The Director-General of the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO), QU Dongyu on 4 October, addressed the World Cotton Day 2023 event which took place in Vienna
During his address Dongyu mentioned that global efforts to make cotton production more sustainable required innovative technologies, targeted investments and better governance through a systems approach that breaks down silos. He also emphasised that the Day offered an opportunity to renew their commitment to enhancing the efficiency, inclusivity, resilience and sustainability of the cotton sector which sustains about 32 million growers and benefits more than 100 million families across 80 countries in five continents.
The theme for this year's event was: 'Making cotton fair and sustainable for all, from farm to fashion.' According to FAO, relevant stakeholders should focus on three main areas including science and innovation, investment and governance.
Given that the global demand for cotton is projected to increase at an annual rate of 1.8% over the next decade, the need for sustainability remains critical. “For this, we need to do things differently – we need to adapt and transform the business model” and “produce more with less,” Qu said.
