WORLD COTTON DAY 2022: BACKGROUND, SIGNIFICANCE AND THEME

Cotton, primarily cotton fibre and cottonseed, is one of the plant products that is used most widely around the world. It is a multipurpose plant used mostly in the textile industry, also has applications in the food industry, medicine, animal feed, bookbinding, and other areas. India is the world's top producer of cotton. The day of October 7 is designated as Cotton Day worldwide. The third iteration of the international celebration will take place in 2022.

BACKGROUND

The Cotton Four, a group of four sub-Saharan African cotton growers Benin, Burkina Faso, Chad, and Mali, proposed the first World Cotton Day to the World Trade Organization on October 7, 2019. (WTO). On October 7, 2019, the WTO welcomed the Cotton-4 nations' effort to host World Cotton Day. The event was coordinated by the WTO Secretariat in collaboration with the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development, the International Cotton Advisory Committee, and the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) (UNCTAD).

SIGNIFICANCE

Over the previous two years, World Cotton Day has provided a chance to discuss issues related to cotton and even to draw attention to specific initiatives. This World Cotton Day presents a fantastic opportunity to spread awareness about cotton and cotton-related products as well as the necessity for developing countries to have greater access to global markets in order to sell their cotton-related goods. This is because the United Nations has formally recognised this World Cotton Day.

It encourages moral business conduct and enables poor countries to gain from every stage of the cotton value chain.

Every year, activities that educate and assist cotton growers, processors, researchers, and all other stakeholders about the production and sale of cotton are held in honour of World Cotton Day.

THEME

The theme for World Cotton Day 2022 is "Weaving a better future for cotton," according to the posters released by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). In order to improve the lives of cotton labourers, smallholders, and their families, the theme is focused on sustainable cotton growing.

The FAO's official website states that the meeting will take place on October 7 from 12:30 to 5:00 p.m. CEST.