Short-term expertise
State of the art of the cotton research in Africa:
Diagnosis and proposals for a revamping strategy
Final report
“Diagnosis and recommendations for the elaboration of a proposal for a
revamping strategy of African cotton research”
Lamine SEINY BOUKAR
Independent senior expert, team leader (
[email protected]
)
Bruno BACHELIER
CIRAD senior expert (
[email protected]
)
January 2017
Action:
State of the art of the cotton research in Africa: diagnosis and proposals
for a revamping strategy
Programme:
Support for consolidation of action frame for EU – Africa Partnership on
Cotton
Financing:
Intra ACP 10th FED – Cotton facility
SOMMAIRE
Note... 4
Thanks ... 4
Abbreviations ... 5
Figures and tables ... 8
Context and modalities of achievement of the Action ... 10
1.1. The intra-ACP cotton Programme ...10
1.2. The Action ...10
1.3. Cotton production in the World and in Africa ...11
1.4. Achievement of the Action ...14
1.4.1. Phase 1 ...15
1.4.2. Phase 2 ...15
1.4.3. Phase 3 ...15
1.4.1. Phase 4 ...15
1.4.1. Phase 5 ...16
Diagnosis of African cotton research ... 17
2.1. Goals and achievement ...17
2.2. Human resources of the African cotton research ...20
2.2.1. Cotton researchers ...20
2.2.2. Cotton technicians ...21
2.2.3. Support services ...21
2.2.4. Temporary staff ...22
2.3. Scientific fields, topics and activities of African cotton research...29
2.3.1. Present scientific coverage in cotton research ...29
2.3.2. Main ongoing cotton research topics or activities in cotton research ...29
2.3.3. Priority research topics proposed as an outcome of PERFORMON workshop ...30
2.4. Scientific and technical means of African cotton research ...36
2.4.1. Experimental field devices ...36
2.4.2. Experimental laboratory devices ...36
2.4.3. Tools and technical means ...37
2.4.4. Other supports for cotton research ...37
2.5. Partners of African cotton research ...41
2.5.1. At the national scale ...41
2.5.2. At the regional and international scale ...41
2.6. Communication and publicization of the results of African cotton research ...43
2.6.1. Within the cotton sector at the national level ...43
2.6.2. Visibility and integration of national cotton research within the international scientific community ...43
2.6.3. Contribution to the dissemination of adapted solutions and impact of cotton research ...44
2.7. Organization of African cotton research ...49
2.7.1. National actors in national cotton research ...49
2.7.2. Governance and decision-making within national cotton research ...49
2.7.3. Comparison with other models ...49
2.8. African cotton research policy ...53
2.8.1. At the national scale ...53
2.8.2. At the regional scale (REC, sub regional and international bodies) ...53
2.8.3. Elements of consistency in cotton research policies ...54
2.9. African cotton research funding ...57
2.9.2. Sources and distribution of funding for national cotton research ...57
Recommendations for the elaboration of a revamping strategy for African cotton research
61
3.1. Generalities ...613.2. Research subjects ...61
3.2.1. Climate change ...62
3.2.2. Management of bio-aggressors ...62
3.2.3. Management of soil fertility ...62
3.2.4. Reduce the perception of particularly strenuous work ...63
3.2.5. Advantages of GMC (Genetically Modified Cotton) ...63
3.2.6. Adaptation of technical itineraries (ITK) in evolving contexts ...63
3.3. The human means ...64
3.3.1. Recruiting ...64
3.3.2. Status ...64
3.3.3. Capabilities ...64
3.3.4. Collaboration among researchers and with other actors ...65
3.4. The technical means ...66
3.4.1. Research mechanisms and experimentation networks ...66
3.4.2. Centres dedicated to excellence in cotton ...67
3.4.3. Germplasm and seeds ...67
3.4.4. Varietal catalogue...68
3.4.5. Work and communication tools ...68
3.5. Communication and dissemination of information and results ...68
3.5.1. Scientific and technical documentation ...69
3.5.2. Scientific communication...69
3.5.3. Communication within the industry ...69
3.6. Funding ...69
3.6.1. At the national level ...69
3.6.2. At the regional and international level ...70
Conclusion ... 71
Note
This Final report is complemented with an Appendix report «Diagnosis and recommendations for the elaboration of a proposal for a revamping strategy of the African cotton research».
Thanks
We wish to warmly thank:
The ACP Secretariat, contracting administration of the Support Programme to the consolidation of the Action Framework for the EU-Africa Partnership on Cotton, for the confidence it expressed by entrusting this expertise to us,
The individuals in National Agriculture Research Institutes, Regional Agriculture Research Centres, Producers Associations, Cotton Companies, Universities, NGOs, and Regional Economic Communities, who contributed towards the achievement of this expertise through their answers to the questionnaires, their participation in the meetings in visited countries or their reviewing of this report,
Abbreviations
AAM Associação de Algodoeiŕos de Mozambique ACA African Cotton Association
AIC Association inerprofessionnelle du Coton (Bénin) AICB Association interprofessionnelle du Coton du Burkina APCAM Assemblée Permanente des Chambres d'Agriculture du Mali AProCA Association des Producteurs de Coton Africains
APROCOT-CI Association des Producteurs de Coton de Côte d'Ivoire
ARC Agricultural Research Council / Institute for Industrial Crops (South Africa) ARC Agricultural Research Corporation (Sudan)
ASARECA Association for Strengthening Agricultural Research in Eastern and Central Africa
CA Conservation Agriculture
CAZ Cotton Association of Zambia
CBZ Cotton Board of Zambia
CCARDESA Centre for Coordination of Agricultural Research and Development for Southern Africa
CCM Cotton Council of Malawi
CCNPC-Bénin Comité Consultatif National des Producteurs de Coton du Bénin CDO Cotton Development Organization (Uganda)
CDT Cotton Development Trust (Zambia)
CER / REC Communauté Economique Régionale / Regional Economic Community CGAZ Cotton Ginners Association of Zimbabwe
CGB Cotton Ginners Board (Malawi)
CIDT Compagnie Ivoirienne de Développement Textile
CIRAD Centre de Coopération Internationale en Recherche Agronomique pour le Développement (France)
CMDT Compagnie Malienne pour le Développement du Textile
CNPC-C Confédération Nationale des Producteurs de Coton du Cameroun CNRA Centre National de Recherche Agronomique (Côte d’Ivoire)
CNRRA Centres Nationaux et Régionaux de Recherche Agronomique = NRARC COFAM Cotton Farmers Association of Malawi
COIC Compagnie Ivoirienne de Coton
CORAF / WECARD Conseil Ouest et Centre Africain pour la Recherche et le Développement Agricoles / West and Central African Council for Agricultural Research and Development
COS-COTON Comité d’Orientation et de Suivi du Partenariat UE-Afrique sur le coton COTONTCHAD-SN Société Cotonnière du Tchad - Société Nouvelle
CRRA Centres Régionaux de Recherche Agronomique = RARC
CRI Cotton Research Institute, Crops Research Division (Zimbabwe))
CSIR-SARI Council for Scientific and Industrial Research - Savanna Agricultural Research Institute (Ghana)
EAC Eastern Africa Community
ECPGEA Ethiopian Cotton Producers, Ginners and Exporters Association EIAR Ethiopian Institute of Agricultural Research
ESA East and Southern Africa
ETGAMA Ethiopian Textile and Garment Manufacturer's Association FiBL Institut de recherche de l’agriculture biologique (Suisse)
FIRCA Fonds Interprofessionnel pour la Recherche et le Conseil Agricoles (Côte d’Ivoire) FNGPC Fédération Nationale des Groupements de Producteurs de Coton (Togo)
FONPA Fórum Nacional do Produtores do Algodão (Mozambique)
GMC Genetically Modified Cotton
IAM Instituto do Algodão de Moçambique
IAR Institute for Agricultural Research Samaru (Nigeria) IARC International Agronomic Research Centre
IARI Ilonga Agricultural Research Institute (Tanzania) ICRA Institut Centrafricain de la Recherche Agronomique IER Institut d’Economie Rurale (Mali)
IIAM (CIMSAN) Instituto de Investigação Agrária de Moçambique (Centro de Investigação e Multiplicação de Semente de Algodão de Namialo)
INERA Institut de l'Environnement et de Recherches Agricoles (Burkina Faso) INRA Institut National de Recherche Agricole ou Agronomique = NARI
INRAB / CRA-CF Institut National des Recherches Agricoles du Bénin / Centre de Recherche Agricole Coton et Fibres
INRAN Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique du Niger
INTERCOTON Organisation Interprofessionnelle Agricole de la filière coton de Côte d'Ivoire IRAD Institut de Recherche Agricole pour le Développement (Cameroun)
IRAG Institut de Recherche Agronomique de Guinée ISRA Institut Sénégalais de Recherches Agricoles ITRA Institut Togolais de Recherche Agronomique
ITRAD Institut Tchadien de Recherche Agronomique pour le Développement KARI Kenya Agricultural Research Institute
KNFAP Kenya National Federation of Agricultural Producers MARS Makoka Agricultural Research Station (Malawi)
NaSARRI National Semi-Arid Resources Research Institute (Uganda) NEPAD Nouveau partenariat pour le développement de l'Afrique NARI National Agricultural (or Agronomic) Research Institutes NRARC National and Regional Agriculture Research Centres NSCT Nouvelle Société Cotonnière du Togo
PR-PICA Programme Régional de Protection Intégrée du Cotonnier en Afrique RARC Regional Agronomic Research Centre(s)
REC Regional Economic Community
SACGA South African Cotton Ginners Association SACPA Southern African Cotton Producers Association SACPO South African Cotton Producers Organization
SADC Communauté de Développement de l'Afrique Australe SCV Direct seeding with permanent cover crops
SEACF Southern and Eastern African Cotton Forum SOCOMA Société cotonnière du Gourma (Burkina Faso) SODECOTON Société de Développement du Coton du Cameroun SODEFITEX Société de Développement et des Fibres Textiles (Sénégal) SOFITEX Société burkinabè des Fibres Textiles
SONAPRA Société Nationale pour la Promotion Agricole (Bénin) TACOGA Tanzania Cotton Growers Association
TCB Tanzania Cotton Board
UARI Ukiriguru Agricultural Research Institute (Tanzania) UGCEA Uganda Ginners and Cotton Exporters Association
UNPCB Union Nationale des Producteurs de Coton du Burkina Faso
WCA West and Central Africa
Country codes: BEN Benin BKF Burkina Faso CMR Cameroon GHA Ghana GUI Guinea MLI Mali MOZ Mozambique MWI Malawi
RCA Central African Republic
RCI Côte d’Ivoire
SAF South Africa
SEN Senegal TCD Chad TGO Togo TZN Tanzania UGD Uganda ZMB Zambia ZWE Zimbabwe
Figures and tables
Figure 1. Worldwide distribution cotton fibre production in 2014/2015 (ICAC, 2016). ...11
Figure 2. The twenty-five African cotton-producing countries in 2015/2016 (ICAC, 2016). ...12
Figure 3. Distribution of African cotton-producing countries by class of fibre production (top) and fibre yield (bottom) in 2015/2016 (ICAC, 2016). ...13
Figure 4. Evolution of the African cotton-fibre production (million tons) from 1990 to 2015 (ICAC, 2016). ..14
Figure 5. The twelve countries visited in the frame of the study (in green). ...16
Figure 6. Number of NARI cotton researchers by research institute (histograms, left axis) and cotton-fibre production in their country in 2015/2016 (circles, right axis) (ICAC 2016 for production). ...22
Figure 7. Distribution of cotton researchers by research institute and by age group. ...23
Figure 8. Distribution of NARI cotton researchers by research institute and by gender. ...24
Figure 9. Distribution of NARI cotton researchers by age group and by gender. ...24
Figure 10. Distribution of NARI cotton researchers by research institute and by validated academic degree. ...25
Figure 11. Distribution of NARI cotton researchers by research institute and by degree in progress. ...26
Figure 12. Distribution of cotton researchers by country and by type of affiliation structure. ...26
Figure 13. Distribution of NARI cotton researchers by scientific field. ...27
Figure 14. Distribution of NARI cotton technicians by institute and by age group. ...27
Figure 15. Distribution of NARI cotton technicians by age group. ...28
Figure 16. Assessment by NARI of the present scientific coverage in their cotton research programmes. ....32
Figure 17. Assessment by Users of the present scientific coverage in national cotton research programmes. ...32
Figure 18. Distribution of cotton research topics or activities established in NARI in 2015-16, planned for 2016-17 and 2017-18, and delayed for 1 to 5 years. ...33
Figure 19. Distribution of topics or activities to be established as priority by cotton research at a national level during the next 5 years, according to Users (answers weighting according to their level of priority on a scale from 1 to 10)...34
Figure 20. Reasons for delaying cotton research activities. ...34
Figure 21. NARI prioritization of research topics proposed as an outcome of PERFORMON workshop. ...35
Figure 22. User prioritization of research topics proposed as an outcome of PERFORMON workshop. ...35
Figure 23. Relationship between NARI and User prioritizations of research topics proposed as an outcome of PERFORMON workshop. ...36
Figure 24. Scientific productions of cotton research (aggregation from 2001 to 2015). ...46
Figure 25. Number of NARI participations in projects / research networks or conferences, at the regional or international level since 2005. ...47
Figure 26. NARI assesments of constraints hampering the visibility of the African cotton research...47
Figure 27. NARI perspectives on the contribution of African cotton research to the dissemination of adapted solutions during the last 20 years. ...48
Figure 28. Users perspectives on the contribution of African cotton research to the dissemination of adapted solutions during the last 20 years. ...48
Figure 29. Annual BUDGETED operating costs for NARI cotton research (2011 to 2015). ...58
Figure 30. Annual ACTUAL operating costs for NARI cotton research (2011 to 2015). ...58
Figure 31. Ratio between annual operating costs, ACTUAL and BUDGETED for NARI cotton research (2011 to 2015). ...59
Figure 32. Average annual ACTUAL operating costs per NARI cotton researcher (year 2015). ...59
Figure 33. ACTUAL operating costs for NARI cotton research per ton of cotton-fibre produced in the country (according to 2015 budget and production). ...60 Figure 34. Origin and average distribution of funding for NARI cotton research (aggregate 2011 to 2015). .60
Table 1. Statistics of 2015/2016 production of African cotton-producing countries (ICAC, 2016). ...12
Table 2. Synthesis of the answers to the questionnaires. ...18
Table 3. List of the questionnaires sent to NARI and answers received. ...18
Table 4. List of the questionnaires sent to RARC and answers received. ...19
Table 5. List of the questionnaires sent to Users and answers received. ...19
Table 6. Age of retirement according to sector and status. ...23
Table 7. Distribution of cotton researchers in cotton companies by age group and discipline. ...23
Table 8. Distribution of cotton researchers in cotton companies by validated academic degree and by scientific field...25
Table 9. Access to support services within NARI. ...28
Table 10. Temporary staff within NARI. ...29
Table 11. Actors involved in research activities and topics concerning African cotton research. ...33
Table 12. Access of NARI cotton research to experimental field and laboratory devices. ...38
Table 13. Experimental field devices and User devices for real environments. ...38
Table 14. NARI cotton research access to laboratories. ...39
Table 15. Laboratories devices and equipment of Users. ...39
Table 16. Cotton research access to technical tools and means. ...40
Table 17. Other support devices for cotton research. ...40
Table 18. NARI partnerships within the cotton sector at the national scale. ...41
Table 19. Users partnerships within the cotton sector at the national scale. ...42
Table 20. NARI partnerships within the cotton sector at the regional and international scale. ...42
Table 21. Users partnerships within the cotton sector at the regional and international scale. ...43
Table 22. Communication and publicization tools used by NARI within the cotton sector at the national level. ...45
Table 23. User perspectives on communication and publicization tools employed by cotton research to target national cotton-sector stakeholders. ...46
Table 24. National actors involved in national cotton research. ...50
Table 25. Governance and decision-making within national cotton research. ...51
Table 26. Comparison, by NARI, of African cotton research with other models world-wide (in two parts). ..51
Table 27. Comparison, by Users, of African cotton research with other models world-wide. ...53
Table 28. Information about national document for cotton research strategy. ...55
Table 29. Information about regional documents for cotton research strategy. ...55
Context and modalities of achievement of the Action
1.1. The intra-ACP cotton Programme
This action was taken with financing from the 10th EDF Intra-ACP – Cotton Facility, through the Support Programme for the Consolidation of the Action Framework for the EU-Africa Partnership on Cotton (or Intra-ACP Cotton Programme). The specific objective of this program is designed to insure that actors in the African cotton value chain make a concerted effort to implement the strategies that foster sustainable development of the African cotton sector. Three results enabling the achievement of this specific objective are anticipated:
1. The regional cotton strategies are operational at the national level and coordinated at the continental level.
2. The abilities of professional associations in the sector are reinforced with the planning and follow-up of strategy implementation.
3. Internal competition and viability in the African cotton value chain are improved.
1.2. The Action
This study is entitled “State of the art of cotton research in Africa: diagnosis and proposals for a revamping strategy” and conducted in the form of a short-term expertise, under the management of the technical assistance and Programme Management Unit (TA / PMU). The study’s global objectives aim to contribute to the level of cotton exploitation systems:
- reinforcement of the basic competitiveness of cotton value chains;
- sustainable intensification of African agriculture in social, economic, and environmental terms; - growth in African agriculture’s appeal to new generations (modernity, professionalism, opportunity). The specific objective is to use an in-depth and well reasoned diagnosis of the state of the art of African cotton research to elaborate a proposal for a detailed strategy to revamp this research in a direction oriented towards the sustainable performance of field production, and to validate this strategy proposal from a technical perspective. Once validated technically, this strategy proposal will enable the initiation of a political validation process and ensure its dissemination.
The initiation of the study was subject to a delay inherent to administrative constraints, and the chronology of the five expected results as described in the terms of reference (February 2016) could not be respected. Therefore the expected results had to be adapted and are presented, as follows, in the study’s beginning report, validated in April 2016 by the TA / PMU:
R.1 A presentation and brainstorming workshop was organized for the study, and a monitoring/validation unit was created;
R.2. An in-depth and well-reasoned diagnosis of the state of the art of African cotton research was produced, including thought-provoking approaches in the form of recommendations for the elaboration of a revamping strategy;
R.3. A proposal for a detailed strategy to revamp African cotton research was submitted at the technical level;
R.4. The proposal for a detailed strategy to revamp African cotton research was validated at the technical level;
R.5. A presentation of the proposal for a detailed strategy to revamp African cotton research, including elements of implementation and coordination, was organized to increase opportunities for political validation and ensure dissemination.
1.3. Cotton production in the World and in Africa
Cotton is the most used natural fibre in the world, representing 27% of global consumption of all fibres, and 78% of all natural fibre produced. The global consumption of cotton has risen in absolute terms from 10.4 million tons in 1960 to 24 million tons in 2015, but its share of the fibre market has considerably decreased. This decline an be explained primarily by growth in the consumption of other textile fibres, particularly polyester, the most important competitor of cotton.
On a global scale, African fibre production remains relatively modest. In 2014/2015 African cotton-fibre which is produced primarily in the “Franc CFA” zone (Figure 1) of Western and Central Africa, accounted for less than 7% of 26.3 million tons produced globally. However, 90% of Africa’s 1.39 million tons of cotton production was exported, situating Africa in third place among exporters word-wide, behind the United States and India (ICAC, 2016).
The 2015/2016 statistics from the International Cotton Advisory Committee (ICAC) indicate that twenty-five African countries produced cotton (Figure 2). The production per country (Table 1 and Figure 3) ranges from more that 200,000 tons of fibre per year (Burkina Faso and Mali) to less than 10,000 tons (South Africa, the Central African Republic, Ghana, Kenya, Guinea, Niger, and Angola). The average yield ranges from 1,250 kg of fibre per hectare (South African irrigated crops) to less than 200 kg per hectare (Kenya, Mozambique and Zimbabwe).
Figure 1. Worldwide distribution cotton fibre production in 2014/2015 (ICAC, 2016). 0 2 4 6 8 10 N. America C. America S. America Europe N. Africa Africa CFA zone E. & S. Africa C. & W. Asia E. Asia S. Asia Oceania
M tons Production fibre 2014/2015 (Mt)
World : 26,3 Mt 21,8 % 6,4 % 0,6 % 4,3 % 1,5 % 68,0 %
Figure 2. The twenty-five African cotton-producing countries in 2015/2016 (ICAC, 2016).
Table 1. Statistics of 2015/2016 production of African cotton-producing countries (ICAC, 2016). Country / Zone Surface (x1 000 ha) Fibre yield (kg/ha) Production (P) (x1 000 t) Import (x1 000 t) Consum. (C) (x1 000 t) Export (E) (x1 000 t) Consum. % C/P Export % E/P EGYPT 105 574 60 70 130 35 217% 58% SUDAN 50 516 28 19 18 68% 64% Northern Africa 155 568 88 70 149 53 169% 60% BENIN 307 338 104 4 108 4% 104% BURKINA FASO 663 368 244 4 262 2% 107% CAMEROON 222 513 114 2 113 2% 99% C.A.R. 35 230 8 8 0% 100% CHAD 291 251 73 1 66 1% 90% IVORY COAST 402 441 177 2 161 1% 91% GUINEA 12 273 3 3 0% 100% MALI 573 377 216 3 218 1% 101% NIGER 5 448 2 1 1 50% 50% SENEGAL 31 384 12 1 11 8% 92% TOGO 117 256 30 31 0% 103%
Africa CFA zone 2 658 370 983 0 18 982 2% 100%
ANGOLA 3 302 1 1 100% 0% ETHIOPIA 66 642 42 13 50 119% 0% GHANA 12 366 4 1 3 25% 75% KENYA 21 184 4 4 100% 0% MALAWI 141 230 33 3 31 9% 94% MOZAMBIQUE 110 181 20 23 0% 115% NIGERIA 253 205 52 1 23 37 44% 71% SOUTH AFRICA 7 1 250 9 17 21 10 233% 111% TANZANIA 315 217 68 39 38 57% 56% UGANDA 65 286 19 26 0% 137% ZAMBIA 122 325 40 2 14 5% 35% ZIMBABWE 207 119 25 4 31 16% 124%
East. & South. Africa 1 322 240 317 31 148 213 47% 67%
Figure 3. Distribution of African cotton-producing countries by class of fibre production (top) and fibre yield (bottom) in 2015/2016 (ICAC, 2016).
The study’s reference terms reflect the major evolutions in African cotton from 1970 to 2015. African cotton crops flourished during this period until 2005 when they suffered a setback linked to the integrated value chain model (with the State as the primary actor) predominant in Western and Central Africa, and a financial and economic crisis that affected the African cotton value chain between 2005 and 2010. The factors involved were both exogenous (global cotton prices, depreciation of the dollar, social and political issues) and endogenous (insufficient competitiveness, industry privatisation, and inadequate internal management). The visible consequence was a strong decline in African cotton production during this period, passing from 2 million to less than 1 million tons of fibre per year. Although production has appeared to increase since 2010, the volume remains relatively low, comparable to that of the 1990s (Figure 4).
All the constituents of the African cotton value chain are concerned by this situation, particularly agricultural and agronomic research. This study seeks to clarify the prior and current roles of African cotton research with respect to its partners (other national and regional research structures, producers, cotton and interprofessional organizations).
Figure 4. Evolution of the African cotton-fibre production (million tons) from 1990 to 2015 (ICAC, 2016).
1.4. Achievement of the Action
The study, which is organized in five phases and conducted by two experts, began a six month provisional period in April, 2016. It only includes the twenty-four African members of the ACP Group of States (thus excluding Egypt). 0,0 0,5 1,0 1,5 2,0 M tons
1.4.1. Phase 1
The first phase of the study began in April, 2016 and consisted of five elements:
i) a collaborative work of the two experts to initiate the study (Montpellier, France, April 4-8); ii) a documentary review;
iii) a presentation of the study by one of the experts (B. Bachelier) in the framework of the PR-PICA’s 9th Annual Assessment Meeting (Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, April 13-15, 2016) ;
iv) the elaboration and distribution of questionnaires to the National Agricultural (or Agronomic) Research Institutes (NARI), to the Regional Agronomic Research Centers (RARC), and to the users of data from African cotton research (see the annex to this report for a list of correspondents that responded to the questionnaires); three distinct questionnaires were designed, one for each type of interlocutor, and each questionnaire was provided in French and English (see annex of the study’s initial report);
v) editing and submission of the study’s Inception Report.
1.4.2. Phase 2
The second phase consisted of a presentation and brainstorming workshop (Cotonou, Benin, May 20, 2016). This workshop occurred back-to-back with a workshop, also conducted in the framework of the Intra-ACP cotton programme, where the project results were assembled, “ITK Aid Cotton – Technical innovations and Africanisation of sustainability indicators in cotton farming” (Cotonou, Benin, May 18-19, 2016). Along with the presentation of the study, the second phase workshop included initial work on the diagnosis elements, and the consideration of potential recommendations to be developed. A monitoring and validation unit was also created. The original unit of twelve francophones was later joined by an anglophone member (Dr Everina Lukonge, UARI, Tanzania). The report of this workshop was distributed in June of 2016.
1.4.3. Phase 3
During this phase, the experts undertook four circular missions in Africa with SNRRA and their cotton valuie chain partners. Time and budget constraints did not allow the experts to visit all of Africa’s twenty-four cotton producing countries concerned by the study, therefore a selection of countries was made based on several criteria: responses to the questionnaires, volume of production, inclusion of the three African sub-regions (Western Africa, Central Africa, and East and Southern Africa).
Twelve countries were selected and visited (Figure 5): Mozambique, Ouganda, and Tanzania (B. Bachelier in July of 2016), Central African Republic, Chad, and Cameroon (L. Seiny Boukar in July of 2016), Senegal, Mali, Burkina Faso, and Côte d’Ivoire (B. Bachelier in August of 2016), Togo, Burkina Faso, and Benin (L. Seiny Boukar in August of 2016). During the missions, one or more meetings were held in each country with most of the national actors involved in the cotton value chain. Both experts also met with the Cotton Focal Point of the UEMOA/WAEMU (West African Economic and Monetary Union) at Ouagadougou (Burkina Faso). These meetings enabled the experts to detail the study’s objectives, present the first elements obtained, and collect complementary information, opinions and suggestions from cotton research and its partners. The ensemble of elements gathered during the mission meetings supported the refinement of the diagnosis and the recommendations for revamping African cotton research.
1.4.1. Phase 4
Two databases were created with the help of Sandrine Auzoux and Jean-Paul Gourlot (Cirad, UR Aîda), facilitating the storage and exploitation of the responses from the questionnaires (September). The data were analysed and formatted (tables and graphics) to be integrated in this report (October-December). The detailed responses from the questionnaires are regrouped in a report annex.
A slide show of the preliminary presentation of the diagnosis and the initial recommendations was prepared and submitted to the monitoring/validation unit (October 20, 2016). It was presented by one of the experts (B. Bachelier) at the 5th Steering Committee of the Support Programme for the consolidation of the Action Framework of EU-Africa Partnership on Cotton (Brussels, Belgium, October 26, 2016). This presentation was given following the assessment report presented for the ITK AID Cotton project (see Phase 2 above). Prior to its dissemination, the current report was submitted to the monitoring/validation unit (December 2016 – January 2017).
1.4.1. Phase 5
The final phase should be held at the end of the first quarter of 2017. It will involve the presentation proposing a detailed strategy to revamp African cotton research, previously validated at the technical level by the monitoring/validation unit. The meetings of COS-cotton and the programme Steering Committee, which will take place in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso at the end of March, 2017, will provide an exceptional opportunity for presenting the strategy.
Diagnosis of African cotton research
2.1. Goals and achievement
The diagnosis should provide responses to key questions as outlined in the study’s reference terms (pages 9 and 10). This objective was used to develop the questionnaires addressed to the National Agricultural Research Institutes (NARI), the Regional Agricultural Research Centres (RCAR), and to the Users of results from African cotton research. For the diagnosis portion, information was grouped into eight categories that were subdivided into several parts (see details in the framework of the questionnaires provided in annex of the study’s Inception Report, April 2016):
Disciplines, themes or activities of cotton research Disciplines actively involved
Principal themes or activities
Link to priority themes from the PERFORMON workshop Human resources in cotton research
Full-time researchers in cotton
Full-time technicians or technical support personnel Other full-time support personnel
Temporary personnel
Age legally qualified for retirement Scientific and technical means
Experimental mechanisms, field and laboratory Other support mechanisms
Technical tools and means
Partnership and collaboration with the cotton value chain At the national scale
At the regional and international scales Communication and publications/dissemination
Within the industry at the national level
Within the scientific community at the international level
Visibility and impediments to integration in the global scientific community Impact and contribution to the dissemination of adapted solutions
Organization of national cotton research National actors
Governance and decision-making Comparison with other models Policies in cotton research
National
Regional (REC, sub-regional organisms and international) Consistent elements in cotton research policies
Financing of national cotton research Total annual financing
Financing origin and distribution
The diagnosis was developed on the basis of responses to the three types of questionnaires (NARI, RARC and Users) and complemented with information collected during four tours among twelve cotton producing countries in Africa (Mozambique, Uganda, Tanzania, Central African Republic, Chad, Cameroon, Senegal, Mali, Togo, Burkina Faso, Côte d’Ivoire, and Benin).
A total of 74 entities were contacted by email containing an official letter from the ACP Secretariat and a questionnaire: 24 NARI, 3 RARC, and 47 Users (Table 2). Among the NARI, Niger was the only entity who was not contacted, no information could be found for an interlocutor. Out of the 38 responses, 19 were from the NARI (79% response rate), 3 from the RARC (100% response rate), and 16 from the Users (34% response rate). The specific details according to type of questionnaire are reported in Table 3 (NARI), Table 4 (RARC), and Table 5 (Users).
With information from only 19 of the 24 cotton producing countries in Africa, this diagnosis cannot be considered exhaustive in terms of the entirety of African cotton research. However, it covers a large range of situations that we believe to be representative of the major characteristics, and allows us to examine the strengths, weaknesses, and issues concerning this research.
Table 2. Synthesis of the answers to the questionnaires.
C = full / P = partial / T = Total / T% = % of total answers
Table 3. List of the questionnaires sent to NARI and answers received.
Y = Yes / N = No / P = partial / F = full
F P T T% INRA (French) 10 10 0 10 100% NARI (English) 14 9 0 9 64% S/T1 (INRA+NARI) 24 19 0 19 79% RARC 3 3 0 3 100% S/T2 NRARC (S/T1+RARC) 27 22 0 22 81% Utilisateurs (French) 26 6 4 10 38% Users (English) 21 5 1 6 29% S/T3 Utilisateurs+Users 47 11 5 16 34% Main total (S/T2+S/T3) 74 33 5 38 51% Type of questionnaire Nb of questionnaires sent Nb of answers received
Benin INRAB / CRA-CF Y F
Burkina INERA Y F
Cameroon IRAD Y F
CAR ICRA Y F
Ivory Coats CNRA Y F
Guinea IRAG Y F Mali IER Y F Niger INRAN N N Senegal ISRA Y F Chad ITRAD Y F Togo ITRA Y F
Angola Point Focal du Ministère de l'Agriculture Y N
Ethiopia EIAR Y N Ghana CSIR-SARI Y F Kenya KARI Y N Malawi MARS Y F Mozambique IIAM-CIMSAN Y F Nigeria IAR Y N
South Africa ARC Y F
Sudan ARC Y N Tanzania IARI Y F Tanzania UARI Y F Uganda NaSARRI Y F Zambia CDT Y F Zimbabwe CRI Y F Sent Y / N Answer N / P / F French English
Table 4. List of the questionnaires sent to RARC and answers received.
Y = Yes / N = No / P = partial / F = full Table 5. List of the questionnaires sent to Users and answers received.
Y = Yes / N = No / P = partial / C = full
French Sénégal CORAF/WECARD Y F
Uganda ASARECA Y F
Botswana CCARDESA Y F
Answer N / P / F
Language Country Structure Sent
Y / N
English
Bénin ACA Y N
Burkina Faso AProCA Y F
Suisse FiBL Y P
Burkina Faso PR-PICA Y P
Bénin CCNPC-Bénin Y N
Bénin SONAPRA Y N
Burkina Faso Faso Coton Y P
Burkina Faso Green Cross Y F
Burkina Faso SOCOMA Y N
Burkina Faso SOFITEX Y N
Burkina Faso UNPCB Y F
Cameroun CNPC-C Y F
Cameroun SODECOTON Y F
Côte d'Ivoire APROCOT-CI Y N
Côte d'Ivoire CIDT Y P
Côte d'Ivoire COIC Y N
Côte d'Ivoire Intercoton Y N Côte d'Ivoire Ivoire Coton Y N
Mali APCAM Y N
Mali CMDT Y N
Niger Géocoton Niger Y N
Sénégal FNPC Y N Sénégal SODEFITEX Y F Tchad Cotontchad-SN Y N Togo FNGPC Y N Togo NSCT Y N Ethiopia ETGAMA Y N Ethiopia ECPGEA Y N Kenya KNFAP Y N Malawi CGB Y N Malawi COFAM Y N Malawi CCM Y F Mozambique AAM Y N Mozambique IAM Y F Mozambique FONPA Y N
South Africa SACGA Y N
South Africa SACPO Y N
Southern Africa SACPA Y N
Tanzania TCB Y N Tanzanie TACOGA Y F Uganda CDO Y F Uganda UGCEA Y N Zambia CAZ Y N Zambia ZCGA Y P Zambia CBZ Y F Zimbabwe CGAZ Y N
Zimbabwe Cotton Training Centre Y N
Language Country Structure Sent
Y / N
French
English
Answer N / P / F
2.2. Human resources of the African cotton research
2.2.1. Cotton researchers
The 19 NARI that responded to the questionnaire represent a total of 168 cotton researchers as listed in mid-2016. Although this would suggest an average of 8 to 9 researchers per NARI, there is actually a large disparity between institutes: 5 NARI have from 2 to 5 researchers, 8 NARI have from 6 to 10 researchers, 4 have 11 to 15, and 2 have 17 or 18 researchers (Figure 6). It should be noted that, overall, there is not a significant correlation between the number of NARI cotton researchers in a country and the volume of its national cotton-fibre production pour the 2015/2016 growing year. The NARI from countries with the largest cotton production (Burkina Faso, Mali, Côte d’Ivoire) do not have the largest number of researchers, and the inverse is true as well. The NARI employing the largest number of researchers (UARI en Tanzania, INRAB in Benin, and NaSARRI in Ouganda) do not correspond to the countries with the largest production. Additionally, there are two cotton companies, Sodéfitex (Senegal) and Sodécoton (Cameroon) that each list five researchers among their employees.
168 cotton researchers in 19 NARI and 10 cotton researchers in 2 cotton companies
A classification of the 168 NARI cotton researchers by age (Figure 7) shows that 20 were less than 30 years old (12%), 57 were between 30 and 40 years old (34%), 44 between 40 and 50 (26%), 42 between 50 and 60 (25%), and 5 were over 60 years old (3%). Accounting for the legal retirement age of researchers in the public sector, between 55 and 65 years of age depending on the country (Table 6), one quarter of the researchers currently employed would retire in the next 5 to 15 years, and half of the current researchers would retire in the next 15 to 20 years. Today, only five NARI employ young researchers less than 30 years old. An assessment of human resource needs for maintaining skills and ensuring the transfer of knowledge between generations of researchers is thus imperative in order to prepare for this evolution. At the level of cotton companies (Table 7), five of the ten researchers are between 40 and 50 years old, three are between 30 and 40, and two are less than 30 years old.
1 NARI cotton researcher in 4 is more than 50 years old and 1 in 2 is over 40
In terms of gender (Figure 8), women are only present in 12 of the 19 NARI, and in number, they are a largely in the minority – 30 of the 138 researchers are female (18%). Overall, the female cotton researchers are younger than their male counterparts: 57% are les than 40 years old compared with 44% of the men (Figure 9). This seems to indicate that the more recent recruiting has placed a larger emphasis on female candidates. We can only approve of this trend and encourage the NARI to continue any effort to improve the currently unbalanced ratio of men/women in African cotton research. At the level of cotton companies, there was only one woman among the ten researchers (Table 7).
1 NARI cotton researcher in 5 is a women
In terms of validated degrees (licence/master/doctorate in the LMD system) (Figure 10), 18% of the NARI researchers have a licence, 55% master, and 27% a doctorate (PhD). But 16 of the researchers at IRAD (CMR), ICRA (CAF), NaSARRI (UGA) and UARI (TZN) do not appear to have a degree. Only CDT (ZMB) and CRI (ZWE) have no doctorate level researchers in their cotton research. Among the cotton companies, 8 researchers have a master’s degree and 2 have a bachelor’s degree (Table 8).
In terms of degrees in progress (Figure 11), 12 NARI cotton researchers are working towards a bachelor’s degree, 6 towards a master’s degree, and 22 towards a doctoral degree (including 20 in West and Central Africa, WCA). When these diplomas are validated, the distribution of degrees among the researchers should be in the order of 20% with bachelor’s degrees, 40% with master’s degrees, and 40% doctoral degrees. It should be noted that there is a lack of doctorates in the ESA (East and Southern Africa) relative to the WCA countries.
More than half of the degrees in progress are doctorates
In terms of the type of research organism (Figure 12), a large majority of the cotton researchers are employed by public institutions: 73% by a NARI and 12% by one university. The remaining are employed by cotton companies, either public (10%) or private (5%).
3 out of 4 cotton researchers work in a NARI
More than 8 out 10 cotton researchers are attached to public research organisms
In terms of scientific disciplines (Figure 13), entomology, genetics, and agronomy (soil fertility, technical itinerary, crop systems, and production), each assemble a quarter of the working NARI cotton researchers. The remaining quarter is divided between phytopathology, economics, invasive species, biotechnology, sociology, and technology: these disciplines appear to be underrepresented in the current response to the research challenges of African cotton research. It should be noted however that it is difficult to assess the degree to which agronomy or genetics can be integrated into one or more of the disciplines cited as being underrepresented (soil management through agronomic practices, disease control through resistant varieties, etc.).
3 disciplines constitute nearly 75% of cotton researchers
2.2.2. Cotton technicians
The 17 NARI that furnished information on their technical personnel listed a total of 103 cotton technicians, representing an average of 6 technicians per institute and 0.75 technicians per researcher. But again, there is a major disparity among institutes: from 2 to 14 technicians per institute and from 0.3 to 1.5 technicians per researcher (Figure 14 and Figure 15). The technicians’ average age is below that of the researchers, but in certain countries they have the possibility of retirement as early as 50 years of age. At the same time, it should be noted that all the technicians at the ITRAD (TCD) are more than 50 years old.
3 cotton technicians for 4 researchers
8 in 10 cotton technicians are under 50 years old
2.2.3. Support services
Support services contribute to cotton research activities, particularly at the level of documentation, information technology, communication, and assistance to administration. A large majority of the NARI (88%) have one or more transversal support services at their disposal (Table 9). Among the 18 NARI responding to this point, only two, the ISRA (SEN) and the IRAD (CMR), claim to have no access to these types of services. Overall, 14 NARI have access to support in communications (78%), 11 in documentation (61%), 7 in statistics (39%), and 7 to support in information technology (39%). Thus it would appear that the researchers’ access to support in statistics, information technology, and documentation has room for improvement. These services are in fact essential to research activities such as the planning and implementation of experiments,
analysis and interpretation of data, and the publication of results. But these transversal disciplines and the support systems they provide are generally supervised by central NARI management rather than by the research teams they support. The management of these employees, their abilities and availability, and support methods, are thus subject to the overall institutional policies rather than the specific needs of cotton research programs.
There is a lack of statistical and information technology support in close to 2/3 of the NARI, and the lack of support in documentation affects close to 1/3 of them
2.2.4. Temporary staff
As a group, except for the CDT (ZMB) and the IIAM (MOZ), the NARI affirm having access to temporary staff for conducting cotton research (
Table 10). These additional personnel, generally considered essential, complement existing technical teams and facilitate the realisation of research activities while requiring minimal qualifications. The cost of this workforce is taken into account in the NARI budgets.
9 in 10 NARI have access to temporary staff
Figure 6. Number of NARI cotton researchers by research institute (histograms, left axis) and cotton-fibre production in their country in 2015/2016 (circles, right axis) (ICAC 2016 for production).
0 50 100 150 200 250 0 5 10 15
Figure 7. Distribution of cotton researchers by research institute and by age group.
Table 6. Age of retirement according to sector and status. Status
Sector Age Researcher Doctor /
PhD Professor Technician
Private Min 60 60 60 60
Max 65 65 65 65
Public Min 55 55 60 50
Max 65 70 75 65
Table 7. Distribution of cotton researchers in cotton companies by age group and discipline.
Sodéfitex Sodécoton Total 30-40 years 40-50 years <30 years 30-40 years 40-50 years Entomology 1W+1M 1M 2M 1W+4M Genetics 1M 1M 1M 3H Agronomy 1M 1H Technology 1M 1H Total 1M 1W+3M 2M 2M 1M 10 W = woman, M = man 3 4 5 7 1 3 2 3 6 1 1 10 5 1 1 4 4 2 1 3 2 6 2 4 4 1 4 2 3 2 1 5 1 3 2 4 2 2 4 1 4 3 4 2 1 1 5 3 4 4 5 4 1 3 1 1 0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20 >60 years (3%) 50-60 (25%) 40-50 (26%) 30-40 (34%) <30 years (12%)
Figure 8. Distribution of NARI cotton researchers by research institute and by gender.
Figure 9. Distribution of NARI cotton researchers by age group and by gender.
8 4 10 8 12 4 9 15 7 5 9 12 10 3 1 4 4 6 7 3 2 2 1 2 1 3 8 1 1 3 2 1 0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20 Women (18 %) Men (82 %) 5 12 7 4 2 15 45 37 38 3 0 10 20 30 40 <30 years (12%) 30-40 years (34%) 40-50 years (26%) 50-60 years (25%) >60 years (3%) Women (30) Men (138)
Figure 10. Distribution of NARI cotton researchers by research institute and by validated academic degree.
Table 8. Distribution of cotton researchers in cotton companies by validated academic degree and by scientific field.
Sodéfitex Sodécoton
Total
Licence Master Master
Entomology 1 3 4 Genetics 1 2 3 Agronomy 1 1 2 Technology 1 1 Total 2 3 5 10 1 3 2 2 1 6 3 1 2 3 1 2 6 1 4 3 9 3 5 14 2 5 7 2 7 2 3 1 6 3 5 2 5 5 3 1 2 3 3 2 1 2 1 1 1 2 2 0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20
Distribution des chercheurs « coton » par institut et diplôme validé
Figure 11. Distribution of NARI cotton researchers by research institute and by degree in progress.
Figure 12. Distribution of cotton researchers by country and by type of affiliation structure.
5 5 2 1 1 1 1 1 1 5 2 3 2 5 1 2 2 0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20
Distribution des chercheurs « coton » par institut et diplôme en cours
Licence (30%) Master (15%) PhD (55%) 11 4 12 8 12 4 9 17 8 7 10 15 18 6 2 4 8 4 12 4 2 3 5 2 2 15 5 1 1 3 6 2 5 0 5 10 15 20 25 30
SEN GUI MLI CIV BFA GHA TGO BEN CMR TCD CAF UGA TZN TZN ZMB MWI MOZ ZWE ZAF
NARI (73%) University (12%)
Figure 13. Distribution of NARI cotton researchers by scientific field.
Figure 14. Distribution of NARI cotton technicians by institute and by age group.
41 41 39 13 11 7 5 4 4 3 0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 Entomo-logy (24%) Plant breeding (24%) Agro-nomy (23%) Phytopa-thology (8%) Econo-my (7%) Weed sciences (4%) Biotech-nology (3%) Socio-logy (2%) Techno-logy (2%) Others (2%) 3 1 1 1 3 1 3 2 1 4 2 1 1 3 2 5 2 6 4 4 5 6 1 3 1 7 2 1 1 1 1 3 1 3 1 3 3 3 1 1 1 3 1 0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 <30 years (10%) 30-40 years (35%) 40-50 years (36%) 50-60 years (14%) >60 years (6%)
Figure 15. Distribution of NARI cotton technicians by age group.
Table 9. Access to support services within NARI. 10 36 37 14 6 0 10 20 30 40 <30 years (10%) 30-40 years (35%) 40-50 years (36%) 50-60 years (14%) >60 years (6%)
NARI (Country) Scientific
documentation
Statistical analysis
Computing
science Communication Others
ISRA (SEN) no no no no
IRAG (GUI) YES no no no
IER (MLI) YES YES YES YES Accounts, Drivers, Office boys, Secretaries
CNRA (CIV) YES YES YES YES
INERA (BFA) no no no no
CSIR (GHA) no YES no YES
ITRA (TGO) YES no YES YES
INRAB (BEN) YES no no YES
IRAD (CMR) no no no no
ITRAD (TCD) YES YES no YES Accounting
ICRA (CAF) no no YES YES
NaSARRI (UGA) YES no YES YES
UARI (TZN) YES YES YES YES
IARI (TZN)
CDT (ZMB) no no no YES
MARS (MWI) no no YES YES Resources, farm management, stores, workshop
IIAM (MOZ) YES YES no YES
CRI (ZWE) YES no no YES Admin., Accounts, HR
ARC (ZAF) YES YES no YES
TOTAL 61% 39% 39% 78%
Table 10. Temporary staff within NARI.
2.3. Scientific fields, topics and activities of African cotton research
2.3.1. Present scientific coverage in cotton research
The NARI were asked about the breadth of disciplinary coverage in their cotton research. Approximately three quarters of them, 70 to 75%, believe that agronomy (see above § 2.2.1 / Scientific disciplines), entomology, and genetics are sufficiently covered in their structure (Figure 16). But 65 to 88% of the NARI feel that the other disciplines mentioned (economy, invasive species, technology, phytopathology, sociology, biotechnology) are either not, or insufficiently, covered in their structure. This reflects a strong sense of imbalance in the distribution of disciplinary skills among cotton researchers which are concentrated in three “privileged” disciplines at the expense of the others. This imbalance could hinder the examination of the ensemble of aspects concerning a given research question and diminish the effectiveness of responses suggested by research.
The assessment of the Users is similar. A majority of them feel that the disciplines of agronomy, entomology, and genetics are adequately covered in the NARI cotton research, and between 66 and 87% of them consider that the other disciplines lacking (Figure 17).
Only agronomy, entomology, and genetics are considered sufficiently covered in the majority of cotton research lead by the NARI
2.3.2. Main ongoing cotton research topics or activities in cotton research
Consistent with the disciplinary coverage (see above), NARI cotton research in 2015-2016 (Figure 18) was focused on four themes or activities which represent 70% of the responses: 1) pest management (22%), 2) varieties and seeds (21%), 3) technical itinerary, (ITK) (15%) and 4) fertility/direct seeding with permanent
NARI (Country) Used Essentiel Budgeted
ISRA (SEN) YES YES YES
IRAG (GUI) YES YES YES
IER (MLI) YES YES YES
CNRA (CIV) YES YES YES
INERA (BFA) YES YES YES
CSIR (GHA) YES no no
ITRA (TGO) YES YES YES
INRAB (BEN) YES YES YES
IRAD (CMR) YES YES YES
ITRAD (TCD) YES YES YES
ICRA (CAF) YES YES YES
NaSARRI (UGA) YES YES YES
UARI (TZN) YES YES YES
IARI (TZN) YES YES YES
CDT (ZMB) no no no
MARS (MWI) YES YES YES
IIAM (MOZ) no no no
CRI (ZWE) YES YES YES
ARC (ZAF) YES YES YES
TOTAL 89% 84% 84%
cover crops (DS)/conservation agriculture (CA) (11%). The principal research projects anticipated in 2016-17 and 2017-18 focus on the same themes or activities, although there will be an augmentation in the percentage of work concerning varietal improvement and futility, and organic cotton, which should also be more important in the future. The four major themes or activities have also garnered the largest percentage of ongoing research work during the last 5 years. We should also note a delay of work in biotechnology that could be explained by the lack of infrastructure or adapted equipment.
Several other cotton value chain actors also confirm research activities: the Regional programme for the integrated protection of cotton in Africa (PR-PICA), cotton companies (Sodéfitex/SEN, CIDT/CIV, Faso Coton/BKF and Sodecoton/CMR), producers (CNPC-Cameroun) and an interprofessional institute (IAM/MOZ). In a global sense, the themes concerned correspond to those of the NARI research work: pest control and crop protection, fertility and fertilization, seed and varietal selection, ITK and SCV, but also GMC and more original themes such as transplanting cotton plants (Table 11).
4 major themes or activities in cotton research conducted by the NARI and their partners
Actors among cotton value chain partners of the NARI revealed six priorities among the themes or activities of cotton research at the national level over the next five years. The priority most frequently mentioned is listed here first, and the list continues in a descending order of importance (Figure 19) : 1) fertility/SCV/CA (17%), 2) varieties/seeds (16%), 3) pest management (14%), 4) ITK including mechanization/motorization (7%), 5) GMC (7%) and 6) climate change/hydraulic stress (6%). Thus we see the same themes as those in NARI research, but with different priorities and the emergence of the theme of climate change.
Out of the six reasons given for delaying work in cotton research (Figure 20), the NARI emphasize the lack of funding (1/3 of cases) and the lack of scientific equipment (1/4 of the cases). The lack of personnel or necessary skills and the lack of access to land or a laboratory were also noted as causes for delay.
4 principal causes of delayed activities: lack of financing, equipment, personnel or skills, and access to land or laboratories
2.3.3. Priority research topics proposed as an outcome of PERFORMON workshop
In October of 2014, the Cirad conducted an exchange workshop entitled PERFORMON. The work shop was organized around a theme of cotton production, “Improving the performance of cotton production in the field: what research actions for Africa?” (see http://ur-aida.cirad.fr/actualites/performon). The objective was to foster an exchange of ideas on research initiatives that can contribute to production and involve the diverse actors in the African cotton value chain, including its support organizations at the regional, national, and international level. The workshop provided an opportunity to advance the knowledge and understanding of the perceptions among local actors in the cotton value chain and the strategic and developmental plans of the three African economic regions south of the Sahara (Western Africa, Central Africa, and East and Southern Africa). It resulted in a list of nine recommended themes that were judged to be priorities: Relaunch variety breeding, in particular through the set-up of a regional cotton breeding centre
Assist in the decision-making on whether or not to produce Genetically Modified Cotton (GMC) through information on advantages, disadvantages, risks, and appropriate accompanying measures
Implement new crop protection modes: knowledge about pest biology and dynamics, bio-insecticides, farm management-ecology
Characterize and adapt to climate change (CC): characterizing and forecasting CC modalities, technique adaptation (varieties, practices, etc.)
Manage and adapt to decreases in soil fertility: new strategies combining the exploitation of various technical levers (conservation agriculture, management of useful trees, agro-forestry linked to mineral pumping process, crop-livestock integration, green manure, etc.)
Improve labour productivity through new and/or adapted techniques (GMC, chemical inputs, mechanization, agro-ecological intensification) and implementation modalities for desirable efficiency and socio-environmental impacts
Improve responses to dynamics at the level of cotton producers: collect information about these dynamics in a more systematic and effective way, capture the diversity and the evolution of farm structures and farmers' cultivation practices, identify the factors of their performance, and initiate a permanent observation device
Assist producers in their process of technical change: establish spaces for consultation (exchanges and experience sharing), exploitation of local knowledge, operation co-innovation platform…
Ensure the quality of cotton produced and offered to market.
Among the cotton value chain actors that participated, only three NARI (CNRA/CIV, INERA/BKF, and IRAD/CMR), the CORAF/WECARD, and two Users (UNPCB/BKF and Sodécoton/CMR) indicated having knowledge of the PERMORMON workshop’s recommendations. This suggests that the diffusion of these recommendations was inadequate.
With respect to the recommendations on research themes, at least 80% of the NARI consider them all as priorities (either ongoing or to be initiated) with the exception of the recommendation on GMC, which 33% of the NARI judge to be secondary or not appropriate. There are four thematic priorities reflected in work in progress at the NARI level (Figure 21): crop protection (76%), cotton quality (61%), soil fertility (60%) and climate change (53%).
The User’s assessment of the recommendations is slightly different. Their highest priority was soil fertility (93%), followed by climate change (79%), crop protection (71%), cotton quality (64%), and creating new varieties (57%). We should note the importance given to climate change by all actors, while GMC may be considered a relevant theme but not necessarily a priority for the majority of respondents (Figure 22). A comparison of the respective NARI and User prioritization assessment of the themes proposed in the framework of the PERFORMON workshop is represented in Figure 23. The data in this figure indicate a higher level of convergence in the assessments among the NARI, judging the nine themes as being a priority (in progress or to be initiated) by 67 to 100%, while User assessments varied from 43 to 93%. “Fertility” was the only theme judged to be a priority by almost all of the responding NARI and Users.
5 themes were judged as priorities by a majority of NARI and Users: soil fertility, climate change, crop protection, cotton quality, and variety innovation
Figure 16. Assessment by NARI of the present scientific coverage in their cotton research programmes.
Figure 17. Assessment by Users of the present scientific coverage in national cotton research programmes.
12 12 12 6 5 3 3 2 2 3 5 4 2 4 6 5 5 5 5 3 1 2 7 6 9 8 10 9 3 0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16
Agronomy Entomology Plant breeding
Economy Weeds Technology Phyto-pathology
Sociology Bio-technology
Others
Nb NARI No Insufficiently Yes
8 9 8 2 4 2 5 2 2 6 6 5 5 5 8 6 5 6 1 1 1 7 5 3 4 7 7 0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16
Agronomy Entomology Plant
breeding
Economy Weeds Technology
Phyto-pathology
Sociology
Bio-technology
Others
Table 11. Actors involved in research activities and topics concerning African cotton research.
Figure 18. Distribution of cotton research topics or activities established in NARI in 2015-16, planned for 2016-17 and 2017-18, and delayed for 1 to 5 years.
Country Company Research
activities Research themes
Benin, Burkina Faso, Ivory Coats, Mali, Senegal, Togo Programme Régional de Protection Intégrée du Cotonnier en Afrique (PR-PICA)
Yes Pest management, soil fertility management
Senegal Sodéfitex Yes Agronomy, Phytosanitary protection, Breeding, seed production
Ivory Coast
Compagnie Ivoirienne de Développement des Textiles (CIDT)
Yes In collaboration with the NARI (CNRA)
Burkina Faso Faso Coton Yes
1 Study on the applicability of organic manure (micro doses) according to agro-climatic zones, 2) Planting density, 3) Sewing dates according to climate conditions, 4) Cotton transplantation technics
Cameroon CNPC-Cameroun Yes
-Cameroon Sodécoton Yes
Cotton breeding, Crop protection against pests, cotton fertilization, direct seedling, GM cotton experimentation, developpement of diversification crops
Mozambique Instituto do Algodão de
Moçambique Yes -0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 Nb answers 2015-16 2016-17 2017-18 Delay 1-5 years
Figure 19. Distribution of topics or activities to be established as priority by cotton research at a national level during the next 5 years, according to Users (answers weighting according to their level of priority on a scale from 1 to 10).
Figure 20. Reasons for delaying cotton research activities.
0% 5% 10% 15% % weighted answers 0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 Lack of funding Lack of scient. equip. Unavailable HR or competence No access to field or lab Lack of computer equipment Unjustif. scient. theme or activity Nb answers 35% 26% 15% 13% 9% 2%
Figure 21. NARI prioritization of research topics proposed as an outcome of PERFORMON workshop.
Figure 22. User prioritization of research topics proposed as an outcome of PERFORMON workshop. 76% 53% 60% 36% 29% 61% 47% 26% 33% 24% 47% 35% 59% 65% 28% 41% 58% 33% 5% 6% 11% 6% 11% 17% 5% 6% 5% 17% 0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100% Crops protection Climate change Fertility Variety innovation Labor productivity Cotton quality Technical changes Producers dynamics GMC
% of answers Prioritary ongoing Prioritary to be initiated Secondary to be initiated Not pertinent
71% 79% 93% 57% 50% 64% 50% 50% 43% 29% 21% 7% 43% 50% 36% 50% 50% 50% 7% 0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100% Crop protection Climate change Fertility Variety innovation Labor productivity Cotton quality Technical changes Producers dynamics GMC
Figure 23. Relationship between NARI and User prioritizations of research topics proposed as an
outcome of PERFORMON workshop.
2.4. Scientific and technical means of African cotton research
2.4.1. Experimental field devices
We identified four levels of scientific and technical means in the NARI (Table 12): controlled environments on their research station, controlled environments outside of their research station (support locations, ancillary locations for experiments, etc.), semi-controlled environments, and real environments (producers). Only two thirds of the 19 NARI responding to the questionnaire indicate having access to land for experiments in controlled environments (on or outside of their research station) and similarly in real environments. Less than half report having access to semi-controlled environments. In the most extreme cases, three NARI (CDT/ZMB, IIAM/MOZ and CRI/ZWE) have no access to land, constituting a significant handicap to their work in cotton research.
NARI cotton research is often penalized by limited, and sometimes non-existent, access to land for experimentation
In terms of User structures/organisms, nine of the Users indicate having access to land for experiments, and/or a network allowing for trials in a real environment: Sodéfitex (SEN), Green Cross, UNPCB and Faso Coton (BKF), CIDT (CIV), CNPCC and Sodécoton (CMR), CCM (MWI) and IAM (MOZ). They all conduct cotton research activities on land used for experiments, and make that land available to national cotton research, although the terrains do not always have agricultural equipment. The networks of real environments appear to be well adapted to the work of cotton research (Table 13).
2.4.2. Experimental laboratory devices
We identified experimental laboratory devices utilised by the NARI (Table 14) that are available internally (on the NARI research station) and externally (in another structure). Most of the cotton research programmes had access to at least one of these types of devices (89% internal, 84% external, and 79% both), the exception
Crop protecti on Cl i mate change Fe rti lity
Va ri etal innova tion
La bor productivity Cotton quality Technical changes Producers dynamics GMC 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100% % o f U se rs a ns w er s ju dg in g PE RF O RM O N th em e to b e pr io rit y
