The Cotton Village Initiative (CVI), also known as Cotton Village Ethiopia, is an innovative national program designed to empower communities, restore ecosystems, and enhance Ethiopia’s position in the global textile value chain through sustainable and regenerative practices.
Founded and directed by Pedram Jahanshiri, the visionary behind the initiative, Cotton Village Ethiopia is being implemented in collaboration with the Ethiopian Cotton Association (ECA) to support Ethiopia’s sustainable industrial and agricultural transformation. The program aims to promote inclusive industrial development and climate-resilient agriculture, particularly benefiting the population of the Afar Region.
Closely aligned with national priorities, the Cotton Village / Afar Corridors Program supports the strategic goals of the Ministry of Industry, the Ministry of Agriculture, and the Afar Regional Government, with strong backing from the Afar Bureau of Industry & Investment.
Spanning a 350-kilometre corridor averaging 30 kilometres in width between Amibara and Semera, the initiative integrates regenerative cotton farming, circular textile manufacturing, and large-scale desert-greening infrastructure into a self-sustaining industrial ecosystem.
Led by the Cotton Village Initiative (CVI) in collaboration with the ECA, the Afar Bureau of Industry & Investment, and the Afar Regional Government, this corridor program encompasses a 100,000-hectare core hub and nearly 900,000 hectares dedicated to regenerative agriculture, biodiversity restoration, and climate-resilient desert rehabilitation.
Key impact areas include regenerative agriculture, carbon-positive land restoration, community development (including housing, education, healthcare, and pension systems), and the empowerment of women and youth through inclusive employment and cooperative participation. Wages within the program average three times higher than the industry standard across Africa’s cotton sector, underscoring its commitment to socio-economic upliftment.
Pedram Jahanshiri highlighted the initiative’s mission:
“Cotton Village Ethiopia was created not for personal gain but to serve and uplift Ethiopia’s people — empowering farmers, workers, and families through fair value, modern infrastructure, and a circular economy that gives back to the land.”
To advance this vision, Cotton Village Ethiopia is engaging with key development and industry partners such as GIZ, UNIDO, UNDP, ICAC, and ICA Bremen. The program aligns with Ethiopia’s national development agenda, the African Union’s Agenda 2063, and the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) framework, fostering regional value addition and sustainable economic growth.
It also aligns with regional connectivity and sustainability priorities, including initiatives under the European Union’s Global Gateway strategy — particularly the Ethiopia–Djibouti transport and trade corridor — offering a regenerative and circular industrial complement to ongoing logistics and infrastructure developments in the Horn of Africa.
A 13-minute presentation film introducing the Cotton Village / Afar Corridors vision — produced by Pedram Jahanshiri, Founder and Director of the initiative, through the Cotton Village Initiative channel in collaboration with the Ethiopian Cotton Association (ECA) — is available online.
By integrating innovative agricultural and industrial practices with environmental restoration and community empowerment, Cotton Village Ethiopia serves as a forward-looking model for sustainable development in Africa’s cotton sector — with global significance.
