New Crops

Social Challenge and Innovative Solution

Almost 40% of the world’s cotton is produced in developing countries by smallholder farmers with limited worker protection, education and gender equality. Less than 1% of global production is organic. Compared to conventional cotton, the benefits of organic cotton production is twofold: it helps protect the environment and and builds resilience of the farming communities. It is grown without harmful chemicals and, using non-genetically modified (GM) seeds. This helps protect soil quality, biodiversity and water supply, and in turn improves the health and safety of farming communities.

Despite these benefits organic cotton production has a number of challenges. The biggest challenge is the inequitable distribution of value within the supply chain. Problems also arise regarding access to good quality non-GM seed, supply chain integrity and connecting market demand with supply.

Part of the solution lies in training farmers in organic cotton practices, supporting their journey of conversion to organic farming practices, and connecting them with market partners who are willing to pay a fair price. Another solution is working on holistic supply chain models with brands so as to increase demand for the organic cotton.

CottonConnect’s solution

In 2014/2015, the social enterprise CottonConnect launched the Organic Cotton Farmer Training Programme (OCFTP) in partnership with C&A Foundation to support smallholder cotton farmers in adopting organic cotton production practices over a three-year conversion process. The aim was to use the lessons learned from this process to scale up production of organic cotton globally.

The programme deepens farmers’ knowledge on organic cotton cultivation practices and explores innovative models for farmers to connect with each other and to the market. It supports farmer empowerment and independence through a Farmer Business School and ensures that graduating farmers stick to organic practices. The programme also supports the integrity of the organic crop across the supply chain. As of last year, CottonConnect also brings together the organic cotton farmers to create farmer producer companies, which enable them reduce the number of middlemen in the supply chain, and get a better price for their cotton.

While CottonConnect’s headquarters are in the UK, it has a subsidiary in India and works with a large team on the ground. The programme consists of six projects in the Indian states of Gujarat, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan.

Business model

CottonConnect is already a self-sustaining social enterprise with key funders including the Better Cotton Initiative – of which CottonConnect is an implementer – or brands and retailers with an interest in developing sustainable cotton supply chains.

CottonConnect also develops other products, such as their traceability software “TraceBale”, which provides a full view on the cotton supply chain.