WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION  WT/CFMC/W/2 
11 April 2008 
 
 (08-1675) 
 Original:   French 
  
DIRECTOR-GENERAL'S CONSULTATIVE FRAMEWORK 
MECHANISM ON COTTON 
 
Cotton Projects
1 
 
Communication from Benin 
 
 
 The following communication, dated 22 November 2004, is being circulated at the request of 
the delegation of Benin.  
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PROJECT N° 2 - SUPPORT FOR IMPROVEMENT OF THE QUALITY AND IMAGE OF 
COTTON FIBRE IN ORDER TO INCREASE THE PROFITABILITY OF THE COTTON 
SUB-SECTOR IN AFRICA 
 A. J
USTIFICATION  
1. While the quality of the cotton produced is fair ly good, there is still room for improvement.  
Quality, which is essential to sound international marketing, has been identified as a means of 
improving the profitability and sustainability of th e cotton industry.  And yet the country does not 
have its own complete research laboratory to condu ct the analyses that are essential to its work on 
quality, in particular varietal improvement.  
B. OBJECTIVE  
(a) To obtain a precise assessment of the quality of the fibre produced and exported by 
Benin;   
(b) to identify the main types of contaminati on affecting the quality of cotton fibre in 
Benin as well as their causes and origins;  
(c) to identify the causes of increased stickiness and reduce its impact;  
(d) to identify the factors underlying the incr ease in seed coat fragments in the fibre 
produced;  
(e) to determine the impact of the technical itin eraries on the realization of the qualitative 
potential of the varieties cultivated (technol ogical characters of the fibre, and in 
particular, micronaire variation according to farming practices, climate, and the 
production region);   
 
                                                      
1 This project was distributed amongst the Development Community by e-mail on 18 August 2005. WT/CFMC/W/2 
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  (f) to improve harvesting, storage, transport, and processing (ginning) of the fibre to 
reduce any negative impact on the quality of the fibre.   
C. D
ESCRIPTION  
(a) Survey of all of the quality criteria of the fibre produced and exported by Benin;  
(b) equipping of a complete laboratory for research (complete technological analyses + 
stickiness + different contaminants) and training of technical staff;   
(c) sampling and analysis of fibre batches that are representative of national production, 
and development of the experimentation needed to explain the causation chain underlying the situation observed;  
(d) verification of the hypothesis of resistance of biting and sucking insects to 
insecticides and proposal of new technical  itineraries with more appropriate 
phytosanitary practices (see LEC – Targ eted Application Management);   
(e) introduction of an experimental network to assess the causation chain of this 
particular form of contamination;   
(f) enquiry to determine the particular crops concerned and experimentation to explain 
the causation chain;  
(g) training of producers to speed up harvesting, strengthening of "cotton" markets, 
fostering of awareness among transporters and other intermediari es, measurement of 
the impact of the proposed improvements.  
D. E
XPECTED RESULTS  
2. Understanding of the causation chain underlyi ng the expression of the technological 
characteristics of the fibre produced by the varieti es cultivated.  Adaptation of technical itineraries to 
optimise that expression.  Identification of particul ar crops in order to enhance the marketing of 
production.   
3. Better adaptation of technical itin eraries in the area of phytosanitary protection in order to 
reduce stickiness.  Better marketing of fibre.   
4. Building up of capacity for analysis in order to be able to award a quality mark to the bales of 
fibre exported.  Creation of a research laborator y enabling staff, which will have been trained 
accordingly, to produce end- of-project analyses.   
5. Thus, there will have been an improvement in qu ality not only at the producer level (technical 
itineraries), but also at the level of transporters, ginners, sorters (preservation of quality), industries 
and consumers.  The consumer image problem will be dealt with through phytosanitary protection and 
soil fertility management.   
E. COST:  CFA Francs  4.735  billion.   
F. DURATION :  5 years.    WT/CFMC/W/2 
 Page 3 
 
 
  G. LOCATION :  Benin.   
H. PROSPECTIVE IMPLEMENTATION PARTNERS :  INRAB,  CRA-CF,  AIC,  FUPRO,  CARDER,  
DIFOV,  DPQC,  CIRAD,  DAGRIS. 
 
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