BCI, Cotton Australia to train 225,000 cotton farmers in Pakistan

Together with the Australian government, Cotton Australia and the Better Cotton Initiative (BCI) plan to train 225,000 Pakistani cotton growers, starting with the 2017 cotton season, to achieve improved environmental, social and economic benefits in line with the Better Cotton Standard System.

The partnership will deliver practical tools and the latest environmental and cutting-edge management practices aligned with internationally recognised quality assurance for sustainable cotton production.

After China, India and the USA, Pakistan is the fourth largest producer of cotton and as an important export good, dedicates 15 percent of its agricultural land to it. Pakistan also holds the third largest spinning capacity in Asia (after China and India) with thousands of ginning and spinning units producing textile products from cotton. For BCI, Pakistan is thus a key strategic country in which the organisation has been active for many years.

“This collaboration will deliver tangible value to cotton farmers in Pakistan as they gain access to the vast body of deep knowledge on good agricultural practices held by Cotton Australia, as well as being able to participate in BCI training programmes to promote more sustainable farming practices. At BCI, we’re excited to be able to link up our partners across the world, with the aim of benefitting the global cotton sector,” commented BCI's COO Lena Staafgard.

The Australian government has committed 500,000 Australian dollars (around 376,000 US dollars) to this project, which will be supported through the Australian aid program’s Business Partnerships Platform. BCI's Growth and Innovation Fund will match the contribution with 2.4 million Australian dollars (around 1,8 million US dollars). The Fund, however, is financed by BCI Retailer and Brand members like Adidas, IKEA, H&M, Levi Strauss & Co, Marks & Spencer, Cotton On, Tesco, Sainsbury’s, Tommy Hilfiger and Nike.

“Australian cotton farmers are happy to share knowledge and experience to assist other cotton producers (in this case Pakistani) improve their sustainability, as this gives brands and retailers the confidence to use cotton in their products. More and more global brands and retailers only want to source cotton that has been responsibly produced,” confirmed Cotton Australia's CEO Adam Kay.

Photo: Cotton Australia