The initiative “Development of the Long and Extra-Long Staple Cotton Value Chain” in Egypt was implemented by the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) with funding from the Italian Cooperation, with the objective of promoting a more competitive, inclusive, and sustainable cotton value chain.
The intervention was carried out within the framework of policies promoted by the Egyptian Government to revitalize the national textile sector and built upon the five-year experience of the CottonforLife initiative, promoted by the Italian company Filmar S.p.A. Drawing on the good practices developed through that experience, the programme introduced an integrated value chain development model aimed at strengthening the economic performance, social inclusiveness, and environmental sustainability of cotton cultivation and industrial processing, with particular emphasis on long and extra-long staple cotton varieties.
The impact evaluation report of the initiative has now been published. The evaluation was commissioned by the Directorate General for Development Cooperation of the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation (MAECI) as part of its commitment to strengthening strategic agricultural value chains, creating employment opportunities, and supporting the most vulnerable segments of the population.
The evaluation highlights significant achievements, including improvements in the quality and traceability of Egyptian cotton, enhanced capacities among producers and local cooperatives, and the wider adoption of more sustainable and efficient agricultural practices. It also identified a positive impact on the income of participating farmers and on the competitiveness of the value chain in both domestic and international markets. Several years after the completion of project activities, the report notes that the results achieved have been largely sustained, confirming the long-term sustainability of the intervention.
The report also provides a number of recommendations to enhance the effectiveness of future initiatives, with particular attention to strengthening market-oriented value chains, improving coordination among stakeholders, and promoting the dissemination of technical and organizational innovations in the agricultural sector. These recommendations are especially relevant in light of the ongoing second phase of the initiative, which aims to consolidate and expand the results achieved.