Apparel Online India Magazine June 1st Issue 2018 | Page 14

SUSTAINABLE INITIATIVE
C&A Foundation’s Cotton Trailblazers event brings the
stakeholders of organic cotton on to a common platform
• Lead farmers recognised for their efforts and commitment
• Government bodies responsive to change
• Brands voice concern and ensure support
• Recognition of organic cotton as an enabler of change
On the surface, with less than one
per cent of cotton grown being
organic, the noise around the
subject may seem exaggerated,
but a deeper look clearly
shows that organic cotton in
reality can be at the heart of a
healthy environment and farmer
community. The challenges in
this sector, nevertheless, seem
to outpace the efforts that many
organisations are making to
encourage organic farming.
Cotton Trailblazers, an event
organised recently in Bhopal, was
an eye-opener for all stakeholders,
and with the agenda of ‘farmers
first’, it was heartening to see
many farmers attending the
conference, being felicitated for
their efforts and also participating
in various discussions. C&A
Foundation brought to the
platform the complete supply
chain in organic cotton and
created an environment of
exchange, engagement and
commitment that will go a long
way in promoting organic cotton.
I
ndia is of prime importance in global
organic cotton production, with
over 1,90,000 certified organic cotton
farmers in the country accounting
for 56% of world’s production. And
it was only befitting that Bhopal was
the location for the event as Madhya
Pradesh (MP) accounts for 43% of
the organic cotton grown in India and
24% of the total world production,
generating business worth around
US $ 4 billion annually. The very fact
that the conference was inaugurated
by Gaurishankar Bisen, Minister,
Farmer Welfare & Agriculture
Development, Government of Madhya
Pradesh, highlighted the importance
of the event for the state and also the
proactiveness of the Government to
find solutions that enhance production
and make a successful business model
out of organic cotton. With players like
Pratibha Syntex Ltd. in MP, the focus
on organic farming has steadily grown
over the years, but the challenges
relating to access to seeds, technical
capacity and unequitable sharing of
value has continued to plague the
industry.
With a 360-degree approach, C&A
Foundation ha