In a news conference in Yaounde yesterday, the association's president, Ahmed Bachir Diop, assured that all was ready for the three-day reflection on African cotton.

Cotton producers from over 30 African countries under the banner, "African Cotton Association (ACA)" will for three days, be reflecting on what method to take to surmount the challenges that have almost brought the sector to its knees in the recent years. This will be on the occasion of the 8th African Cotton Days scheduled to run from to day March 11 - 13, 2010 at the Yaounde Hilton hotel.

Speaking yesterday in a news conference prior to today's kick off, the president of ACA, Ahmed Bachir Diop, flanked by the General Manager of Cameroon Cotton Corporation (SODECOTON), Iya Mohammed as well as other executive members of ACA said the Yaounde confab will serve as an avenue to brainstorm and possibly take decisions that would revive the hitherto buoyant sector.

Placed under the theme, "African cotton amidst challenges", participants will be reflecting on issues such as the indicators of production, the present situation, cultivation and diversity, biotechnologies and the situation in the international market.

ACA president, like other exco members, blamed the sorry cotton situation in the continent on the weakness of the world market prices, worsened by the unfavourable euro/dollar exchange rate, decreasing farming yields caused by poor soil fertility, coupled with the inadequate support to agronomic research as well as the skyrocketing prices of agricultural inputs, among others. A situation which they stressed has left the over 20 million cotton-dependent people at crossroads.

The meeting in Yaounde will offer ACA members the opportunity to pursue redressing methods begun in 2005. These measures include notably the updating of the African cotton standards, the holding of African Cotton Quality Days, begun in Cotonou, Benin in 2006 and the setting up of ACA quality commission.

Among the other presentations at the Yaounde event will be a paper on genetically modified cotton from Burkina Faso where reports say the technology is yielding fruit. The ceremony is placed under the patronage of the Prime Minister, Head of Government.