Branding Ethiopian Cotton
The Garment and Textile sector is one of the priority sectors of the Government of the second Growth and Transformation Plan (GTP II). The GoE is diligently working to attract significant investments that will meet goals of earning a total of $1 billion USD through textile and garment export during the GTP II implementation years, 2015-2019.

In this context, cotton is without a doubt a key strategic crop. However, due to increased global awareness about impact of sustainable cotton production on climate change over the last decade, 36 major brands and retailers have agreed to use 100% from Sustainable Source only by 2025. Accordingly, the world cotton and textile industries are making substantial efforts to find production alternatives for fibre production involving less land, water, energy, and fewer chemicals while moving towards sustainability.

Ethiopia’s sustainable cotton production is growing rapidly due to customer awareness and market responsiveness of the global demand for high quality, sustainable sourced lint cotton. The growth of the garments sector in Ethiopia presents an opportunity to address the challenges of supply and input system. Leveraging international brands, there is proof of commitment to source 100% of its cotton from sustainable sources in Ethiopia. However only 14% has been managed, while lint cotton production is expected to increase by 20% by 2020. EP is working to encourage new green business models to meet eco-efficient requirements through the promotion of Identity cotton production.

With an objective of understanding the global challenges for conventional cotton production, the significance of sustainable cotton production in promoting efficiency and effectiveness in the cotton and textile sector, EP, in collaboration with ETIDI, MOI and GIZ, facilitated a Workshop Promoting Sustainable Cotton in Ethiopia. The workshop held in Hawasssa on May 3-4 2018 hosted participants from various international and local sustainable cotton promotors, the workshop will facilitated discussions on sustainable PPP (Public Private Partnership) platforms and other appropriate modalities for the effective promotion of sustainable cotton production at the national level.

In his key note address, the State Minister for the Ethiopian Ministry of Industry remarked on cotton production;

“The competitive advantage of cotton needs to be converted into key results.”