DR BEN SEKAMATTE
Agricultural Expert and Advisor to Cotton made in Africa
“Competition at the level of production is counterproductive”
Promoting joint learning and the exchange of knowledge among partners is an integral part of Cotton made in Africa’s work. For this reason, the initia-tive regularly organises cross-partner and -country workshops and meetings with the employees of cotton companies in Africa. The meetings’ central aim is to work together on the most effective, practical, and feasible solutions to current challenges in sustainable cotton cultivation. Dr Ben Sekamatte (abbreviated as BS below), an agricultural expert and advisor to Cotton made in Africa from Uganda, and Younoussa Imorou Ali (abbreviated as YIA below), a CmiA representative and advisor for West and Central Africa, have been involved in these events since the beginning. They know how joint learning works in practice and what makes it so successful.
Mr Imorou Ali, the regional work-shops are now an integral part of Cotton made in Africa’s imple-mentation work in Africa. Can you briefly tell us what they are about?
YIA: The regional workshops bring together CmiA-verified partner companies as well as other organisations and institutions co-operating with CmiA so that they can share their expertise with each other. The workshops address technical topics that are selected in consultation with the partners. Their aim is to find solutions to the most pressing challenges, which currently include e.g. training to improve sustainable production, soil fertility in all its forms, integrated pest management, organic pest control, methods of adapting to climate change, the CmiA Community Cooperation Programme (CCCP), and updates on the CmiA standards system and verification process.
What do you and the partners find most special about these regular meetings?
YIA: In addition to providing an opportunity for partners from the wider CmiA family to get to know each other better, these regular meetings are a tool for joint learning, sharing knowledge and experiences to improve performance in implementing CmiA’s objectives, guaranteeing repeatability, and creating future opportunities. Regional workshops are now an integral part of our implementation strategy and process.
Dr Sekamatte, have you also noticed an increased interest in intercompany co-operation in southern and eastern Africa?
BS: Absolutely, especially since COVID. Cotton companies are showing more acceptance of intercompany training and co-operating actually got new drive and power. A big improvement was achieved through a joint training-of-trainers session (ToTs) held in Zambia by two cotton companies. This attracted the interest of a lot of other companies, which are now splitting the cost of a combined training-of-trainers programme in Zambia. It was a long journey, but we made it. Companies that used to compete are now co-operating, and we see staff of different partners sharing knowledge via platforms like WhatsApp or even through exchange visits. This tremendously expands the quality of their collaboration.
And how did CmiA influence this shift in thinking?
BS: The approach and work of CmiA convinced the cotton companies that competition at the level of production is counterproductive. They are all searching for new solutions to similar challenges, so exchanges can help them to learn from each other. That’s why even direct competitors have begun to work together. Additionally, CmiA’s training packages created demand for completely different extension styles. It is this demand and genuine search for solutions that found CmiA engaging with African People and Wildlife in Tanzania (APW), for example. To the partners’ amusement, they now attend workshops where facilitators are neither cotton agronomists nor marketing agents for chemical companies.
Does this mean the cotton companies’ perspectives on farming have changed recently?
BS: For many years, it was the aim of cotton companies to achieve the highest yields possible. However, now that they are facing challenges due to climate change and social change, the cotton companies have begun to see the need to take a broader view of the cotton industry. This has led to other topics – like soil fertility management, integrated pest and production management, and water management strategies – becoming essential. Additionally, there is rising interest in social issues related to farm life, such as engaging with farmers’ or women’s clubs. That’s exactly what CmiA workshops are about, because they are based on a holistic approach.
This change in perspective also opened up new avenues of communication, like the Innovations Club. What is special about it?
BS: The establishment of the Innovations Club in 2023 marked a watershed in the collaboration be-tween cotton companies and international experts, scientists, and agricultural advisors. The Innovations Club brings partners from across Africa together to share knowledge, learn from each other, and discuss various topics in depth. This approach serves to broaden the cotton companies’ view of the industry. Employees of partnering cotton companies started getting exposed to non-cotton management styles and visited non-cotton but related enterprises. For me, innovation in farmer engagement is critical and more relevant than ever.
Photocredit: Emily Paul/ African People & Wildlife
DR BEN SEKAMATTE
Agricultural Expert and Advisor to Cotton made in Africa
“Competition at the level of production is counterproductive”