The Role of Cotton in Burkina Faso’s Economy and the Structural Effects of Globalization on Smallholder Producers

Abstract

This article explored the importance and economic place of cotton in Burkina Faso, and the many effects of globalization on the country’s traditional cotton producers. Cotton production has historically been Burkina Faso’s main agricultural export and the heart of the country’s economy, representing an essential source of income for thousands of rural households. We used a systematic review of the literature and relied on Carbaugh’s (2018) theoretical framework of globalization. This study analyzes not only the institutional structure of the cotton industry, but also the export economy and the dynamics of international trade. The results show that, while globalization has opened up new international markets for Burkinabe cotton, it has also exposed producers to high price volatility, abusive trade practices and technological shortcomings, such as the failure to adopt genetically modified Bt cotton.