Offer summary

Qualifications:

Experience in agricultural training and capacity building, particularly in cotton or textile sectors., Strong understanding of sustainable farming practices and agroecological principles., Ability to develop educational materials and training programs for diverse audiences., Familiarity with the socio-economic context of Uzbekistan's cotton industry..

Key responsibilities:

Develop training and guidance materials for cotton cluster managers and local staff.

Conduct training sessions focused on soil health, crop rotation, and water efficiency.

Collaborate with local stakeholders to ensure materials meet the needs of the community.

Monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of training programs and materials.

Job description

Terms of Reference: Development of training and guidance materials for capacity strengthening of cotton-textile clusters in Uzbekistan

Applications Deadline: 6th June 2025

Location: Tashkent, Uzbekistan

Start Date: 20th June 2025

End Date: 31st July 2025

Description

Better Cotton is the world’s largest cotton sustainability programme. Our mission: to help cotton communities survive and thrive, while protecting and restoring the environment. In difficult times, we are meeting the challenge head on. Through our network of field-level partners we have provided training on more sustainable farming practices to more than 2.9 million cotton farmers in 26 countries. More than a fifth of the world’s cotton is now grown under the Better Cotton Standard and our membership network includes more than 2,400 members.

A critical component of the Better Cotton Standard System is the Better Cotton Principles and Criteria (P&C), which lay out the global definition of Better Cotton through six guiding principles and 2 cross-cutting priorities. By following these principles, Better Cotton Farmers produce cotton in a way that is better for themselves, their communities and the environment.

The 6 principles are: Management, Natural Resources, Crop Protection, Fibre Quality, Decent Work and Sustainable Livelihoods. The 2 cross-cutting priorities are: Gender Equality and Climate Change. Better Cotton’s assurance programme verifies that producers have met the P&C Indicators of the Better Cotton Principles and Criteria before they are licensed to sell Better Cotton. Further, once licensed, producers are supported to continue to make progress against their continuous improvement priorities and receive adequate capacity strengthening support

More information about Better Cotton can be found on our website: www.bettercotton.org

Background

Uzbekistan is one of the world's largest cotton producers, with a vital cotton sector that plays a key role in the country’s economy. In recent years, the Uzbek Government has made significant efforts to transform the cotton industry, addressing long-standing issues such as forced and child labour, while focusing on improving agricultural practices and increasing productivity. These reforms have been supported by key international organizations, including the International Labour Organization (ILO) and Better Cotton, alongside local stakeholders, all of whom are working to ensure that cotton production in Uzbekistan is more sustainable, ethical, and productive

The ultimate goal is to improve cotton production in a way that is economically viable, socially responsible, and environmentally sustainable. While Uzbekistan has made significant strides in improving labour conditions and introducing sustainable practices, the need to continue these advances remains central to ensuring the long-term sustainability of the sector. Better Cotton’s focus is on supporting cotton clusters in Uzbekistan to implement innovative farming practices that drive sustainability improvements, ensuring that cotton farmers and workers benefit from these advancements in a way that supports both local livelihoods and the environment.

We invite qualified specialists and organizations to participate in the development of training and guidance materials for cotton cluster managers and their local staff

Scope of Work

We are seeking proposals from qualified individuals or organisations interested in delivering training and guidance materials under the following thematic areas;

Soil Health Improvement to Reduce Input Dependency
Crop Rotation and Diversification in Cotton Farming
Agroecological Practices for Cotton Farming
Water Efficiency in Cotton Farming
Nutrient Management in Regenerative Cotton Farming

We thank all applicants for their interest; however only shortlisted applicants will be contacted.

Better Cotton is committed to good practice and transparency in the management of natural, human and financial resources. All applications will be reviewed under the principles and subject to Better Cotton’s policies on equal opportunity, non-discrimination, anti-bribery & corruption and conflict of interest.

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