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Last week information was spread that Burkina Faso farmers have decided this year to stop planting Bt cotton. But, reacting to this news, Burkina Faso cotton companies indicate they were very surprised with this information

BURKINA FASO ABANDONS Bt COTTON: «We are surprised by the information» Monday, 14 May 2012.
Following the news, on Radio France Internationale (RFI), announcing that this year, Burkina Faso will stop growing BT cotton generally called GMO cotton, we had an interview with Dr. Dehou Dakuo, Director, Cotton production and development of SOFITEX, who expressed his surprise at the news. To him, it is not true as Burkina Faso is rather cultivating more than 200,000 hectares of the BT cotton seed. He however acknowledged that this year, for purity reasons, lesser seeds were distributed.

« Le Pays »: Burkina Faso woke up today to hear news on RFI announcing the cessation of the cultivation of the BT cotton this year. What is it in reality?

Dr Déhou Dakuo: we were also surprised by that information especially because at the moment we are holding our pre-seedling forums with our producers. The setting for the genetically modified cotton (GMC) as well as biological cotton seeds is 80% ready meaning most of the cotton producer groups have been supplied with BT cotton seeds. SOFITEX specifically (Editor’s note: there are two other cotton companies: SOCOMA and Faso Coton) expects to grow 200 to 300 thousand hectares of BT cotton during the 2012/2013 season. Just last week, Faso Coton went to the Kourouma delinting factory in Kenedougou to withdraw their stock of GMC seeds. I think it is the turn of SOCOMA to do the same this week. We are therefore very surprised to hear that Burkina Faso wants to stop growing BT cotton.

How can you explain the release of such information? Could it be a wrong source of information or a manipulation?

I cannot explain it. One thing is sure: it was false information. I spoke to many people in and outside the cotton industry in order to understand what really happened but no one was able to explain it. Unless there are other intentions behind the release of that piece of information by RFI, this year, a general evaluation of the cotton industry was conducted and the Association Interprofessionnelle du Coton du Burkina (AICB) held a press conference on the state of cotton growing in Burkina Faso. Documents are available and were disseminated. Things were transparent at that level.

Are there some challenges in growing the GMC that could have led to such information?

As it is the case for any new input, we need to provide necessary means to follow up for some years on any innovation. In the case of this GM seed, based on the wishes expressed by producers, 90 to 95% of them would like to have GM seeds even though during the previous season, there was a mixture. Plots which were supposed to be for GMC, were attacked by pets. Investigations revealed that there was a mixture of seeds which could have been caused by the producers themselves or done during transportation of the seeds. To avoid such recurrences, measures were taken together with our partner Monsanto. We added the Elisa method (serologic test) to the chromatographic checking method usually called test trips method, to analyze the seeds to ensure that the seeds which proceed from the laboratory are 100% genetically modified. In addition to this, SOFITEX developed a seed scheme and there will be training sessions starting next week for its implementation. The training targets all the stakeholders: from seed lab agents to producers, transporters, and grinners. They will all be trained and sensitized on the quality of the seed. In the research labs, it was proven that we could get a 30% increase in the yield using the GMC. It is also possible to get the same result in the rural area.
This was experienced with the first group of producers recruited among the best in 2008 for the production of the seeds. But when the process was generalized, the result was not the same with everybody. Small scale producers who could not reach the break-even point were not able to get a better yield due basically to the non-respect of technical packages (low dosage of chemical fertilizers, no input from organic fertilizers, non application of the recommended insecticides). The GMC does not systematically increase the yield but it is rather the induced effects that cause the increase. To reach the additional 30% increase in yield, one needs to strictly apply the recommended technical package. As it is well known, in Burkina, most cultivated lands are poor in organic substances and in line with this, action plans on land fertility were developed. These action plans will require research at the Ministry of Agriculture and Water bodies, and at our technical services to make land fertility a priority.

In addition to the output aspect, it seems the length of the fibre did not meet the expectations leading to a fall in the purchase price of the cotton. What do you say about that?

On this point, I must say that there are two characteristics of the GM seed. The introgression of the BT gene was made possible through the crossing of a Burkina and an American variety. It is obvious that the offspring will exhibit both good and bad characteristics of the parent seed. In our case, I think our offspring carries a defect in the length of the fibre from the American variety. This was quickly noticed at Monsanto, cotton companies and INERA and measures were taken to that effect. The first measure was taken at the level of national research and in one or two years, the problem will be solved. Lots of progress was made in the research and we are now left with multiplying the seeds. The second measure was taken at Monsanto level. They were conscious of the problem and made a selection. In this month of May, fourteen 3rd level backcross lines (BC3) are to be sent by Monsanto to the INERA for multiplication. In this 3rd level backcross lines, there should be a higher proportion of the Burkina variety’s characteristics hence improving the quality of the fibre.

How was the first season of commercialization of the Burkina BT on the international market?

According to my colleague in charge of the section, it was good. There were indeed some minor challenges regarding the length of the fibre in some batches. But in one way or the other, the entire consignment was sold. Do not forget that cotton is a commercial good and other competitors can use this situation to denigrate our product. The main characteristics of our cotton have not changed so I do not see where the problem is. There were indeed some minor variations in the length of the fibre.

Is Burkina still committed to the BT? Was there no pulling back?

Everything I just said is evidence of our commitment to the BT cotton. We were recently in Grand-Bassam in Cote d’Ivoire in line with the Regional Programme for an Integrated Protection of Cotton in Africa (PR-PICA) and one of our main recommendations was to encourage other member states (Benin, Cote d’Ivoire, Mali, Senegal and Togo) as well as neighbouring states to emulate our experience to help them save time. If our experience is negative, it cannot be used as reference. I would like to tell everybody that the information is not true and the producers as well as SOFITEX are confident about it. In our point of view, RFI should have cross checked the information before releasing it especially because France 24, which is in the process of merging with RFI, requested to report on the Bt cotton in Burkina Faso during this seedling season in May – June and SOFITEX granted them the authorisation.

Abdoulaye TAO
Le Pays