Page 18 - 19 Cotton SA September 2019

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REGIONAL WORKSHOP

promoting cotton

by-products

by Tanya Aucamp, Communication Specialist for Cotton SA

Cotton SA hosted a regional workshop in the Common Market for Eastern and Southern
partnership with the United Nations Conference Africa (COMESA), is aligned with regional
on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), promoting and global efforts to support Africa’s economic
cotton by-products in eastern and southern Africa. diversification through value addition”, says
The two-day workshop, held at the Premier Hotel, Stephen Karingi, Director of Regional Integration
OR Tambo in Johannesburg from 28 to 30 May and Trade, United Nations Economic Commission
2019, was attended by 70 delegates, of which for Africa (ENECA). He also mentioned that
50 were international delegates. The workshop “the importance of the cotton sector to African
was followed by a tour to Marble Hall on economies cannot be overemphasised, and
31 May, visiting a small-scale farmer, a com- it includes the value chain from seedcotton to
mercial farmer, and a cotton gin. textiles and other by-products such as cottonseed
“The project, implemented by UNCTAD in oil and seedcake.”
collaboration with both the United Nations The results of the three-year programme,
Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) and implemented by UNCTAD, show that cotton

National and international cotton experts attending the cotton by-product workshop in Johannesburg, South Africa.

18 | Katoen SA \\ Cotton SA