Aid by Trade Foundation Receives Honorary Award of the German Africa Foundation 2025

With this award, the German Africa Foundation recognises the Aid by Trade Foundation's long-standing commitment to sustainable economic development through trade. With the Cotton made in Africa (CmiA) initiative, the Aid by Trade Foundation, which was established in 2005, pursues the objective of creating decent employment through fair trade, increasing agricultural production and protecting the environment in the process. CmiA is now the world’s leading standard for sustainable cotton production from Africa.

“The Foundation's work is a successful model for public-private cooperation and it has succeeded in establishing a profitable and effective public-private partnership,” Dr Kofler emphasised at the award ceremony. About one million smallholder farmers and their families in ten African countries are now benefiting from Cotton made in Africa. The initiative, which received support from the BMZ from the outset, likewise stands for successful collaboration between the worlds of business and development cooperation—a goal that is to be further strengthened in the current legislative period.

“Together with more than 60 international trade partners, CmiA is setting an important example for ecological and social sustainability in the textile industry,” said the founder of AbTF, Prof. Dr Michael Otto. CmiA now accounts for around 30% of African cotton production and is known for its low CO?footprint, the complete absence of irrigation, and GMO-free seeds.

In addition to economic and environmental aspects, the initiative is particularly committed to social sustainability in the project regions - for example through training courses for small-scale farmers, projects in the area of education and health and the promotion of women in rural regions. The overall aim is to sustainably strengthen local structures - always in cooperation with local partners.