WT/CFMC/W/65  
15 October 2015  
(15-5422)  Page: 1/5  
 Original: French  
 
  DIRECTOR-GENERAL'S CONSULTATIVE FRAMEWORK 
MECHANISM ON COTTON 
PROJECT CONCERNING COTTON 
Communication from Chad 
The following communication, dated 21 September 2015,  is being circulated at the request of the 
delegation of Chad. 
 
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The Permanent Mission of Chad wishes to submit the following project in order to benefit from the 
technical and financial assistance of the cotton sector development partners under the Director-General's Consultative Framework Mechanism on Cotton. 
1  CONTEXT AND JUSTIFICATION 
1.1.  Cotton is the main resource of the C4 countries (Benin, Burkina Faso, Chad, Mali), as well as 
of other Sub-Saharan African countries, from th e standpoint of both GDP and producers. Cotton 
output for the C4 countries in 2015 is estimated at 620,000 tonnes, of which over 90% is 
exported, i.e. 10% to 40% of GDP depending on  the country; over 12 million people owe their 
basic livelihood to cotton in the C4 countries. 
1.2.  Cotton farming is an engine of the agricultural sector in our countries, for which the cotton 
areas are real breadbaskets. Thus, cotton farmin g is a key development vector and plays a major 
role in poverty abatement efforts in the C4 countries. 
1.3.  In Chad, cotton remains a preponderant crop, grown by over 338,500 farms in the Sudanian 
area. About three million people, or 25% of the population, depend on cotton production. 
1.4.  Producers are organised in a pyramid structur e consisting of a base of 5,000 community 
associations, topped by 180 cantonal delegations grouped in 10 Local Coordination Committees. 
These committees are in turn members of the National Union of Cotton Producers of Chad 
(UNPCT). The Union represents producers in the joint committees that are responsible for setting cotton prices for producers and the purchase and re ception of inputs made available by suppliers. 
In the field, the UNPCT facilitates access to cotton markets for producers. 
1.5.  Despite its land-locked status, Chad was the biggest cotton producer in the CFA Franc Area 
until the late 1980s. WT/CFMC/W/65 
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  1.6.  The collapse of cotton prices between 1990 an d 2009, together with higher prices of 
agricultural inputs, had a severe impact on cotton farming in Chad, despite the country's potential in this sector. The result was: 
a. a drop in cotton production; 
b. a fall in farm yields; 
c. a shortfall in resources provided for agricultural research; 
d. a drastic reduction in cotton farmers' incomes; and 
e. a decline in seed cotton quality. 
1.7.  Thus, cotton growers could no longer live off their crop. However, the sharp rise in cotton 
prices between 2011 and 2013 brought new hope to the sector. Unfortunately, since last year cotton prices have again been falling on the world market, arousing renewed fears for producers. 
In this difficult situation, the only hope for Chadian cotton farming lies in focussing on the quality 
variable at every stage in order to enhance the value of production and thus ensure its survival. 
2  THE QUALITY VARIABLE 
2.1.  Quality is a complex, crosscutting notion that must be taken into account from the initial 
decision on which variety to grow through to the delivery of the cotton bale to the spinning mill. Cotton quality is a fundamental variable for increasing value in the cotton sector. In this project we 
deliberately confine ourselves to some aspects for which the Chadian cotton industry is seeking 
significant support, aimed at: 
a. capacity-building for the Chadian Institute for Agricultural Research and Development 
(ITRAD) as well as for cotton growers; 
b. providing cotton growers with delinted, treated and certified seeds; and 
c. equipping the COTONTCHAD classification service with an HVI automatic classification 
system. 
3  BENEFICIARIES 
3.1.  The beneficiaries of the project outcomes are: 
a. The cotton producers. They will be involved in each stage of the innovations stemming 
from this project and can easily take ownership of the outcomes; 
b. The processors and supervision/extension services. 
3.1  Project stakeholders 
i. COTONTCHAD SN has a monopoly for the purchase and ginning of seed cotton and 
for marketing lint. It has an oil-soap plant that processes cotton seed. Its current 
concern is to increase cotton production while at the same time improving lint quality. The supply of new technology will contribute to achieving these goals.  
ii. The Nouvelle Société Textile du Tchad (NSTT), currently being revamped, will be 
operational by the end of this year; it will consume several thousand tonnes of lint, provide added value for Chadian cotton and create jobs in the country.  
iii. Transporters: The rise in production induced by the project will boost the 
development of transport networks (cotton seed and lint).  WT/CFMC/W/65 
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  iv. Researchers: A flourishing cotton sector cannot exist without the support of robust 
agronomic research. Through this project, the Chadian institute for agricultural research and development (ITRAD) will be in partnership with subregional and international institutions to strengthen the technical and scientific capacities of its 
researchers and technicians and also of the staff of the rural development services 
and producers. 
v. The Directorate of Cooperative Action: As the body providing support for cotton 
growers in the areas of organization, mana gement and accounting, this directorate 
could give a boost to small cotton farmers.  
vi. Producers: They will also stand to gain fr om the scientific standpoint through various 
publications. Capacity-building for cotton producers' organizations will be defined in 
the framework of this project. 
4  OUTCOMES/OUTPUTS/ACTIVITIES 
4.1  Outcome 1 : Technologies and innovations for th e improvement of productivity and 
cotton quality are implemented 
4.1.  Output 1.1 : New cotton varieties are created and disseminated. 
4.2.  Activity 1.1.1 : Create new cotton varieties adapted to the various agro-ecological zones, 
taking account of climate change. 
a. Research efforts should find varieties that satisfy all sector stakeholders: 
i. good productivity per hectare; 
ii. good ginning yield; 
iii. good technological characteristics of the lint (length, strength, micronaire, 
elongation, colour, etc.). 
4.3.  Activity 1.1.2 : Improve conditions of harvesting and storage of seed cotton and seeds 
(creation of gene banks). 
4.4.  Activity 1.1.3 : Develop environmentally friendly integrated pest and disease management 
techniques (chemical, biological, etc.). 
4.5.  Output 1.2 : New innovations that help to raise cotton productivity are produced. 
4.6.  Activity 1.2.1 : Develop suitable cotton fertilizers. 
4.7.  Activity 1.2.2 : Develop weed control techniques (herbicide testing). 
4.8.  Activity 1.2.3 : Develop selective integrated soil fertility management techniques, in particular 
to control dicotyledonous and other cyperaceous weeds. 
4.9.  Activity 1.2.4 : Test machinery and equipment for soil preparation and crop management 
(rototillers, light tractors, mechanized and motorized weeders, etc.). 
4.2  Outcome 2: ITRAD's capacities for collection, storage, conservation and 
multiplication of cotton geneti c resources are strengthened. 
4.10.  Output 2.1 : A gene bank and a permanent energy system are installed at the Bébédjia 
station. 
4.11.  Activity 2.1.1 : Acquire the necessary material and equipment for the installation of the gene 
bank. 
4.12.  Activity 2.1.2 : Acquire the necessary material and equipment for the installation of a 
permanent energy source (solar equipment). WT/CFMC/W/65 
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  4.13.  Output 2.2 : Training in collection, characterization, multiplication and preservation of 
germplasm is delivered in a sub-regional partner research institution. 
4.14.  Activity 2.2.1 : Train and evaluate research specialists trained in collaboration with partner 
institutions. 
4.15.  Activity 2.2.2 : Conduct an annual collection of local genetic material as input for the gene 
bank. 
4.16.  Activity 2.2.3 : Collect, characterize, multiply and preserve the material in situ and ex situ.  
4.17.  Output 2.3 :  Training is delivered for researchers, extension workers and producers in 
production, quality and preservation of cotton seeds. 
4.18.  Activity 2.3.1 : Prepare training material and an evalua tion questionnaire for the training of 
researchers, technicians and producers in the prod uction, quality and preservation of cotton seeds.  
4.19.  Activity 2.3.2 : Train and evaluate researchers, technicians, extension workers and seed 
producers in the cotton-growing area in production techniques for high-quality cotton seeds and 
their preservation. 
4.20.  Activity 2.3.3 : Make available high-quality seeds to cotton growers. 
4.21.  Activity 2.3.4 : Rehabilitate the practically new chemical delinting plant at Gounou-Gaya, 
which is still idle. This rehabilitation is of the utmost importance for producers. Given the benefits 
(improved germination rate, saving in start-up  time, saving on phytosanitary treatments, 
environmental conservation, etc.), the rehabilitation of this delinting plant is essential. That is why we are asking for the support of  Brazil for this rehabilitation. 
4.3  Outcome 3 : The laboratory at the Bébédjia research station and the 
COTONCHTAD SN cotton classifica tion room are rehabilitated. 
4.22.  Output 3.1 : The needs in terms of equipment for the rehabilitation and/or installation of soil, 
water and plant, entomology and bio-mo lecular laboratories are identified. 
4.23.  Activity 3.1.1 : Rehabilitate the COTONTCHTAD SN classification room.  
4.24.  Activity 3.1.2 : Equip the COTONCHTAD classification room with an HVI system and 
strengthen the capacities of classifiers. This is a prerequisite for evaluating the quality of 
Chadian cotton and enhancing its value in world markets. 
4.4  Outcome 4 : The capacities of researchers, ex tension workers and cotton producer 
organizations (OPC), leaders for the use of sustainable crop production systems, are 
strengthened. 
4.25.  Output 4.1 : Integrated cotton-based production systems that include food crops are defined 
and validated. 
4.26.  Activity 4.1.1 : Define integrated intensive crop-farming systems that include cotton. 
4.27.  Activity 4.1.2 : Identify soil-improving plant species in order to make integrated production 
systems that include cotton sustainable. 
4.28.  Activity 4.1.3 : Carry out technical exchanges between producers to facilitate technology 
transfer. 
4.29.  Output 4.2 : Training is carried out for researchers in soil and plant analysis methodologies 
and entomology and biotechnology laboratory technicians. 
4.30.  Activity 4.2.1 : Prepare teaching materials and an evaluation questionnaire for the training of 
soil and plant laboratory technicians. WT/CFMC/W/65 
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  4.31.  Activity 4.2.2 : Prepare teaching materials and an evaluation questionnaire for the training of 
entomology laboratory technicians. 
4.32.  Activity 4.2.3 : Prepare teaching materials and an evaluation questionnaire for the training of 
molecular biology laboratory technicians. 
4.33.  Activity 4.2.4 : Provide training and capacity-building for researchers in entomology and 
biotechnology assessment and soil and plant analysis methods.  
4.34.  Output 4.3: Training is delivered in methodologies for protocol development, data analysis, 
scientific writing, and design of posters and technical file sheets. 
4.35.  Activity 4.3.1 : Deliver training in trial protocol development.  
4.36.  Activity 4.3.2 : Deliver training in data analysis. 
4.37.  Activity 4.3.3 : Deliver training in scientific writing.  
4.38.  Activity 4.3.4 : Deliver training in the design of posters and technical file sheets.  
4.39.  Output 4.4 : Capacity-building for cotton producer organizations is effectively delivered. 
4.40.  Activity 4.4.1 : Organize and train cotton producer organizations. 
4.41.  Activity 4.4.2 : Provide supervisory support for producers in the cotton area. 
4.42.  Activity 4.4.3 : Disseminate tailored crop management protocols for the production of 
faultless high quality lint in line with world market requirements. 
4.43.  Activity 4.4.4 : Disseminate quality handbooks. 
4.44.  Activity 4.4.5 : Develop the commitment of cotton producer organizations for 
environmentally friendly sustainable agriculture. 
4.5  Outcome 5 : Management, technical coordinati on and participatory project 
evaluation capacities are developed and implemented. 
4.45.  Output 5.1 : The work plan, annual budget and technical reports are established and 
validated. 
4.46.  Activity 5.1.1 : Draw up the work plan and annual bu dget through feedback workshops on 
crop year results. 
4.47.  Activity 5.1.2 : Draw up progress reports and the annual report for each crop year. 
4.48.  Output 5.2 : National results feedback workshops are held. 
4.49.  Activity 5.2.1 : Appoint the members of the project steering committee. 
4.50.  Activity 5.2.2 : Hold a yearly steering committee meeting. 
4.51.  Output 5.3 : A mid-term evaluation report and a fina l evaluation for the project are prepared 
and validated. 
4.52.  Activity 5.3.1 : Carry out a mid-term evaluation of the project, submit it to the steering 
committee meeting and disseminate the results. 
4.53.  Activity 5.3.2 : Conduct a final evaluation of the project and disseminate the results. 
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