Kagtaou: Declador Rimmeldeoudje hopes that between thousands of threads will cross the field and turn into a cotton crop – he knows the future of Chad’s white gold is as unpredictable as rain.
Cotton has sustained the southern region of Chad for decades. But the valuable crops are now under threat.
A large container filled with cotton stands at the entrance to Kagtaou Village, 60 km from Moundou, the main town in the south.
CotonTchad, the semi-private company it plans to buy, has yet to deliver on its promises, and farmers fear unexpected rains will wipe out their crops before they can sell them.
“We love cotton, but it’s very difficult … the weather is unstable and it’s a real disadvantage. It affects a ton,” said Rimeldeoudje, shading her eyes from the hot sun.
The 24-year-old’s earnings have dropped to a third of their last crop.
Almost all people in Kagtau make a living from cotton.
But due to climate change and the long-standing conflict between farmers and herders, more and more people become discouraged.
“Evidence of climate change – abnormal rainfall that causes droughts and floods at other times – has led to a significant reduction in production,” said Laohote Baohoutou, a climate expert at the University of N’Djamena.
It also strengthens the conflict between the ancestors, he said.
