A Delegation of Experts from the Brazilian Corporation Agency is in Zambia to explore opportunities for collaboration in the cotton industry.

The visit is part of the process of onboarding Zambia for possible south-to-south cooperation between the two countries.

Brazil at the request of the Zambian government through the Cotton Board requested the Brazilian agency for international cooperation ABC through a concept note on the cotton industry’s possible areas of cooperation.

Some areas of possible cooperation include among others, extension provision, research funding, pest management, and the production of field guides.

The main objective of the technical mission is to gather relevant and detailed information about the cotton sector, with a view to providing a solution to boost farming of the cash crop in Zambia.

And Cotton Board of Zambia, Chairperson, Raymond Mpundu says the board wants Brazil to help Zambia improve cotton productivity.

Mr. Mpundu is optimistic that Brazil’s involvement, being the second-largest exporter in the market and fourth-largest cotton producer, will improve the industry in Zambia.

Meanwhile, Eden Martingo, the Second Secretary for the Western and Southern Africa Division of the Brazilian Ministry of Foreign Affairs says Zambia’s cotton industry has the potential to grow.

Mr. Martingo says Zambia should begin to identify certain technical challenges hindering the growth of the sector.

In August 2022, the Cotton Board of Zambia participated in the l3th Brazilian Cotton Congress (CBA), held in Salvador, Brazil.

After the congress, Zambia expressed interest in joining the “Brazilian South-South technical cooperation program for the cotton sector”, through a bilateral project for the benefit of the country.

Brazil is the world’s second-largest exporter and fourth-largest producer of cotton.