The Egyptian Cotton Project participates at Better Cotton Initiative Event in Milan
The United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) under the framework of “The Egyptian Cotton Project” expands its global cooperation through a strategic partnership with the better Cotton Initiative (BCI) presented during an event hosted by the Fondazione Industrie Cotone E Lino in Milan.
This comes in the framework of the project’s drive towards Sustainable Egyptian Cotton, focusing on producing premium quality cotton GMO free, and with integration of bio control techniques. The Egyptian Cotton Project aims to promote main pillars of a sustainable Egyptian Cotton value chain that integrates sustainable industrial processes, traceability and transparency, circular economy, innovation and green technologies backed by strategic global public-private partnerships and skills development for sustainability.
The session explored how public private partnerships can drive change and create momentum for extending BCI farming practices in new contexts such as Egypt. The BCI will strengthen the competitiveness of the Egyptian textile industry in the global market through a holistic approach to sustainable cotton production which covers all three pillars of sustainability: environmental, social and economic. Farmers will receive trainings and those who meet rigorous levels of sustainable production and employee welfare will be granted the BCI standard.
Funded by the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation (AICS) the Egyptian Cotton project is implemented by UNIDO in collaboration with the Ministry of Trade and Industry, the Ministry of Agriculture and Land Reclamation as well as with local and international textile private sector stakeholders. The project also leverages the ongoing “Cottonforlife” CSR initiative by Filmar Group co-funded by the Alexbank of the Intesa San Paolo Group.