April 01, 2008	Tuesday	Rabi-ul-Awwal 23, 1429

LAHORE, March 31: The All Pakistan Textile Mills Association and World Wide Fund Pakistan have signed a memorandum of understanding for better management practices in cotton crop growing.

Aptma Punjab Zone Chairman Akbar Sheikh and WWF Pakistan Director General Ali Habib said that the MoU had been signed to prepare for sustainable cotton production to meet growing buying requests from international textile chains like IKEA, Gap, Adidas, Nike, etc., through Better Cotton Initiative.

Cotton produced under better management practices would fetch premium prices and as a consequence farmers would gain in terms of lesser inputs like water, pesticides and benefit environment by producing cleaner cotton.

WWF Pakistan had already been providing assistance for better management practices to small farmers in some cotton-growing districts by establishing farmer field schools. The main objective was to link field level activities with existing market by strengthening supply chain.

It will demonstrate and implement best management practices (BMPs) in Bahawalpur district through participatory activities besides disseminating BMPs knowledge among more than 20,000 farmers.