Cotton – About

The platform is registered as Cotton Development Trust and comprises all players in the cotton value chain. Its main objective is to facilitate rapid growth of cotton industry through collaborative efforts of all players along the value chain.

The emergence and formation of the Cotton Development Trust in 2008 has catalysed a number of initiatives aimed at improving the efficiency of the cotton value chain supported with resources from NORAD under phase I of the Malawi Agricultural Partnership (MAP) and the private sector. These initiatives were facilitated and coordinated by African Institute of Corporate Citizenship (AICC) as the secretariat of the Cotton Development Trust.

AICC serves as the secretariat of the CDT and among several initiatives AICC has facilitated and coordinated the following:

• The development of a cotton strategic plan 2011-2016
• The establishment of a seed supply system
• Increased productivity gains through cotton demonstration plots
• Improved access to credit and agricultural inputs for farmers
• Lobbying for review and implementation of a new Cotton Act
• The development of an agreed pricing and marketing model
• Increased strategic collaboration with international organizations/institutions