By Cecilia Chiluba/Zambia/Lusaka
Policymakers, private sector actors, farmer organizations, research institutions as well as women and youth leaders from across Eastern and Southern Africa have convened in Zambia’s capital, Lusaka for the 2025 Regional Value Chain Conference.
Held under the theme;“Unlocking the Potential of Soya, Cotton, and Sesame in Eastern and Southern Africa, the regional Conference has been convened by the Eastern and Southern Africa Cotton Organization (ESACO).
The event is aimed at advancing practical, policy and investment solutions for the soya, cotton and sesame value chains.
Speaking during the official opening of the Conference, We Effect Representative, Sian Morgan, highlighted challenges facing the cotton value chain in the Region.
Ms. Morgan acknowledged that while the cotton sector holds strong potential to transform rural economies, it continues to face deep-rooted challenges that must be urgently addressed to unlock inclusive growth.
She highlighted that low productivity, limited value addition, fragmented markets and climate vulnerability remain major obstacles affecting the cotton value chain across Eastern and Southern Africa
“These challenges reduce competitiveness and limit the sector’s ability to create sustainable livelihoods for smallholder farmers,” Ms. Morgan said.
Ms. Morgan further noted the persistent exclusion of women and youth along most segments of the cotton value chain, despite their critical role in agricultural production.
She emphasized that without deliberate efforts to place women and young people at the centre of policy, investment and market systems, the sector will struggle to achieve long-term resilience and shared prosperity.
“Agriculture does remain the backbone of Eastern and Southern African economies and within it the soya, cotton and sesame value chains hold immense potential to transform rural economies, create employment, sustainable livelihoods and drive regional trade, which I think is going to be one of the most important things that we are going to be discussing today.”
“Women play a critical role in the agriculture sector which is often not recognized and not affirmed and I hope that discussions today will really place women and young people at the center of this engagement. The Conference is grounded in our long-standing commitment to strengthening small holder-based value chains through inclusive market systems farmer-led organizations and sustainable partnerships across the region,” she stressed.
Ms. Morgan stated that addressing these constraints will require coordinated action involving governments, the private sector, financial institutions, researchers and farmer organizations.
Strengthening farmer-led organizations, improving access to markets and finance, and promoting inclusive, climate-resilient value chains were identified as key steps towards revitalizing the cotton sector and ensuring it contributes meaningfully to rural development and regional trade.
Officiating at the Conference, Zambia’s Ministry of Agriculture, emphasized that cotton should be viewed not merely as an agricultural crop, but as a catalyst for industrial revival and inclusive economic growth.
Ministry’s Director of Agriculture, Dr. Chizumba Shepande, said Zambia was positioning itself to harness the full potential of its cotton value chain, contributing to poverty reduction, job creation and long-term economic resilience.
Dr. Shephande, who was represented by the Ministry’s Acting Assistant Director- Agriculture Extension, Louis Chikopela, also echoed the need for coordinated action, strong policy support, and sustained investment in addressing challenges that continue to affect the region’s agricultural sector, including Zambia.
“The government will continue to invest in the development of new systems, access to quality seed and input markets, rural infrastructure development, and a conducive policy environment that encourages private sector participation,” he added.
The conference was made possible with support from Embassy of Sweden in Adis Ababa under the Women Economic Empowerment in the Cotton Value Chain(WEECVC).
