By Mr Ibrahim Traoré, Regional Coordinator for West Central Africa, CropLife Africa Middle East ,And Mr Tété Awokou, President, Regional Programme for Integrated Cotton Production in Africa (PR-PICA)
In parts of West Africa, cotton farmers have started to notice something worrying; products that used to work well against pests are becoming less reliable. It doesn’t happen overnight, and it doesn’t look the same every‐ where, but the trend is there. Resistance is building. What is encouraging, though, is how the region is responding.
Over the past year, CropLife Africa Middle East (CL AME) and the Regional Program for Integrated Cotton Production in Africa (PR-PICA) have been working together with cotton stakeholders across several countries to tackle this issue head-on. Their focus has been simple and practical: help farmers make better decisions by improving the information they see and use every day. One of the most tangible outcomes of this collaboration is the push around Mode of Action (MoA) labelling.
MoA labelling is a science-based idea which is relatively easy to understand. Every pesticide works in a specific way to control pests. When products that work in the same way are used repeatedly, pests can adapt and become resistant. MoA labelling makes this “way of working” visible on the product label, helping advisors and farmers rotate between different modes of action rather than repeatedly using products that act in the same way. This simple information supports smarter decisions and helps slow the development of resistance.
In many West African countries, this kind of labelling is not yet standard practice. That’s what makes this initiative stand out. Rather than waiting for regulation to catch up, stakeholders are moving forward – testing, discussing, and agreeing on how MoA information can be introduced and used in practice.
The starting point was a study carried out across several PR-PICA countries involving more than 1,500 farmers found that, while farmers are actively monitoring their fields, important gaps remain in resistance management. In particular, many farmers rotate product brand names without realizing that the active substances may work in the same way. As a result, resistance pressure continues to build. In some areas, farmers are already reporting concerns that certain products are becoming less effective – an early warning sign of resistance development.
This is exactly where clearer labelling – and the training that goes with it – can make a difference.
As the CEO of CropLife Africa Middle East – Ms Simiyu – explained: “If we want resistance management to work, the information must be usable in the field. Mode of Action labelling helps translate something quite technical into something farmers and advisors can act on.”
For PR-PICA, President Mr Tete, the value of working across countries has been just as important: “We are dealing with the same pests, the same crops, and often the same challenges across the region. By aligning our approach, we can move faster and give more consistent guidance to farmers.”
What is taking shape in West Africa is a set of practical steps: agreeing on how to communicate about resistance, introducing clearer labelling, and building capacity across the value chain, from regulators and companies to extension agents and farmers.
However, there are still obstacles. Illegal and counterfeit pesticides remain a serious concern, especially because they often come with poor or misleading labels, making resistance management almost impossible. Training also needs to be scaled up to reach more farmers and advisors.
What needs to happen next:
For this approach to take hold and spread, a few priorities stand out for decision-makers:
- Make MoA labelling part of national requirements, so farmers receive consistent information across all products.
- Invest in training, especially through extension services, to turn information into practice.
- Step up efforts to control counterfeit and illegal pesticides
- Continue promoting integrated pest management
- Support coordination across countries, to keep approaches aligned.
What is happening in West Africa is a good example of how progress can start: with practical changes and strong partnerships that are essential to scaling these efforts and ensuring long-term success.
