Can higher producer prices help revitalize the cotton production in Benin

1. UNCTADVirtual InstituteSeminaronTrade and Poverty Can higher producer prices help revitalize the cotton production in Benin EpiphaneAdjovi Director CAPOD • September2014 • Geneva, Switzerland

2. The problem of cotton in Benin • Cotton : a strategic crop for the agricultural sector • The most important cash crop for farmers • Many other agricultural and non agricultural activities are related to cotton • Source of export revenue for the government • But several constrain to the sector • Unfavorable international environment and markets • Farmers complain about the low producer price and late payment • Low yield and poor management of the sector discouraged producers • Higher poverty among cotton farmers

3. What to do? • Contribution of all actors in the development of the cotton sector • Social responsibility of the government in the context of limited resources and International conjuncture • Invest in research, infrastructure, access to input and credit. • Bring in progressively and strengthen the private sector in a PPP model • Reforms in the management of the sector • Pursuit of the diversification of the economy

4. Researcher/Policy maker cooperation : comments • Research and policy decision: bidirectional relations • Ex-ante and ex-post research to support and evaluate policies • But useful research by academics need to have policy orientations • Opportunities and challenges • Cooperation Policy makers/Researchers to address the gap • Challenges : communication • Application : Political considerations and Unobserved factors at play • Experiences of CAPOD : a research institution for better policy decision making