The roadmap is aimed at developing sustainable cotton production in Uzbekistan, one of the world’s largest cotton producers. Uzbekistan is unique in its cotton clusters—highly integrated enterprises that manage all stages of cotton production, from growing to harvesting and processing.
This agreement will also support the benefits of a better cotton system in the long term.
The roadmap was signed on 13 November, when Better Cotton held its annual conference in Tashkent, under the theme “Building Strategic Partnerships to Ensure Sustainable Cotton Production”. The event brought together a multi-stakeholder network to discuss the future of sustainable cotton in Uzbekistan.
Through a network of partners and resources, the roadmap will expand farmer registration, improve field-level support, and increase investment opportunities through government grants and subsidies.
The guide outlined three main goals:
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Develop a strategic partnership model, defining roles and responsibilities for management, finance, and operations.
Country Manager of the Cotton Uzbekistan Program Katerina Gorbunova said: “This roadmap shows that there is still a lot more to come for Better Cotton in Uzbekistan. Together with our partners, we can strengthen the foundations of the Uzbekistan program and develop new solutions to ensure long-term success. “
The main focus will be on training the Ministry of Agriculture and Uztekstilprom to be better Cotton Program partners. This will equip them with the knowledge and tools to lead discussions with local cotton farming communities.
In addition, Better Cotton will work with its partners to strengthen verification activities, reduce research fatigue, improve the flow of test data, and involve actors in the supply chain to highlight the benefits of Better Cotton processing.
Together, the organizations will raise awareness of Uzbek cotton both domestically and internationally, while setting long-term sustainability goals for the Better Cotton Program.
Better Cotton is launching its program in Uzbekistan in December 2022 after the International Labor Organization certified that the country has successfully eliminated organized child labor and forced labor in its cotton sector.
Program partners work directly with farming communities to ensure that their cotton production meets the best cotton standards. Physical Better Cotton means cotton that has been traced throughout the supply chain.
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