Technical Assistance for Regional Industrial Collaboration in Cotton Fibre Manufacturing

Overall Objective
The overall objective of the project is to contribute to the competiveness of the Turkey’s Textile Industry.
The project objectives have been designed to (1) establish a system that will improve the quality standards of the cotton ginners in the targeted regions in South East Anatolia and (2) improve the collaboration between enterprises.

At the conceptual level, the project will facilitate the establishment of a system for two components:
    Mobile sample taking and labelling units (STLUs), complemented with an accredited fibre testing laboratory, and warehouses for storage samples
    Value chain integration and development strengthening through clustering and networking, for example an online communication portal

Project Purpose
The specific project purpose to increase the competitiveness of cotton ginners in Şanlıurfa and Diyarbakır provinces. This will be achieved through creating business networks between the cotton ginners and yam manufacturers and strengthening their links, and the development of a Quality standardisation infrastructure for common use of cotton ginners.

Planned Results
The planned results will be executed in close cooperation with the operations to be implemented within the scope of the Regional Competitiveness Operational Programme (RCOP). Ministry of Science, Industry and Technology, DG for EU and Foreign Affairs-Directorate of EU Financial Programmes (MoSIT/DoEUFP) will facilitate coordination and cooperation on the outputs that are planned by the TAT.
This Technical Assistance Team (TAT) component will be implemented by the Service Contractor to achieve the following planned outputs:

Component 1: Strengthening the business networks
Component 1 is composed of three activity groups;
    Result 1.1 Establishment of the GAP Cotton Fibre Marketing Portal
    Result 1.2 Improvement of marketing and networking skills of cotton ginners
    Result 1.3 Organization of Business Trade Events

Component 2: Operationalisation of the common use Quality and standardization Infrastructure.
Component 2 is composed of two activity groups;
    Result 2.1 Operationalisation of the common-use quality and standardization infrastructure
•    Result 2.1.1 Business Planning
•    Result 2.1.2 Establishment of the Human Resource Base
•    Result 2.1.3 Support to the Accreditation of the (GAP Fibre) Lab
•    Result 2.1.4 Inauguration of the Lab
    Result 2.2: Improved capacity of the farmers, including better access to means of production, processing, marketing and information.
•    Result 2.2.1 Facilitating Transition of Cotton Ginners to the Single Bale System
•    Result 2.2.2 Delivery of Training Programmes

Target Groups
The target groups of the project are the cotton ginners (for example SME’s that are involved in cotton ginning, also called cotton ginning factories) located primarily in Diyarbakır and Şanlıurfa.

End Recipient and Main Beneficiary
The South East Anatolia Region International Research Training Centre (GAPUTAEM) will be the End Recipient of Assistance (ERA), and is responsible for the management and performance of the project.

Project Duration and Location
The project commenced on 16th June 2016, and will last for a period of 24 months.
The project office will be based at the Southeast Anatolia Region International Research Training Centre (GAPUTAEM) in Diyarbakır.