Empowering African Farmers Will Keep Them in Cotton

摘要

Cotton yields in Africa are the lowest in the world. The countries in West and Central Africa have an average yield of 343 kilograms lint per hectare (kg/ha), while East and Southern African countries generate only 227 kg/ ha. In fact, African cottonyields have been declining over the last 10 years or so, while world average cotton yields increased to 753 kg/ha in the season 2011/12. The highest cotton yields can be found in Australia, which produces about 1,500 kg/ha, and Israel, with 1,860 kg/ha.In Turkey, yields of 1,350 kg/ha are achieved, on average, without the use of genetically modified BT cotton.