Unsettled institutional frameworks : a threat for the future of francophone african cotton

For the first time, in 2001, Francophone African countries were globally ranking second in the world in exporting cotton. These countries are however engaged into a period of uncertain and unstable evolution of the institutional frameworks of their cotton productions whose outcome could be a consolidation of this new exporting position or in the opposite a total collapse. Drastic changes are observed in pricing mechanisms, provision of inputs and credit to farmers, orientation and financing of research activities, diffusion of technical messages to farmers. These changes imply modifications in responsibilities sharing between stakeholders and they are not always welcomed, either by part of them or by all of them. They are still too recent to predict properly what future will be. In the concerned countries, several actions are implemented to help pass through successfully the current transitional period. In most countries, establishment of negotiation devices are promoted to help cotton sector stakeholders find out collectively new institutional arrangements that may be acceptable to all and adapted to the cotton production environment. Meanwhile, strengthening of farmers' organizations or institutions is engaged in view of assisting them in taking charge of more responsibilities within new institutional arrangements. Research actions are also implemented to help assess cotton sectors performance under diversified institutional frameworks following a common analytical framework and assist in information exchange between Francophone African countries. Nevertheless, settling down new and successful institutional arrangements will be time demanding: Adjustments may be necessary to overcome initial mistakes and failures. Will Francophone African countries get enough time to adjust their cotton production organization and what will be farmers' reaction during the uncertain transitional period: these are the critical factors that will format these countries future in the cotton world market. (Résumé d'auteur)