Cameroon's cotton sector has been facing challenges since 2023, experiencing a decline in production conditions. During a presentation in Garoua on March 31, 2026, Mr. Nadama, Director of Agricultural Production (DPA) at Sodecoton, highlighted two major factors affecting the industry: climate change, which causes flooding in production areas due to heavy rains between August and September, and the proliferation of cotton jassids, a harmful insect that directly attacks the plants.
Sodecoton considers this pest a significant threat. According to the DPA, jassids nearly wiped out the cotton sector in West Africa a few years ago due to the production losses they caused. Moreover, controlling them remains costly, which limits the response capacity of less capitalized producers. Jassids, also known as two-spot cotton leafhoppers, feed on the sap of leaves, causing yellowing, reddening, and browning of the leaves, a phenomenon called "hopperburn," thus reducing the efficiency of photosynthesis and leading to yield losses.
The combined effects of these two shocks are already visible on the ground. Between 2023 and 2025, cultivated areas decreased from 234,000 hectares to 197,000 hectares. In 2024, 11,000 hectares were completely destroyed, while 17,000 hectares were partially affected by jassid attacks, according to data presented by Sodecoton.
Beyond the reduction in area, productivity has also decreased. The average yield fell from 1,600 kilograms per hectare to 1,300 kg/ha. Consequently, the sector is recording an estimated revenue loss of over 10 billion FCFA per year. This degradation also compromises the repayment of agricultural loans granted to producers at the beginning of each season.
According to Sodecoton, outstanding debts now amount to 2 billion FCFA. Due to the losses recorded on their farms, many beneficiaries of campaign loans are struggling to honor their repayments. Some, discouraged, are simply abandoning cotton cultivation.
Despite this situation, Sodecoton is maintaining an offensive strategy. By focusing in particular on better managing the risks associated with jassid attacks, the company aims to increase its seed cotton production to 440,000 tonnes by 2026, after a peak of 394,000 tonnes recorded during the 2023-2024 season.
According to the projections of this agro-industry, 89% owned by the State of Cameroon, production should then continue to increase to reach 600,000 tonnes by the 2029-2030 season. This level corresponds to the target set by the National Development Strategy 2020-2030 (SND30), currently being implemented by the government.
This increase in power, however, is based on a demanding hypothesis: containing the effects of climate and pests while stabilizing producer incomes. In practice, the growth trajectory of the sector will depend less on the ambitions displayed than on the capacity to sustainably secure production areas. Sodecoton has signed a five-year agreement with the National Observatory on Climate Change (ONACC) to strengthen the resilience of cotton production to climate change. Collaborative efforts include climate monitoring, assessing the economic costs of disruptions and raising producer awareness.
