India, Mali jointly host World Cotton Day event at UN headquarters in New York. Why is it important?

The United Nations General Assembly proclaimed October 7 as World Cotton Day through Resolution 75/318. The annual observance highlights cotton’s contribution to economic development, international trade and poverty alleviation, particularly in developing and least developed countries.

The event brought together Indian Members of Parliament, representatives of UN member states and international organisations to discuss cotton’s role in supporting livelihoods, promoting value addition and advancing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

In his welcome remarks, Ambassador Harish Parvathaneni, India’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, recalled Mahatma Gandhi’s association of cotton and the spinning wheel with self-reliance, dignity and India’s freedom struggle.

He outlined four key priorities for the sector: supporting producers’ livelihoods, expanding value addition and market access, promoting sustainability, and strengthening technology and partnerships.

Parvathaneni emphasised the need for affordable inputs and financing, support for smaller enterprises, and greater South-South and triangular cooperation to help cotton-producing countries retain more value from their products and advance the SDGs.

Ambassador Issa Konfourou, Mali’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, highlighted cotton’s importance to his country’s economy and rural livelihoods.

He drew attention to challenges such as limited processing capacity, high input costs, restricted market access and trade-distorting support. Outlining Mali’s efforts to expand domestic processing and generate employment, Konfourou welcomed mutually beneficial partnerships, including South-South cooperation, and acknowledged India as an important partner.

Asit Kumar Mal, Member of Parliament, highlighted the role of Kantha embroidery in Bolpur, West Bengal, in demonstrating how traditional craftsmanship can add value to cotton, support women’s livelihoods and promote reuse and resource efficiency.

He stressed the importance of fair remuneration, affordable credit, design assistance and improved market access for artisans.

L. K. Sudhish, Member of Parliament, highlighted Tamil Nadu’s experience in cotton knitwear and garment manufacturing, particularly the contributions of smaller enterprises, shared infrastructure and skilled workers. He also referred to the integrated textile park being developed under the PM MITRA initiative, as well as wastewater recovery and reuse in textile processing.

Padmini Singla, Joint Secretary in the Ministry of Textiles, Government of India, highlighted India’s position as a major cotton producer and consumer, emphasising the sector’s importance to small and marginal farmers.

She outlined initiatives such as the Mission for Cotton Productivity and the Kasturi Cotton Bharat initiative, which aim to improve productivity, quality and traceability. She also highlighted investments in textile infrastructure, support for artisans and small enterprises, and the importance of open, predictable trade and market access in building sustainable cotton value chains.

The event was also attended by the Permanent Representatives of Côte d’Ivoire, Uzbekistan, Chad, the Netherlands, Burkina Faso and Egypt, along with the Deputy Permanent Representatives of Cameroon and Peru.

Ms Angélica Jácome, Director of the Food and Agriculture Organization’s Liaison Office with the United Nations in New York, and Dr Keshav R. Kranthi, Chief Scientist at the International Cotton Advisory Committee, also addressed the gathering.

The discussions focused on strengthening cotton value chains, supporting smallholder farmers and artisans, expanding processing capacity and market access, promoting the use of technology and scientific advances, and deepening international partnerships to make the cotton sector more sustainable and inclusive.