The Ministry of Textiles and Deutsche Gesellschaft fur InternationaleZusammenarbeit (GIZ) signed an agreement on Thursday to implement a project on sustainability and value addition in the cotton economy.
An official press release said the project aims to increase the volume of cotton production on 90,000 hectares, involving 1.5 lakh farmers in four States -- Maharashtra, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, and Tamil Nadu. The aim is to improve yield by 10%.
As part of the Indo-German Development Cooperation Framework, the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) has collaborated with the Ministry of Textiles (MoT), supported by the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare (MoAFW).
Darshna Vikram Jardosh, Minister of State for Textiles, said India is the largest producer of cotton, and the second-largest consumer of cotton (nearly 303 lakh bales a year). The GIZ project will enhance employment and women empowerment and promote sustainable cotton growing practices.
U.P. Singh, Secretary, Ministry of Textiles, said the project will follow a “shelf to field” approach and work to create a pull factor for improved market access for farmers for cotton grown through sustainable methods.
The Textile Ministry will constitute a steering committee to review and guide the project which will be implemented through nodal officers in the four States. The Ministry will take part in international textile conferences organised by GIZ and promote the sustainable cotton grown in India among consumers.
