Egyptian Cotton is Being Restored to its Former Glory Thanks to This Initiative
It was just announced that the Better Cotton Initiative (BCI), executed by the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) in partnership with the Egyptian Cotton Research Institute, Modern Nile Cotton, and Almatex, will come into effect in 2020/2021.
The initiative is aiming to support Egyptian cotton branding as part of a renewed drive to increase product sustainability, improve working conditions along the supply chain, and support cotton growers and relevant institutions. The project will consist of capacity-building efforts, and environment-friendly practices.
The Ministry of Agriculture and Land Reclamation declared Monday that the initiative will be introduced in Damietta and Kafr Al Sheikh governorates. The BCI is sponsored by a number of international brands, paving the way for Egyptian exports of cotton as those brands require the production of cotton in line with the values of the BCI.
According to Hisham Mosaad, Chair of the Egyptian Cotton Research Institute, the BCI is an international initiative based in Geneva and London, and has 21 participant states, including China, United States, Turkey, Pakistan, and Mozambique. Around two million farmers are part of the initiative, producing 5.1 million tons of cotton composing 19 percent of the world’s production.
