Oxfam GB
A staggering 80% of farmers in Mali live below the poverty line. Income from cotton farming is often their main source of cash but, throughout the region, the IMF and World Bank have imposed a programme of privatisation of the cotton sector which presents new challenges to cotton farmers to survive in a highly competitive world market.
Comic Relief funds are helping cotton farmers in Mali to build strong grass-roots cooperatives capable of representing poor farmers in a privatised trading environment. A comprehensive training programme is improving farmers’ skills to obtain more control over market and investment decisions. Women’s participation in cotton farming is also improving through education and training, as well as access to credit schemes.
Farmers are also being provided with technical support to achieve organic and Fairtrade status leading to improved prices through accessing growing niche markets. Through this project, cotton farmers in Mali and West Africa will increase their income and improve their livelihoods.
