIES, DURATION AND AREA OF ACTION  
5.1  Beneficiaries  
The b eneficiaries are: cotton producers, suppliers of inputs, spinners, garment manufacturers , the 
general population  and the State. 
 
5.2  Duration  
The duration of the  project is five years.  
5.3  Area of action  
Cotton -producing  areas:  
 
• CIBITOKE: Communes of Rugombo and Buganda;  
• BUJUMBURA: Comm une of Mutimbuzi;  
• BUBANZA: Comm une of Gihanga;  
• RUTANA: Communes of Bukemba and Giharo;  
• RUYIGI: Communes of Kinyinya, Nyabitsinda and Gisuru.  
6  PROJECT COMPONENTS AND DESCRIPTION OF ACTIVITIES  
• Agricultural mechanization;  
• Purchase  of agricultural inputs (organo -mineral fertilizers and phytosanitary  products);  
• Updating , moderniz ing and maint aining  industrial equipment ;  
• Strengthening the organizational and operational capacities of cotton producers' 
cooperatives.  
7  ORGANIZATION AND MANAGEMENT STRUCTURE ENVISAGED  
The management bodies  of COGERCO , in which cotton producers , organized  in cooperatives , are 
represent ed, will be responsible for managing the project . 
 
8  ESTIMATED TOTAL COST AND IDENTIFIED SOURCES OF FUNDING  
8.1  Estimated total cost  
Components  Activities  Amount in USD*  
Component No. 1: 
Agricultural mechanization  
 Purchase of 20 tractors and attachments  
(ploughs and harrows)  2,500,000 
Component No. 2: 
Purchase  of agricultural inputs 
(organo -mineral fertilizers 
phytosanitary  products)  Purchase of 16,800 tonnes of organo -mineral 
fertilizers.  9,744,000 
Purchase of 200 000 litres of phytosanitary 
products  2,000,000 
Component No. 3: 
Renovating the  cotton ginning factory 
and purchase  of transport equipment  Replacement of the  groundwater  sampling 
bailer  
  500,000 
Installation of  a third cotton gin in the 
factory . 
 1,000,000 
Factory spare parts  1,000,000 
Purchase of four 16 -tonne  articulated  lorries -
trailers with 24 containers  
 720,000 
Purchase of a  hoist and a tractor for handling 
containers and bales of cotton lint.  100,000 
TOTAL  17,564,000 WT/CFMC/W/94  
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  9  SUSTAINABILITY FACTORS AND ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT  
9.1  Sustainability factors  
• Availability of cotton -producing  land managed by COGERCO;  
• COGERCO 's considerable  cotton -producing, industrial and commercial experience;  
• Availability of labour;  
• Guaranteed l ocal and re gional market.  
9.2  Environmental impact  
• Reorganization of cotton reserves;  
• Comprehensive  pest management.  
10  STEPS AND STUDIES TO BE UNDERTAKEN  
• Purchase  of a new tractor fleet;  
• Replenishment of stocks of agricultural input s; 
• Renovation  of the cotton ginning fact ory and purchase  of transport equipment;  
• Building the capacit ies of cotton growers and bringing them together  to form cooperatives.  
 
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