Governing Cotton: Globalization And Poverty In Africa (international Political Economy Series)

This book traces the historic relationships between cotton production, the international cotton trade and poverty south of the Sahara, and assesses various approaches to corporate social responsibility and nongovernmental policy advocacy in this area. Thousands of people around the world are currently engaged in efforts which they believe will make African cotton work better for the millions of people who grow this crop and the millions more who depend upon it. This book traces the historic relationships between cotton and poverty south of the Sahara and assesses aspects of the new social concern evident in the area. Taking an empirical international political economy approach, it details the ways in which globalization has enabled poverty reduction and poverty maintenance on African cotton farms. Sneyd argues that while cotton farming and poverty will be connected for many years to come, there is hope that these issues are now on the agenda. This book offers a thoughtful and balanced assessment of the linkages between cotton production and poverty in Africa in an era of economic globalization. The book's discussion of new governance initiatives such as corporate social responsibility efforts is both rich in detail and highly engaging. Thousands of people around the world are currently engaged in efforts which they believe will make African cotton work better for the millions of people who grow this crop and the millions more who depend upon it. This book traces the historic relationships between cotton and poverty south of the Sahara and assesses aspects of the new social concern evident in the area. Taking an empirical international political economy approach, it deals the ways in which globalization has enabled poverty reduction and poverty maintenance on African cotton farms. Sneyd argues that while cotton farming and poverty will be connected for many years to come, there is hope that these issues are now on the agenda Cover 1 Contents 6 List of Abbreviations 8 Acknowledgements 11 1 Introduction: Cotton-Picking Problems Beyond the WTO 14 2 Historic Relationships Between Cotton and Poverty 26 3 Global Trade Governance and Cotton Dependence: Beyond Poverty Maintenance 61 4 Breaking the Historic Relationships in Tanzania 92 5 NGOs, Conventional Production and Poverty 117 6 CSR and the Cotton-Poverty Relationship 138 7 Conclusions: Global Interventions and Poverty Eradication 178 Appendix A: Sources for Cotton Statistics 196 Appendix B: Stabilization, Adjustment and Rural Livelihoods 198 Notes 203 Bibliography 229 Index 251