Intergovernmental group on hard fibres and the intergovernmental group on jute, kenaf and allied fibres
FAO efforts are underway through the FAO Intergovernmental Group on Hard Fibres and on Jute, Kenaf and Allied Fibres (IGG/HFJU) to raise awareness of the technical and economic attributes of hard fibres. The Group continues to operate price forecasting for sisal, abaca, jute and kenaf fibres and set indicative prices to guide farmers and traders in their production and marketing decisions and also to assist governments in making policy decisions.
Future Fibres Initiative
Established in December 2010 with support from the German Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Consumer Protection, the Future Fibres Initiative set out to give much needed support to sisal and other hard fibres.
FAO’s project initiative “Unlocking Commercial Fibre Potential in Developing Countries: strengthening global value chains for rural development, poverty alleviation and the environment'' sought to empower farmers and vulnerable communities in several of the world’s poorest countries to realize the commercial and environmental potential of tropical fibre value chains, through exploiting their comparative advantage in the crop’s cultivation.
Discover Natural Fibres Initiative
At the conclusion of the IYNF, representatives of 15 natural fibre organizations formed the Discover Natural Fibres Initiative (DNFI) to continue to support the objectives of IYNF. The DNFI highlights activities to promote greener and more efficient agricultural techniques for growing natural fibres, efforts to improve life of the poor who are involved in natural fibres and to encourage increased demand for natural fibres.
Comprising an alliance of international natural fibre associations with emphasis on textiles, such as Cotton Council International (CCI), the International Cotton Advisory Committee (ICAC), Bremen Cotton Exchange, the International Textile Manufacturers Federation (ITMF), the International Wool Textile Organization (IWTO), the DNFI builds on the achievements of the IYNF 2009 and is maintaining future cooperation and projects between natural fibre organizations.