Sustainable Cotton Supply Chain Development in Uzbekistan

completed

The Project goal is to improve cotton farming practices in the Republic of Uzbekistan by developing and introducing a sustainable cotton standard system with market-led and demand-driven incentives to help in reducing the risk of forced labor in cotton production. During 2017-2018, IFC will implement a pilot program aimed at designing, testing and implementing the system based on global standards for Better Cotton in two regions. During the pilot stage IFC will implement the system at pilot farms in two oblasts and then will test a scaling-up model with 3,000 farmers in these oblasts. IFC will partner with the Joint Stock Holding Company Uzpahtasanoatexport in order to integrate the better cotton standard system into the national cotton production system. Furthermore, IFC will build up the capacity at Uzpahtasanoatexport on maintaining the system in a sustainable manner. During 2019-2022, IFC will focus on scaling up the sustainable cotton standard in the rest of the country and on achieving the full institutionalization of the system by Uzpahtasanoatexport. To roll out the project, IFC will also partner with the Ministry of Agriculture, the Association of Farmers, the Federation of Trade Unions, and the International Labor Organization, and IFCs investee client, Indorama Kokand Textile. The project will be implemented with financial support provided by the Hungarian EXIM Bank, IFCs long-term donor partner.