AGROcotton: Agroforestry potential to grow sustainable cotton for the fashion industry

Countries:

Brazil

Status:

Completed

Sector:

Nature

Delivered by:

Counterparts:

Introduction

AGROcotton sought an alternative to conventional cotton by identifying and promoting the potential for sustainable organic cotton production through agroforestry systems.

Brazil, a major global producer of cotton, has experienced detrimental environmental impacts related to an expansion of conventional cotton production – particularly deforestation. Agroforestry systems for Organic Agroforestry Cotton production (OAC) can play a pivotal role in addressing these environmental impacts. Additionally, they provide a potential solution by combining environmental protection with food and materials production – and income generation – to support a green and inclusive recovery. However, adoption by farmers has been limited by a number of barriers, particularly a lack of financial resources.

 

The AGROcotton project undertook a market analysis study to determine the potential demand for OAC, focusing on the fashion industry as a niche market. Additionally, the project built capacity amongst local farmers for OAC production in the Mato Grosso region of Brazil through workshops, trainings, and pilot studies. Through these actions, AGROcotton sought to 

promote economic empowerment for these marginalised groups by removing the barriers to effective participation in agroforestry.

 

Expected long-term outcomes include:

 

(i) sustained reduction of Greenhouse Gas emissions,

(ii) green and resilient recovery reducing deforestation, biodiversity loss and water stress, and

(iii) inclusive recovery generating income opportunities for marginalised communities.

 

This project was delivered in partnership with FARFARM and the University of Brasilia.

“[AGROcotton represents] a way for our community to survive in ways compatible with the natural resources of our land. We have learned a lot, and now have all we need to succeed.”

Kleber Rodrigues Meritororeu

Cacique (head) of the aldeia, Indigenous participant farmer, Mato Grosso state

“The project is a way to unite the family, to get to know the life and opportunities my mother has in the countryside, and to better understand how agriculture works.”

Gabriela

Student and participant farmer

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Context

  • Brazil is a major global producer of cotton. However, the detrimental impacts of an expansion of conventional cotton production are considered unsustainable and inadequate, particularly in the context of climate change and economic empowerment among marginalised farming communities
  • Organic cotton production is a more sustainable alternative than conventional cotton and its introduction in agroforestry systems represent a more innovative pathway towards increased sustainability in both agriculture and fashion
  • Despite this, organic cotton represents only 0.01% of the Brazilian market, while agroforestry-based cotton production is minimal
  • This is attributed to a lack of policy instruments, financial resources, consumer and company awareness, economic planning and management specifically adapted for different conditions, limited access to knowledge and technical assistance on management practices, and difficulties in accessing production inputs
Capacity building and pilot cases

upskilling over 60 farmers in financial, management and agricultural practices for OAC systems

Spatial analysis of land suitability

mapping land constraints, capturing and standardising bio-physical, geographical and socio-economic factors to determine most suitable areas for OAC deployment in Brazil

Market analysis

to characterise potential demand for OAC, identifying the potential willingness to pay and the required social and environmental criteria to be met by suppliers

Literature review and stakeholder interviews

with stakeholders of the organic cotton supply chain in Brazil on policies to encourage the production and commercialisation of OAC

Project achievements

To facilitate the expansion of OAC in Brazil, AGROcotton has directly impacted more than 60 farmer families through in-person and virtual capacity building events run by expert technicians. These have embedded the importance of OAC farming and regenerative methods of production for food and textile fibres, instilling cultural transformation in a region known for unsustainable farming practices.

Key project outputs included:

  • A spatial analysis of land suitability and potentials of OAC in Brazil
  • Sessions in Mato Grosso to enhance the capacity of small-scale farmers to implement OAC systems by upskilling them on financial, management and agricultural practices
  • Implementation of OAC pilot cases in the region, carrying out environmental assessments and socio-economic and financial analyses on the data collected
  • Development of AGROcotton guidelines for OAC to facilitate the replicability of OAC products, based on the analyses on and lessons learnt from the Mato Grosso pilot
  • Market analysis through characterising the potential OAC market in Brazil; mapping supply chain actors and drivers, considering prices, willingness to pay and the importance of traceability and certification
  • Policy analysis and recommendations based on an analysis of existing policies in agriculture and forestry and expert interviews
  • Dissemination and communication activities to support the promotion of key project outputs, including the establishment of a national stakeholder database for Brazil
  • AGROcotton partnered with EMPAER (Mato Grosso Research Company for Technical Assistance and Rural Extension) to enhance the project’s ability to recruit and train local family farmers. The technicians will continue working with the farmers beyond this pilot.
60 families trained

Training activities organised by EMPAER engaged around 60 farmer families. With a life cycle of 20 years, OAC systems are expected to generate long-lasting security

Local connections improved

between vulnerable farmers and extension services in the region, with 17 EMPAER technicians trained and equipped to support farmers

Market access for farmers

provided where organic cotton is in high demand, including offtake agreements with fashion industries interested in purchasing the cotton

31 families in pilot cases

Pilot cases for OAC cultivation provided the opportunity for marginalised rural farmers to develop the skills to successfully design and manage an OAC project

GESI highlights

The primary counterparts of AGROcotton are vulnerable farmers in Brazil. These farmers have faced a number of barriers to effective participation in organic agroforestry such as limited access to credit, insecure land tenure and underdeveloped agroforestry value chains.

AGROcotton sought to build assets, capabilities and opportunities for vulnerable family farmers, removing these barriers. The project engaged over 60 families in training activities in Mato Grosso and 31 families in pilot cases for the cultivation of OAC. The family farmers involved in the project were classified as vulnerable farmers due to their socio-economic conditions including gender, ethnicity, land tenure security, and size of property.

Key GESI-related activities and related outcomes include:

  • Promotion of the empowerment of these farmers by providing OAC training and practical experience through the pilot cases. The pilot cases provided the opportunity for farmers to develop the skills and knowhow required to successfully design and manage a OAC project
  • Project activities provided vulnerable family farmers with technical support, agricultural inputs and access to cotton markets
  • Farmers learned how to manage an agroforestry system which will provide food, material and cotton. The cotton will function as cash crop to support the farmers in the first 4-5 years until fruit trees start producing
  • Training of technicians working with the extension service agency (EMPAER) in Mato Grosso will engage family farmers beyond those involved in the pilot studies. Trained technicians will be able to support vulnerable family farmers interested in OAC by providing technical assistance and management support. Technicians have also expressed intention to introduce OAC on their own land
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Forward look

The project has directly supported vulnerable farmers in Brazil and promoted the introduction of OAC. In doing so the project has identified several lessons and recommendations:

  • The alliance formed with local government teams and associations should help streamlining future planning and execution and facilitate future activities
  • Cultural challenges, related to the farmers' beliefs and long-term experience with conventional/non-organic agriculture, were overcome with capacity building and training programmes. The team saw exponential improvement during the last months, as systems have started to be productive
  • Development of supportive institutional framework and functional market mechanisms for OAC is needed
  • Future environmental assessment work should focus on evaluating biodiversity, monitoring, and collecting data from the OAC plantations and local food producers
  • Policies that promote GESI are needed, considering the number of women involved in the OAC activities, alongside encouraging the adoption of the Participatory Guarantee Systems (PGS) certification that promotes the participation of women

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