Cotton-Four

By Heidi Chow, 1 December 2009

Benin, Burkina Faso, Chad and Mali are collectively known as the ‘cotton 4’ because they are cotton producing countries in West Africa and have been trying to the get the US to reduce their cotton subsidies for almost a decade.

The US subsidises its cotton production which leads to over-supply and subsequently a low market price for cotton. Today I heard Ambassador Samuel Amehou from Benin speak at an Africa Trade Network event about the desperation that farmers are feeling and the injustice of the situation “Farmers are losing hope for their cotton. Something needs to be done urgently otherwise our cotton sector will die and many farmers will end up in a bad situation.”

Tomorrow the WTO ministerial closes and no doubt, there will be some statement that re-affirms the Doha round to be about development. There may even be a renewed commitment to conclude the round by the end of 2010. But this cotton issue clearly illustrates the WTO negotiations are not about development, they are not about poverty alleviation and not about giving farmers in the cotton 4 a fair chance to make a sustainable living. And this is just one example of how a WTO deal would hurt the poorest people in the world.

This week I have been a privileged observer to see how civil society groups around the world have been campaigning on these issues that touch the very core of their lives: maintaining sustainable livelihoods, job security and food security. These last few days they have been working hard to meet with their country’s delegation to present their case directly. They have thought of creative ways to get their message across to the media and have taken to the streets in demonstrations and protests. They fight with passion and commitment knowing that if they don’t, they and the people they represent will have everything to lose.