Burkina Faso, Africa’s top cotton producer, is seeing promising results after banning Monsanto’s genetically modified Bt cotton.
Citing a drop in revenue and damage to their reputation due to Bt cotton’s lower quality fiber, the small west African nation has decided to once again exclusively grow conventional cotton, even though it’s more susceptible to parasites and unpredictable yields.
Of all the cotton-producing nations in Africa, Burkina Faso was the only to one to grow genetically-modified crops, and was considered by Monsanto to be their “springboard for expansion” into the region. However, after 13 years of less than favorable yields, the country has not only outlawed Monsanto’s GM seeds, it’s also seeking $82M in compensation from the company for lost revenue.
You can read more about Burkina Faso’s Monsanto ban at Bloomberg.
