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December 08, 2005

Murder by cotton

A poor man's field may produce abundant food, but injustice sweeps it away."
(Prov 13:23)

Cotton is a Christian issue! Cotton and other agricultural subsidies in rich western countries are robbing people in poor countries like Burkina Faso of honestly earned income. What should our response be?

Burkina Faso's exemplary efficiency
Burkina Faso is a model of efficiency and production - at least when it comes to cotton. Her cotton farmers are the most efficient in the world, producing cotton at only 21 cents/lb. Cotton, known as "white gold" in Burkina, is the main export of this, the third poorest country in the world, providing half her export earnings. So you would think that everyone would be keen to applaud such an exemplary effort of a developing country helping itself, independant of international aid. Especially in a country of which US officials recently said: "we are proud of their success in encouraging economic and personal freedoms..."

American cotton subsidies take from the poor
But not so, apparently. Even at such prices, Burkina struggles to sell her cotton. This is because American cotton, produced at 72c/lb is subsidised to the tune of 3 billion/year to her 25 000 cotton farmers, thus depriving the poor of an honest income. It is estimated these subsidies cost West African cotton farmers $250 million in lost income. Burkina Faso, for instance, received $10 million in U.S. aid in 2002 but lost an estimated $13.7 million in exports because of U.S. cotton subsidies.

Next to this, the U.S. pledge of $7 million (of which only $5 million is new money) to aid West African cotton farmers hurt by these subsidies seems ridiculous. As Francois Traore, president of the union of Burkinabe cotton producers, said:
"This is a question of human rights. We're not asking for a gift, we're asking for just rules."

Changing the rules
Those "just rules" can be decided at the World Trade Organisation meeting in Hong Kong next week. The "African four" - Burkina Faso, Mali, Chad, and Benin - are four poor West African cotton-producing countries, where more than 10 million people depend directly on cotton to pay for food, school fees and housing. . They are calling for an end to such export subsidies and for duty-free and quota-free access for cotton and cotton products from least-developed countries.

Cotton subsidies are just one aspect of the unjust trade rules that need addressing - and the US is far from being the only guilty party. While the U.S. gives more than $12 billion in subsidies to its farmers on everything from corn to sugar to tobacco, the EU gives $53 billion. A European cow receives $2.50 a day in subsidies, while 75% of Africans live on less than $2 a day. There is also concern about intellectual property rights, and attempts to liberalise the trade in services.

But cotton has become a symbol of the inequaliities of the current system, and unless something changes, the West African cotton industry - an engine for development and hope for millions of poor - could disappear. And we will be charged before the Great Judge of oppressing the poor, and denying them justice in the courts.

A Christian voice for justice
"Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of all who are destitute.
Speak up and judge fairly; defend the rights of the poor and needy." (Prov 31:8-9)

We need to develop a Biblical attitude and response towards poverty. As part of that, we should recognise that trade is a Christian issue. A Christian response to injustice in trade must affect our own lifestyle - to pursue our own prosperity at the expense of the poor is an offense to God. And we should also "defend the rights of the poor and needy" - calling for justice for the poor.

You can let your voice be heard.
* UK: vote for trade justice
* US: Contact President Bush and ask him to fight extreme poverty at the WTO by making trade fair.
* UK/Europe: Contact Peter Mandelson, European Trade Commissioner, to call upon him to do everything to act for the poor.
* UK/US: Join the Make Poverty History (UK) or ONE (US) campaigns

Tags: burkina faso africa burkina aid trade wto cotton justice poverty bible subsidies

Posted by Keith at December 8, 2005 12:46 PM