The Guardian Weekly

Could a new industrial lion emerge on Africa’s west coast?

By Sarah Johnson COTONOU and BOHICON SARAH JOHNSON IS A GUARDIAN REPORTER FOCUSING ON HUMAN RIGHTS AND GLOBAL DEVELOPMENT

When Muriel Akouewanou finished her studies in natural sciences in Benin, she struggled to find work and was unemployed for two years. Then, she saw an advert on TV. Textile factories were being built in a new industrial zone, 45km from Cotonou, the city where Akouewanou, 24, lived, and they needed workers.

“To be honest, it didn’t appeal to me,” she said. “It was something I’d never done, I’d never worked with machines.” Nevertheless, she applied, and was accepted on to the six-month training scheme.

To her surprise she enjoyed the work. Now, her salary covers all her expenses and allows her to give some money to her parents. Her dream is to become a textile engineer in Benin’s emergent industry.

In the past few years, Benin has become Africa’s leading cotton producer, with annual production of 728,000 tonnes in 2020-21, according to government figures. Traditionally it has exported almost all of that raw, with most going to Bangladesh.

An initiative between the Republic of Benin and Arise Integrated Industrial Platforms, a pan-African venture partly owned by the Africa Finance Corporation, is under way to create jobs and revenue. It aims to process the cotton and other agricultural products locally, with the goal of exporting finished goods, such as T-shirts and underwear, to Europe, Asia, Africa and the US.

“Benin is an agricultural centre, a country that produces a lot of agricultural commodities. But most of these crops used to be sold raw without any transformation,” said Letondji Beheton, managing director of the GloDjigbé industrial zone, which houses the textile factories. “In 2016 the new president wanted to [transform the Benin economy]. Instead of selling commodities raw, we will process them in Benin.”

The initiative’s impact on the country could be huge, say trade experts. Benin is classified by the UN as one of 46 least developed countries in the world “confronting severe structural impediments to sustainable development”; close to 40% of the population lives below the poverty line.

“The textile industry has been, and is in many countries, the starting point for industrialisation,” said Matthias Knappe, the programme manager for cotton, textiles and clothing at the International Trade Centre. The textile industry has been prioritised by the African Union, he said, as it can create a lot of jobs relatively easily.

A similar strategy was pursued in Hong Kong, Singapore, South Korea and Taiwan, said Jodie Keane, a senior research fellow at the ODI thinktank, “and lifted millions out of poverty”.

Knappe added that Benin’s position on the west coast of Africa could be a logistical advantage for buyers in the US, Europe and Africa, as products won’t have to be shipped so far. And African cotton has an environmental edge. “It’s all rain-fed so there’s no irrigation, tapping into rivers, lakes and underground water like in some other major cotton-producing countries. Also, pesticide and chemical use is much lower,” said Knappe.

There are challenges ahead, however. Research by Cotton 2040, a crossindustry platform, estimates that, by 2040, about half of the world’s cotton growing regions will face high or very high-risk exposure to at least one climate hazard, while some regions could be exposed to as many as seven.

About 20km from Bohicon, a town about two hours’ drive from Cotonou, is the village of Houégnonkpa. The community is dependent on growing cotton. Raphaël Dovonon, 40, grew up helping his father in the cotton fields, and now has his own land.

The most recent harvest was bad, he said. He has noticed changes in the weather in recent years. “Before, we knew when the rainy season would begin and end. Now it’s different.”

He has heard about the factories close to Cotonou, which may end up using the cotton he grows. “We are very happy that our cotton will be used in Benin and that young Beninese will get employment,” he said.

For now, his fortunes won’t change, however. The price of cotton is determined by a body representing farmers and the government. “Cotton farmers’ lives will not automatically improve,” said Knappe. For change to happen, “it needs political will”.

Spotlight | Africa

en-gb

2023-03-31T07:00:00.0000000Z

2023-03-31T07:00:00.0000000Z

https://theguardianweekly.pressreader.com/article/282059101258407

Guardian/Observer