The United Nations (UN)’s World Cotton Day (WCD) is annually observed across the globe on 7th October to highlight the role of cotton in creating jobs and maintaining economic stability in cotton-producing countries, particularly in least-developed countries (LDCs).
- 7th October 2023 marks the observance of the 5th World Cotton Day.
- The day highlights the critical role of cotton in economic development, international trade, and poverty alleviation.
Theme:
The theme of World Cotton Day 2023 is “Making cotton fair and sustainable for all, from farm to fashion”.
Background:
The World Trade Organization (WTO) hosted the first World Cotton Day on 7 October 2019 in response to an initiative of Benin, Burkina Faso, Chad and Mali, collectively known as the Cotton Four or C4 countries
- The launch event was organised by WTO along with the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), the International Cotton Advisory Committee (ICAC), and the International Trade Centre (ITC) in Geneva, Switzerland.
ii.The United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) adopted the resolution A/RES/75/318 on 30th August 2021 and declared 7th October of every year as World Cotton Day.
Event of celebration:
i.The WCD 2023 celebration took place on 4th October 2023 at the Vienna International Centre in Austria.
ii.It is jointly hosted by Secretariats of the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) and FAO.
About Cotton:
i.Cotton is a global commodity grown in over 75 countries across five continents and traded worldwide.
ii.Cotton is a major cash crop in many developing countries, providing jobs and improving living conditions for millions of people.
iii.Cotton is a biodegradable material, unlike synthetic materials, which reduces plastic pollution and contributes to a cleaner environment.
iv.Cotton is the only agricultural commodity that provides both fiber for textiles and food.
v.Cotton plants can thrive in arid regions where other crops struggle, making them a vital crop choice for areas facing water scarcity.
Leading producer of cotton:
i.In world: Leading cotton-producing countries in the world are China, India, United States of America(USA) and Brazil.
ii.In India: Gujarat, Maharashtra and Telangana are the major cotton producing states which produce about 65% of cotton production in India.
Recent Related News:
World Coconut Day is annually celebrated across the globe on 2nd September to promote the importance of coconuts and their contributions to various aspects of life, including the economy, agriculture, and health.
About World Trade Organization (WTO):
Director-General – Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala
Headquarters – Geneva, Switzerland
Eastablished in – 1995
