Regional Markets

3 Cases
Photo: ©FAO/Swiatoslaw Wojtkowiak / FAO
3.10 The campaign for fair cotton prices
in Zimbabwe
Joel Musarurwa, Tsitsi Choruma, and Kirsten Hjørnholm Sørensen
Introduction
The cotton industry has for a long time
been an important sector for securing livelihoods
and for Zimbabwe’s foreign currency
earnings. After tobacco, cotton is the country’s
main agricultural export commodity.
In 2011, cotton lint production stood at
90 million tons, with an estimated value
of USD 129 million (FAOSTAT 2011).
Zimbabwe is known for its high quality
cotton, with very strong yields for the
geographic and climate conditions in the
region. It is a very important but troubled
sector. With the liberalisation initiated in
Inclusive smallholder cotton
value chains
This case deals with a non-food crop, and
thus differs from most other case that deal
with food commodities for local and regional
markets. Markets intended are, at first instance,
local, regional or national and not export
oriented. Cotton in Zimbabwe is mainly
grown on 1-2 ha smallholder lots. Value addition
at farmers’ level is one of the central
strategies for promoting pro-poor development.
And, it is assumed that higher cotton
prices will improve access to food.
1994, and the accompanied land redistribution, production shifted from large-scale
producers towards smallholders. This was initially a smooth transition, dominated
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