Cotontchad, the country's only aggregator and exporter of cotton, Better Cotton, the world's largest cotton sustainability initiative, and IDH, which seeks to transform markets through collaborative innovation, convening and investment, have today gathered key stakeholders from Chad's cotton industry in the country's capital, N'Djamena, to discuss the potential for the launch of a new Better Cotton Programme.

The multistakeholder event will include participants from national ministries, cotton farmer representatives, private sector actors and civil society organisations, and will promote dialogue on perspectives on the challenges and opportunities in sustainable agriculture in the cotton sector in Chad.

Cotontchad supports around 200,000 smallholder farmers across the country. Through financial aid and the allocation of resources, it has helped increase yields from 17,500 metric tons (MT) in 2019 to more than 145,000 MT in 2022.

Oliver Renson, Chief Executive Officer at Cotontchad, said: "We are committed to developing the sustainability credentials of Chadian cotton and are aligned with Better Cotton's aims. This meeting will help establish next steps required to create the right enabling environment to continue to deliver for the country's cotton farming communities."

Pramit Chanda, Global Director Textiles and Manufacturing at IDH, said: "IDH is firmly committed to supporting the sustainable development of the cotton growing region of Chad. Supporting Cotontchad alongside Better Cotton will benefit close to 200,000 farmers, strengthening international market linkages. This will contribute directly to the broader regional development objectives of the Climate Resilient Cotton Landscape which we are convening in Chad."

Alan McClay, Chief Executive Officer at Better Cotton, added: "Convenings like this are fundamental to the success of our operations. Not only do they help us forge and strengthen partnerships within the sector and beyond, they also help us learn from like-minded organisations that share our commitment to supporting cotton farming communities."