A seminar on instrumental quality testing of cotton was held by ICA Bremen from November 1 to 5, 2021. The participants were six employees of the Association Interprofessionelle du Coton (AIC) in Benin, one of the major cotton producing countries in West Africa. The participants were skilled at varying levels of prior knowledge in agricultural science, engineering, and entomology.

In general, Benin is classing cotton according to own standards. Manual classing is common. To be able to work with HVI data on an international level, the establishment of a test laboratory infrastructure is intended. The team of participants is supposed to advance the matter in different functions and to ensure laboratory operations.

The seminar included the subjects cotton properties and testing equipment, the handling of test values, influences on test results, quality management, verification of test results and testing practice. “The participants’ interest focused most notably on the required quality control during the test laboratory’s establishment”, said Axel Drieling, Senior Manager Cotton at the Faserinstitut Bremen e. V. (FIBRE).

To enable ICA Bremen to support these endeavours in Benin even further, several discussions were held with Jean-Claude Talon, Director Sales and Logistics at Sodeco S.A., who had accompanied the participants to Bremen.