Aid by Trade Foundation – Cotton made in Africa

About us

Sustainable development is essential to ensure viability for future generations, and to protect resources that are essential for life. That is the conviction which led Dr. Michael Otto to set up the Aid by Trade Foundation (AbTF) in 2005.

The name is self-explanatory – the Foundation has set itself the goal of contributing towards improving conditions of life and protecting the environment in developing countries. It aims to achieve this mainly by activating market forces in the sales markets (Europe / USA).

The purpose of the Aid by Trade Foundation is to promote environmental protection and improve social conditions in developing countries. It also aims to improve development cooperation in developing countries by supporting the regional, sustainable cultivation of agricultural and forestry products and their processing. Africa is initially the main focus of the Foundation.

The goals of the Aid by Trade Foundation are reflected in the purpose of the Foundation. Top priority goes to combating poverty and protecting the environment. The Foundation is aimed at development cooperation through trade, with the support of the various partners from the business community, governments and NGOs. It not only supports sustainable cultivation of agricultural and forestry products, but also aims to build up the process chain locally, in order to generate as much value-added as possible in the countries of production.

The Aid by Trade Foundation seeks to achieve its goals mainly by organisational and financial support to projects and initiatives. It is empowered by its Statutes to take action in a range of different ways and through different initiatives.

Cotton made in Africa is the first, and as yet the only initiative of the Aid by Trade Foundation. It improves the conditions of life of cotton farmers and their families in Africa, and contributes to environmental protection by promoting sustainable methods of cultivation. In recent years, its main focus was on building up strategic partnerships, a Demand Alliance, and the brand “Cotton made in Africa”, and on development of the verification system.

The Aid by Trade Foundation pursues its goal of improving the conditions of life of people in Africa through the Cotton made in Africa Initiative not only by supporting the smallholder farmers. It also runs Community Projects on a sustainable basis, establishing a long-term infrastructure. In particular, it realises projects in primary and adult education. The village community can also approach the initiative to ask for support in specific ways. These projects are conducted in cooperation with companies from the Demand Alliance, organisations involved in development cooperation, and local partners, as Public Private Partnership projects (PPP projects).