| In the 19th century West Africa received its first cotton seeds of the Gossypium hirsutum variety, which originated in Central America and remains the most widely cultivated variety of cotton in the world. At the beginning of the 20th century this raw material represented 80 percent of the world textile market (47 percent today, following the invention of synthetic fabrics). Cotton cultivation and manufacture still employs one billion people worldwide. But the fall in prices—which have halved since 1995—is having a serious effect on some countries, particularly in West and Central Africa. Faced with high input costs—cotton-growing alone uses onequarter of the pesticides sold worldwide—and the casualization of labor, some governments are urging a reduction in the quantity of pesticides used. Fair-trade supply chains, which ensure a higher price for producers and working conditions that conform with international regulations, are also being set up. |
Worker resting on bales of cotton, Thonakaha, Korhogo, Ivory Coast (9°28’ N, 5°36’ W)..&title2= Worker resting on bales of cotton, Thonakaha, Korhogo, Ivory Coast (9°28’ N, 5°36’ W).&title3= FARDOS DE ALGODÓN, Thonakaha, Korhogo, Costa de Marfil. (9°28’ N – 5°36’ O).){kind=link}