Malaika Beach Resort, Mwanza, Tanzania
“Leveraging Sustainable Cotton and Textiles for Rural and Industrial Development”
21-22 November: TECHNICAL TOUR
Please note that the technical tour concludes in a different city – Arusha. Accommodation in Arusha for the night of 22–23 November is included in the tour price. Participants are kindly advised to plan their return flights accordingly.
ACCOMMODATION
The hotels listed below are recommended accommodations. Transportation between these hotels and the Plenary Meeting venue will be provided. Please note that reservations will be accepted on a first-come, first-served basis.
Isamilo Grand Hotel, FWV7+324 Isamilo Hills, Balewa Rd, Mwanza, Tanzania
http://www.isamilograndhotel.com/
+255789771111 / +255756771111
Ryan’s Bay Hotel, FVGX+94W, Station Rd, Mwanza, Tanzania
+255784699393 / manager@ryansbay.com
Hotel Tilapia, Capri Point Rd, Mwanza, Tanzania
+255787615019 / info@hoteltilapia.com
Gold Crest Hotel, PPF Tower, Kenyatta Rd, Mwanza, Tanzania
https://www.goldcresthotel.com/
+255677353500 / +255717857012 / marketing@goldcresthotel.com
Malaika Beach Resort, HW44+W33 Tunza Road, Mwanza, Tanzania
https://malaikabeachresort.com/
+2556593333123 / gm@malaikabeachresort.com
Adden Palace Hotel, 1644, Mwanza, Tanzania
+255748500194 / +255748500188 / gm@addenpalacehotel.com
Adden City View Hotel, Karuta St, Mwanza 33622, Tanzania
+255696441460
Hadjens Hotel, Karuta St, Mwanza 10319, Tanzania
+255762200550
Leyshof Hotel, Liberty St, Mwanza, Tanzania
+255755756772 / tinah@leyshofhotel.com
PROVISIONAL AGENDA OF THE 83rd PLENARY MEETING
(as of July 24, 2025). The time is GMT+3 for Mwanza, Tanzania.
PUBLICATIONS
SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 16, 2025
| 9:00 – 16:30 | Registration |
| 9:00 – 10:30
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Meeting of the Expert Panel on Social, Environmental and Economic Performance of Cotton Production (SEEP) Chairman of SEEP: Mr. Allan Williams, GM, R&D Investment CRDC. University of Sydney, Australia.Biography |
9:00 – 10:30
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Meeting of the Committee on the Commercial Standardization of Instrument Testing of Cotton (CSITC) Chairman of CSITC: Dr. Marinus (René) van der Sluijs, Principal Consultant, Textile Technical Services. Victoria, Australia.Biography |
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| 10:30 – 12:00 | Meeting of Private Sector Advisory Council (PSAC) Past Chairman of PSAC: Mr. Peter Wakefield, ICA Biography |
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| 13:00 – 14:00 | Cotton Leaders Roundtable |
MONDAY, NOVEMBER 17,2025
| 8:30 – 16:00 | Registration |
| 9:00 – 11:30 | First Plenary Session: Inauguration Master of Ceremony: |
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| – Private Sector Advisory Council – PSAC, Mr. Peter Wakefield | |
| – Social, Environmental & Economic Performance – SEEP, Mr. Allan Williams | |
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– Commercial Standardization of Instrument Testing of Cotton CSITC, Dr. Marinus (René) van der Sluijs
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| – ICRA, Mr. Mohamed Negm | |
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| 11:30 – 12:30 | Lunch |
| 12:30 – 14:30 | Second Plenary Session: Plenary session: Government Member’s statement Chairperson: Dr. Evelyn Lukonge, Retired, Head of Cotton Research Tanzania Agricultural Research Institute (TARI) |
9:30 – 11:30 | First Breakout Session: The Role of National Policy in Developing a Globally Competitive Textile Sector (in English only) Chairperson: Adam Zuku, Executive Secretary, Textile and Garment Manufacturers Association of Tanzania (TEGAMAT) |
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| Statements from Member Governments |  |
Mr Ramakrishnan Janarthanan, Chief Development Officer (Textile), ARISE LLP | ||
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Md. Fakhre Alam Ibne Tabib, former Executive Director of Bangladesh Cotton Development Board (CDB) | |||
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Mary Concilia Anchang, Founder & President of ACC and FICOTA | |||
| 14:30 – 15:00 | Coffee Break | 14:30 – 15:00 | Coffee Break | |
| 15:00 – 17:00 | First Open Session: Technical Seminar Deep Learning and Sensor Technologies for Automated Detection and Monitoring of Cotton Diseases and Insect Pests |
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| Chairperson: Dr Keshav R Kranthi, ICAC Chief Scientist | ||||
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Dr Charudatta Mayee, 2025 ICAC Researcher of the Year | |||
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Dr Jesse Daystar, Chief Sustainability Officer and Vice President of Sustainability at Cotton Incorporated | |||
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Dr Marcelo Paytas, Director at Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria | |||
| 18:00 | Welcome Reception | 18:00 | Welcome Reception |
TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 18, 2025
| 9:30 – 11:30 | Second Open Session: Reports from the ICAC Secretariat Chairperson: Dr. Thomas Bwana, Director General, Tanzania Agricultural Research Institute (TARI) |
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World Cotton Market Outlook, World Cotton Trade and Specialty Cotton Ms. Parkhi Vats, Economic Affairs Officer, ICAC |
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World Textile Fiber Demand and Results of the ICAC Global Survey on Women in the Cotton Sector Ms. Lorena Ruiz, Economist, ICAC |
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Textiles Strategy: Developing the Textiles Value Chain in Cotton-Rich Countries Mr. Usman Kanwar, Head of Textiles, ICAC |
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Global Economics of Cotton Production Dr. Keshav Kranthi, Chief Scientist, ICAC |
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ICAC Marketing and Promotion Efforts Mr. Mike McCue, Director of Communications, ICAC |
| 11:30 – 12:30 | Lunch |
| 12:30 – 14:30 | Third Open Session: Reports from International Organizations on Cotton Initiatives Chairperson: Prof. Kenneth Bengesi, Director General, Sugar Board of Tanzania |
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“Interagency Collaboration on Cotton to Textile Value Chain :Partenariat pour le coton” Kwabena Bandoh, Economic Affairs Officer at the World Trade Organization |
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Glory Blasio Emmanuel, National Programme Coordinator, International Labour Organization (ILO) |
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Jinjiang Yan, Industrial Development Officer, UNIDO |
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Mathias Knappe, Head of Fibres, Textiles and Clothing Unit, ITC |
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Boubaker Ben-Belhassen, Director, Markets & Trade, FAO |
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Kris Terauds, Economist, UNCTAD |
| 14:30 – 15:00 | Coffee Break |
| 12:30 – 14:30 |
Fourth Open Session: Financing Investment in Textiles and Apparel Value Chain in Emerging Markets
Chairperson: Dr. Blandina Kilama, Deputy Executive Secretary – Trade and Innovation, National Planning Commission |
12:30 – 14:30 | Second Breakout Session: Trends in Eco-Design (in English only) Chairperson: Irene Madeje Mlola, The Director General, Cereals and Other Producer Regulatory Authority (COPRA) |
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Lucinda Sadrian, Managing Principal of Capital Navigation Strategies
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Bill Kingdon, Managing Director, ICA
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| 18:00 | Dinner |
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 19, 2025
| 9:30 – 11:30 | Fifth Open Session: PSAC session Strategies to Increase Global Cotton Consumption: How Can Consuming Cotton Help Brands Achieve Their Carbon Emission Goals Master of Ceremonies: Sylvester Kazi, A-Z Textiles, Arusha Chairperson: Peter Wakefield, Wakefield Inspection Services |
9:30 – 11:30 | Third Breakout Session: Marketing Cotton: What Works and for Whom (in English only) Chairperson: Sophia Kashenge, Head of Research, Tanzania Agricultural Research Institute (TARI) |
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| Producers and Ginners Committee |  |
Charles Jannet, Cotton Trade, Ecom Agroindustrial Corp. | ||
| Textiles Committee |  |
Vibhu Nath, Senior Vice President, Olam Global Agri | ||
| Merchants committee |  |
Danny Van Namen, Partner, Artigas do Brasil | ||
| Brands and Retailers Committee |  |
Christina Ben Bella, Head of Communications and Stakeholder Relations, Aid by Trade Foundation | ||
| 11:30 – 12:30 | Lunch | 11:30 – 12:30 | Lunch | |
| 12:30 – 14:30 |
Sixth Open Session: The Promise and Potential of Payment for Ecosystem Services – PES
Chairperson: Prof. Raphael Tihelwa Chibunda, The Vice Chancellor of Sokoine University of Agriculture |
12:30 – 14:30 | Fourth Breakout Session: CIP: The Cotton Innovation Platform (in English only) Chairperson: Prof. Andrew E. Temu, Board Chairperson, Tanzania Plant Health and Pesticides Authority |
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Dr Kater Hake, former vice president of Agricultural and Environmental Research, Cotton Incorporated
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Kinner Lakhani, Global Commercial Director, CottonConnect
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Dr Bhagirath Choudhary, Founder & Director at South Asia Biotechnology Centre
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Dr Christopher Hurren, Research Fellow, Deakin University
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Jasper Bhaumick, CEO, UMa Soft GmbH |
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Dr Ching Tang Huang, Director, Taiwan Textile Research Institut |
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Dr Richard Venditti, Professor (Full) at North Carolina State University
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Pia Terasa, Marketing Manager, Saurer Group
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| 14:30 – 15:00 |
Coffee Break
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14:30 – 15:00 |
Coffee Break
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| 15:00 – 17:00 | Seventh Open Session: World Café Exploring the Challenges and Potential of Payment for Ecosystem Services (PES) Chairperson: Dr. Caniso Manyika, Assistant Director for Climate change and Environment Assessment (OMR) |
| 18:00 | Dinner |
THURSDAY 20 NOVEMBER 2025
| 9:30 – 11:30 | Meeting of the Steering Committee (Member Governments Only) (closed door meeting)
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9:30 – 11:30 | Fifth Breakout Session: Decarbonizing the Textile Value Chain (in English only) Chairperson: |
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| Approval of the Standing Committee Officers as per the Recommendations of the Standing Committee |  |
Alison Ward, CEO, CottonConnect | ||
| Topic of the Technical Seminar for 2026 |  |
Lisa Barratt, Senior Manager, Africa Programmes, Better Cotton | ||
| Uncollected Assessments of the ICAC Members |  |
Abeer Samir Arafa, Deputy Director, Cotton Research Institute |
| 11:00 – 12:30 | Third Plenary Session: Closing ceremony |
| Closing comments by the Chair of the Organizing Committee of Tanzania | |
| Closing Speech by Host country | |
| Closing Comments by the Chairman of the Standing Committee on behalf of all Delegates | |
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Closing comments by ICAC Executive Director Mr. Eric Trachtenberg |
| Invitation to the 84th Plenary Meeting | |
| Adjourn |