C&A Foundation partner with WWF India for conservation through cotton
Howard Lake | 6 October 2015 | News
C&A Foundation and WWF India are working together to promote the cultivation of organic cotton in Central India, next to the ecologically important Pench Tiger Reserve.
The organisations are to combine organic agriculture with environmental conservation to create a solution that works both for farmers and the environment. The multi-year project will help 6,000 farmers to obtain organic certification by the end of 2018.
Central India is home to some of India’s largest intact forest tracts and endangered species including tigers, barasingha and gaur. It is also home to several
tribal communities with diverse traditional livelihoods. In recent years, cotton production has become a primary source of income for nearly 1.6 million farmers in the area. The growth in unsustainable cotton farming practices threatens the landscape and biodiversity of the area.
Anita Chester, head of sustainable raw materials for C&A Foundation, explained the need for the WWF India project. She said:
“Our vision for this partnership is to maintain the ecology of the Satpuda-Pench corridor while enhancing the livelihoods of cotton farmers, who play such a critical role in the apparel industry value chain,” said . “By helping farmers go organic, we can minimise the degradation of soil and water quality that adversely affects wildlife habitats while also reducing costs and increasing yields for local cotton farmers.”
Dr. Sejal Worah, Program Director, WWF India, added:
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“Sustainable agriculture plays an important role in conservation. It is an important piece of the puzzle. When farmers manage their land sustainably, they can help preserve critical habitats by improving soil and water quality. This, in turn, enhances their agricultural productivity in the long term. In this case, promoting organic cotton in areas where agriculture and biodiversity interact could create a win-win scenario for farmers and wildlife.”
C&A Foundation and WWF are now exploring the rollout of additional farmer training programs in areas with both high biodiversity or threatened species and high cotton production.
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C&A Foundation is a private foundation affiliated with the global clothing retailer C&A. The Foundation works to transform fashion by helping to build an industry that respects the rights of workers, improve livelihoods and conserve the environment.
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About Howard Lake
Howard Lake is consultant editor of UK Fundraising. He founded the site in 1994 and successfully sold it in 2022. As director of Giving X Ltd he is exploring growing giving on a massive scale.
He is the founder of Fundraising Camp and co-founder of GoodJobs.