Better Cotton Initiative and Uzbek Agency Launch Fund to Cover Cotton Certification Costs

Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) — The international organization Better Cotton Initiative (BCI) has signed a strategic agreement with Uzbekistan’s newly established Light Industry Agency to provide financial support to cotton clusters implementing sustainable farming practices.

Under the agreement, the agency will manage a new fund designed to reimburse farms and supply chains for certification costs under BCI standards. The initiative aims to encourage compliance with sustainable production requirements and expand participation among Uzbek cotton producers.

Katerina Gorbunova, BCI Program Director in Uzbekistan, described the fund as a key step in accelerating sustainable practices in the cotton sector. “Certification costs can be a barrier not only for Uzbek producers but also for farms worldwide, so government and BCI financial support is critically important,” she said.

The agreement updates a roadmap signed last year between BCI, the Ministry of Agriculture, and the Uztekstilprom Association of Textile and Garment Industry, translating plans into practical action through program funding, institutional roles, and state-level incentives.

Nozim Kholmuradov, Director of Uzbekistan’s Light Industry Agency, emphasized that cooperation with BCI is intended to increase incomes for cotton producers and raise the number of companies able to compete successfully in the global textile market.

The announcement was made at BCI’s annual multi-sector meeting in Tashkent, which brought together cotton producers, government authorities, civil society, international organizations, and brands to discuss industry challenges and opportunities, including social accountability and the adoption of regenerative practices.

Participants included government ministers, BCI staff, representatives of the National Commission for Combating Human Trafficking, Decent Work, the International Labour Organization, Cotton Campaign, FAO, and Uztekstilprom.