Aid by Trade Foundation Joins International Alliance for Sustainable Cotton Production in Chad

05.09.2024

Hamburg, 2024-09-05. The Aid by Trade Foundation (AbTF) has joined the newly formed Koskilna Compact alliance. This international multi-stakeholder coalition of non governmental organisations, companies, and state actors aims to promote the economic and social development of cotton-growing regions in Chad and to support farmers in building up resilient livelihoods. The project is scheduled to run for five years.

“We are delighted to support Koskilna Compact with our many years of experience in the field of sustainable cotton production,” says Tina Stridde, the managing director of the Aid by Trade Foundation. Explaining that the support goes both ways, she adds, “Koskilna Compact and its member organisations play a significant and valuable role in reinforcing the efforts of our Cotton made in Africa initiative, which has been working in Chad since 2020.”
Through concerted cooperation and coordinated activities, Koskilna Compact intends to provide significant support for sustainable socio-economic development in Chad. This includes efforts to preserve the environment, protect the soil, promote sustainable agriculture, and foster the social and economic integration of people growing cotton in Chad. Placing particular emphasis on the topic of climate resiliencein agriculture, the project intends to further develop agricultural systems while ensuring that land, water, and other natural resources are used responsibly.
In addition to the Aid by Trade Foundation, Koskilna Compact includes Stichting IDH (IDH), the Embassy Office of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Chad, Solidaridad West Africa, the African Cotton Foundation (ACF), the National Union of the Cotton Producers of Chad (UNPCT), Cotontchad Société Nouvelle (CTSN), and the Centre for Research, Innovation and Technological Production (CRIPT).

About Cotton made in Africa
Cotton made in Africa® (CmiA) was founded in 2005 under the umbrella of the Hamburg-based Aid by Trade Foundation (AbTF). CmiA is an internationally recognised standard for sustainably produced cotton from Africa, connecting African small-scale farmers with trading companies and fashion brands throughout the global textile value chain. The initiative’s objective is to employ trade, rather than donations, to protect the environment and to improve the living conditions of small-scale farmers and their families. Apart from the farming families, people working in ginneries also benefit from improved working conditions. Additional projects addressing schooling, health, environmental protection, and women’s empowerment contribute to better living conditions in farming communities as well. Learn more at: cottonmadeinafrica.org/en.

About the Aid by Trade Foundation:
Founded in 2005, the Aid by Trade Foundation (AbTF) is an internationally renowned non-profit organisation that works throughout the world to promote sustainable raw materials. Its activities make a decisive and measurable contribution to improving the living conditions of people and animals while protecting the environment. AbTF takes a practical approach by creating and maintaining a variety of standards to verify raw materials: Cotton made in Africa (CmiA), Cotton made in Africa Organic (CmiA Organic), Regenerative Cotton Standard (RCS), and The Good Cashmere Standard (GCS). A global alliance of textile companies and brands purchases the verified raw materials, paying a licensing fee to AbTF’s marketing company, ATAKORA Fördergesellschaft GmbH. The payment of this fee entitles partners to sell their goods under the standards’ labels. As the challenges facing textile companies and small-scale farmers grow, the standards have a major role to play in ensuring their resilience and future viability. AbTF collaborates closely with industry experts and with specialists in animal and nature protection. Learn more at: www.aidbytrade.org

Press Contact
Holger Diedrich Email: holger.diedrich@abt-foundation.org | www.aidbytrade.org

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