A meeting of the International Cotton Advisory Committee (ICAC) is being held from December 2 to 6, 2018, Côte d'Ivoire. The theme is: ‘Cotton Challenges: Smart and Sustainable Solutions.’ The event is focused on technologies being developed to assist small-scale farmers, particularly in Africa. Examples of innovative new technologies are being featured, including self-driving harvesters and artificial intelligence, as well as a live display of a flying drone.
The key message from the event is doubtless robots and artificial intelligence are eliminating jobs and putting people out of work in many of the world’s industries. In some less developed countries, however, high-tech solutions are being created to perform agricultural tasks for which human labor is either too expensive or simply not available. Cutting-edge technologies are focusing on new ways to enhance cotton cultivation throughout the growth cycle.
Formed in 1939, the ICAC is an association of cotton producing, consuming and trading countries. It acts as a catalyst for change by helping member countries maintain a healthy world cotton economy; provides transparency to the world cotton market by serving as a clearinghouse for technical information on cotton production; and serves as a forum for discussing cotton issues of international significance.
