In Burkina Faso, there are no industrial cotton farms like those in other regions of the world. Rather, cotton growing is conducted by small entrepreneurs, whose annual production comprises an average of two tons of cotton seed as a cash crop, with a small portion retained for subsistence purposes.
Is Burkina Faso big in African cotton?
Burkina Faso is big in African cotton, but small in global terms. India, the world leader, grows over 20 times more cotton each year. Even so, Burkina depends heavily on cotton exports. Around a fifth of its workforce participates in the sector, according to the World Bank.
Why did America’s biotech giant try to export to Burkina Faso?
When America’s biotech giant tried to export its know-how to small cotton farmers in Burkina Faso, there was a problem: The quality sank. BOBO-DIOULASSO, Burkina Faso – In 2000, farmers in Burkina Faso, Africa’s top cotton grower, were desperate.
Why is GM cotton so popular in Burkina Faso?
The growers moved fast. By 2014, GM cotton had surged to almost three-quarters of all the cotton acreage planted in Burkina Faso. In the three seasons before Burkina introduced Bt cotton, over 90 percent of its output was classed as high quality medium to long staple by the country’s cotton companies.