US Secretary of Agriculture Mike Johanns and US Trade Representative Rob Portman announced the launch of the West Africa Cotton Improvement Program (WACIP) aimed at the cotton sectors of Benin, Burkina Faso, Chad, Mali and Senegal.

The program is based on an assessment conducted earlier this year by United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) experts in consultation with experts from these countries on ways to improve production, transformation, and marketing of cotton in the region.

Secretary Johanns informed that they are pleased to announce the allocation of $7 million - $5 million in fresh funding - to begin the work of this program. Because this program is a partnership between their countries, they have asked USAID to hold a conference in this region soon after the Hong Kong Ministerial to get countries' input on the final touches of the program's design.

Ambassador Portman stated that the WACIP is one more way the United States is specifically addressing the needs of cotton dependent countries in Africa. When combined with other measures like debt relief, eligibility for Millennium Challenge Account assistance, Administration efforts to end the Step 2 cotton program, and a bold proposal on agriculture in the World Trade Organization negotiations, the United States has taken real steps that can help West Africa, including its cotton farmers.

To complement this program, Secretary Johanns and Ambassador Portman also announced that the National Cotton Council (NCC), which will be a key partner in the WACIP, intends to provide assistance in West Africa during the cotton harvest on recommended measures to control insects and the application of biotechnology. WACIP represents only one part of the overall US response that will help these countries address the development obstacles in their cotton sectors.

The G-8 debt relief package will result in hundreds of millions of dollars in relief for Benin, Burkina Faso, Mali and Senegal. This should free up resources for cotton.

The U.S. will be doubling aid to Africa by 2010 under the G-8 commitment. These countries will benefit from this pledge.

The new African Global Competitiveness Initiative, a $200 million, 5-year program, is being designed and will also help improve competitiveness and stimulate regional and international trade. This new Initiative will be developed with the African counterparts. The program will help selected countries to diversify their trade and remove key barriers to expanding growth. Some of these reforms should have general benefits for a range of sectors, including agriculture and the cotton sector.

The National Cotton Council and USAID cosponsored entomologists from the region to receive training on cotton insect problems in Africa and shorter-term chemical and integrated pest management measures at Tuskegee University.

Johann's trip to Burkina Faso to meet with trade and agriculture ministers from the five countries, listen to their concerns, discuss the U.S. agriculture proposal, and explore ways trade capacity building can be helpful. The WACIP is a direct response to requests made in meetings of the "development track" to cotton at the WTO.

USDA is the country's largest conservation agency, encouraging voluntary efforts to protect soil, water, and wildlife on the 70 percent of America's lands that are in private hands.
 
United States Department of Agriculture

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