Cotton made in Africa® (CmiA) and CmiA Organic are two internationally recognized standards that aim to promote sustainable development in the African cotton sector south of the Sahara. To ensure the credibility of the standards among brands, retailers, and consumers, independent verifiers evaluate compliance on the ground. The verification results for 2025, now published in the Aggregated Verification & Implementation Report, were very strong: The verifiers awarded consistently very good remarks regarding management, people, prosperity, and the environment.
In 2025, 24 verification missions took place at 20 cotton companies in ten production countries in Africa South of the Sahara. Of these verifications, twelve were at the field level and twelve at the ginnery level, where the harvested cotton is prepared for further processing. The verifications focused on the four main pillars of the CmiA standards’ sustainability aspects: management, people, planet, and prosperity.
Verifications Completed with Top Marks
Compliance with minimum requirements and progress of sustainability performance are regularly checked through independent, on-site verifications. The 2025 Aggregated Verification & Implementation Report summarises these results regarding the twelve principles and 288 indicators for all partners. It clearly shows that the implementation of these criteria by partnering companies, both in the field and in their businesses, earned a “very good” rating across all pillars. The best results were achieved in the prosperity pillar, with the management pillar close behind. This was followed by the remaining pillars: people and planet.
“These results bear out our principle of consistently assisting partners in implementing the standards’ requirements through diverse approaches. Only close cooperation—as equals and on site—makes these results possible,” says Ruth Achterwinter, the CmiA verification manager at the Aid by Trade Foundation, adding, “The verifications are carried out on an ongoing basis by independent and qualified organizations. We make targeted use of the results to support our partners as needed.”
Success Factors: Training and Projects for Cotton Smallholders, Events Conducted with Partners
In 2025, training once again offered valuable support to the approximately 715,000 CmiA farmers (almost 43,000 of whom are producers of CmiA Organic cotton) in implementing the standard’s requirements. The training covers a broad range of topics, from best practices in climate-resilient cotton production to empowering women to methods for soil improvement.
In addition, the report demonstrates that achieving trustworthy and comprehensive cooperation between AbTF and its partners is based on projects and regular events, including the Innovations Club, regional workshops, and collaboration with international cotton representatives and stakeholders.
