Cotton made in Africa cooperates with the African Cotton Foundation

Hamburg/London, 2021-04-20. The Cotton made in Africa (CmiA) initiative will join forces with the African Cotton Foundation (ACF) to promote socially and ecologically sustainable cotton cultivation. The co-operation of these two non-profit organisations is planned to encompass support for training and for other implementation measures conducted by cotton companies in Cotton made in Africa’s project countries. These measures will be co-ordinated by the African Cotton Foundation and implemented by the cotton companies, which cultivate cotton in accordance with Cotton made in Africa’s standards and are subject to independent annual audits. They can now apply to the Aid by Trade Foundation — the parent organisation of CmiA — for co-financing for the implementation of specific activities, especially regarding innovative measures to protect the soil or to promote integrated farming. As the primary standard for sustainable cotton in Africa, Cotton made in Africa supports more than one million small-scale farmers in ten countries. “Sharing agricultural knowledge with small-scale farmers through workshops and training is a key priority for Cotton made in Africa,” explains Tina Stridde, managing director of the Aid by Trade Foundation. “In the African Cotton Foundation, we were able to win a partner who has become firmly established in the African cotton sector by uniting and pooling the forces of many actors who are especially committed to sustainability. We are happy to be able to count on this partner’s competence and support with the implementation of our goals, allowing us to continue successfully improving the living conditions of hundreds of thousands of small-scale farmers and making cotton cultivation in Africa more socially and environmentally sustainable.” Belinda Edmonds, the managing director of the African Cotton Foundation, adds, “The goals of both organisations are perfectly complementary. ACF is working to develop a prosperous, modern, and sustainable cotton sector in Africa. Together, we want to ensure that cotton growing is profitable, the environment is protected, the communities grow stronger, and human rights are respected.”

About the Aid by Trade Foundation & Cotton made in Africa (CmiA) The Cotton made in Africa initiative was founded by Dr Michael Otto in 2005. Established by the Hamburg-based Aid by Trade Foundation (AbTF), Cotton made in Africa 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 offer help for self-help in order to improve the living conditions of around one million cotton farmers and their families in Sub-Saharan Africa while protecting the environment. The small-scale farmers benefit from training and better working conditions, and additional social projects enable their children to attend school. Female small-scale farmers are supported in pursuing professional and social independence. Learn more at: cottonmadeinafrica.org

Press Contact for Cotton made in Africa Isabelle Thoele Tel.: +49 40 2576 75522 Email: isabelle.thoele@abt-foundation.org www.cottonmadeinafrica.org

About the African Cotton Foundation (ACF) Founded in 2018, the African Cotton Foundation (ACF) is a members’ organisation that comprises representatives of cotton companies and cotton traders. Its goal is to sustainably support African farmers in improving their livelihoods. To this end, ACF employs its members’ infrastructure to implement services and development projects that significantly improve the income, food security, and resilience of small-scale farming households in a co-ordinated, sustainable, and scalable way. Learn more at: africacotton.org