Formalised at a Better Cotton event in Tashkent, which welcomed representatives from government, civil society, and fashion supply chains, the roadmap has three core objectives: 

+ Align a strategic partnership model and define management, finance and implementation responsibilities

+ Ensure effective cooperation with programme partners and stakeholders to promote sustainable cotton farming practices

+ Develop and implement a joint set of measures to eliminate barriers to scale

The agreement is with Uzbekistan’s Ministry of Agriculture and the Textile and Garment Industry Association (Uztekstilprom).

"This roadmap signals that there is much more to come from Better Cotton in Uzbekistan. Together with our partners, we can strengthen the foundations of the Uzbekistan programme and develop new solutions to ensure long-term success", said Katerina Gorbunova, Country Manager of the Better Cotton Uzbekistan Programme.

The roadmap will drive immense improvements to the Better Cotton Uzbekistan Programme by leveraging the network and resources of partners to streamline farmer enrolment, strengthen and expand field-level support, and increase investment opportunities through grants and government subsidies. 

A priority will be to train the Ministry of Agriculture and Uztekstilprom to equip them with the knowledge and resources required to become Better Cotton Programme Partners and lead engagements with cotton farming communities. 

Better Cotton will also work with its collaborators to strengthen assurance activities, reduce audit fatigue, improve the flow of assessment data, and engage supply chain actors to demonstrate the benefits of processing Physical Better Cotton. 

Together, the organisations will help raise awareness of Uzbek cotton both nationally and internationally, and establish long-term sustainability goals for the Better Cotton Programme.