Once plagued by the dark cloud of forced labor and environmental degradation, Uzbekistan's cotton harvest has emerged from its "curse" with the end of what was once dubbed "cotton slavery," Italian Corrire stated in a recently published article.
For decades, the monoculture of cotton not only wreaked havoc on the nation's environment, with pesticides and fertilizers polluting soils and the consequent desertification of the Aral Sea, but it also enslaved its people. Pollutants from the Aralkum desert, birthed from the mismanagement of cotton fields, have spread far and wide - from Russia's terrains to the bloodstreams of Antarctic penguins.
During the Soviet era, the cotton fields, which sprawled over two million hectares (accounting for a staggering 98% of the nation's arable land), echoed with the chant "Everyone pick cotton". An enforced mantra that saw doctors, teachers, students, and almost every professional coerced into the fields. The entire nation was consumed by this competition, with success gauged by the quantity of cotton harvested.
However, the upcoming cotton harvest marks a significant departure from these practices. President Shavkat Mirziyoyev, at the helm since 2016, has been instrumental in shifting this narrative. According to a joint investigation by the International Labor Organization (ILO) and the World Bank, 2021 saw the complete eradication of forced labor in the cotton fields of Uzbekistan. This in turn led to over 330 companies lifting their boycott on Uzbek cotton.
Mirziyoyev's commitment to curbing these practices began with ratifying the ILO convention against forced and child labor, quickly followed by a pivot towards economic liberalization and improved diplomatic ties.
The results are evident. Today, Uzbekistan's farmers have the autonomy to cultivate as they deem fit and are paid wages for their labor. This freedom extends to cotton pickers, who can now choose their participation and be compensated for their efforts. An innovative approach, termed 'clusters', has been introduced, allowing for a comprehensive production process that extends from cotton cultivation to the final export product.
This transformative journey will be the cornerstone of President Mirziyoyev's address to the UN General Assembly in New York on 19 September. With the global boycott against Uzbek cotton lifted, the nation finds itself on the cusp of a promising era. No longer a mere exporter of cotton, Uzbekistan is now making its mark with finished products, often affiliated with renowned Western brands.
