Abstract

Though cotton only represents a very small share in world merchandise trade, it is an indispensable commodity in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). Productivity and profitability of cotton production and processing are key determinants of growth in cotton producing countries. This study analyses the SSA cotton sector. The first section will use value chain analysis to trace the value creation process from the raw material stage to final retail products. The second section analyses the sector from an industrial organizational perspective, highlighting how the sector’s specific features have influenced reforms outcomes and comparing experiences to other reformed SSA crop sectors. The purpose of section three is to shed light on Research and Development in cotton in SSA, framed in a broader picture of agricultural research in SSA. The final section analyses the issue of quality in cotton and tests the assertion that fully implemented reforms have undermined quality performance of the cotton sector in SSA. Keywords sub-Saharan Africa Cotton Sector, Cotton Liberalization, Cotton R&D, Cotton Quality