IFC launches project to produce environmentally sustainable cotton in Uzbekistan

The International Finance Corporation (IFC) launched a project to produce socially responsible and environmentally sustainable cotton in Uzbekistan.

The project is aimed at increasing efficiency of cotton production in Uzbekistan by developing and implementing best practices in growing cotton and introducing a system of standards for sustainable cotton production, which meet the requirements of international standards in order to minimize the risk of using forced labor in the cotton sector.

According to IFC, the project will be implemented during 2017-2022. During 2017-2018, the IFC will implement a pilot program aimed at developing and testing a system of standards for sustainable cotton production based on Better Cotton’s global standards in two areas.

After successful testing of the system, it will be scaled with 3 thousand farmers and agribusinesses, cotton producers in these areas.

The project will be implemented by IFC in partnership with the Ministry of Agriculture and Water Resources, Uzpahtasanoatexport, Uzbekyengilsanoat, the Ministry of Employment and Labor Relations and the Federation of Trade Unions of Uzbekistan.

During the period 2019-2022, the project will focus on expanding the scope of the best cotton cultivation practices and the system of standards for sustainable cotton production in the rest of the country, and on achieving the full institutionalization of the system of standards at the national level.

IFC will work with national partners to develop the expertise, systems and infrastructure necessary to ensure the operation and development of the system in the country on a sustainable basis after the completion of the Project.

During the project implementation, IFC will also cooperate with the International Labor Organization and other international organizations active in the cotton sector of Uzbekistan.

The project is being implemented by IFC with the financial support of the Hungarian EXIM Bank.

Source: uzdaily.uz