Enhancing Sustainability of Cotton Production Systems in West Africa: A Summary of Empirical Evidence from Burkina Faso

Abstract

Africa has been hesitant to adopt agricultural biotechnology, lagging behind global trends over the past decade. One exception is Burkina Faso, a West African country that commercially released 125,000 ha of Bt cotton in 2009. Bt cotton may serve as a working example of how African countries can enhance sustainability using modern, science-driven technology to increase production levels while reducing input use and energy consumption. This paper reports the potential impact that Bt cotton can have on sustainability in Burkina Faso's cotton sector based by summarizing empirical evidence from previously published studies. Based on the summary of published data collected from six years of field trials and producer surveys, Bt cotton increased cotton yields by an average of 21.3% and raised income by $106.14 per ha. Using an energy balance model, the introduction of Bt cotton would also result in a 6.6% saving in energy use. The significant increase in productivity and economic returns could be the catalyst for Burkina Faso, and other African countries, to emerge from the decade or so of stagnation and regain their competitive stance in world cotton markets while providing environmental and social benefits.

Connaissance des OGMs et canaux d’information des acteurs au Burkina Faso

“…En particulier les études expérimentales menées sur le coton Bt au Burkina (Agbios, 2007;Traore, 2007;Vitale et al, 2007;Traore et al, 2008;Vitale et al, 2008;Ouedraogo et al, 2009;Vitale et al, 2011) (Gruère et al, 2008).…”

“…Ainsi, pour réduire les coûts de production, les autorités ont toujours apporté des solutions en explorant certaines technologies (Ouattara, 2011;Degla, 2012). Parmi ces technologies figurent les Organismes Génétiquement Modifiés (OGM) qui reste peu connus (Rule et Langa, 2005) et dont l'usage soulève des controverses.…”

Opportunities and Challenges to Capturing the Multiple Potential Benefits of REDD+ in a Traditional Transnational Savanna-Woodland Region in West Africa

“…The expansion of the intensive cotton cultivation into the savannawoodland is a major threat towards the biological diversity as well as to the medicinal plants and to the carbon stock of the woodland. In 2011, The Xylophone Triangle produced more than 61 % of total cotton in West Africa and there is an effort to increase the cotton production in the region (Vitale et al 2011). The state cotton company, CMDT in Mali, has improved provision of subsidized inputs and reinforced its extension service towards this goal.…”

“…With a yearly rainfall ([1100 mm) and with fertile soils, the Sikasso region accounts for a considerable share of the total agricultural production in Mali (Colin 2004;USAID 2008).The savanna here is more dense than in the Sahelian zone with occasional patches of dry scrub and there are scattered forests and woodlands (Sanogo 1989;Vitale et al 2011;FAO 2011). In this paper we use the collective term savanna-woodland for this ecosystem in the Xylophone Triangle.…”

Understanding Environmental Risk Assessment of GMOs in Africa-The Importance of Regulation and Monitoring

“…Prior to the release of Bt cotton, a number of confined field trials and risk assessment was carried out to monitor possible environmental impact of GMO product [9]. This was largely made possible through the assistance of Monsanto and other donors given the limited capacity to undergo environmental risk assessment in this country.…”