Hasmukh Patel, an organic cotton farmer of Gujarat, was doubtful about his future. He and his community could not reach the global market with their low-quality product. Now, he ? and others like him ? lives in hope. Shell Foundation is collaborating with Europe?s fashion retailer C&A and Organic Exchange to work for the uplift of organic farmers. ?Thanks to Shell Foundation, 30,000 farmers have benefitted. In all, 200 people have teamed up to build a bridge between the farmers and the three organisations,? points out Patel.
Established in 2000 as an independent, registered UK charity by the Shell Group, the foundation has long been operating with a global mandate. The organisation had previously introduced cooking stoves that drastically reduced health-damaging indoor smoke pollution. In the earlier project, one million women and children benefitted.
Once again, Shell Foundation has joined hands with Organic Exchange and C&A to improve the condition of organic farmers in Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Orissa, Tamil Nadu and Gujarat. The programme will open up markets for cotton farmers across India. ?According to United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation, cotton provides an income for approximately one billion people in 80 countries. Though less than 3% of the world?s arable land is planted with cotton, it accounts for almost a quarter of global insecticide used. This leads to environmental and health problems, in addition to being ultimately a non-sustainable model for production,? says Anuradha Bhavani, country head, Shell Foundation.
The tripartite partnership will concentrate on three different aspects. ?While C&A will bring in the power of business and long-term supplier relationship in India, Organic Exchange will bring in-depth expertise on organic cotton farming and business strategy,? says Knut Br?ggemann of C&A.
The aim of Organic Exchange is to ?try and educate the farmers and create awareness about organic cotton,? says Prabha Nagarajan, country head, Organic Exchange. ?It is essential to educate the farmers as pesticides affect the environment and also the health of the cotton farmer.? They want to introduce better ways of growing cotton and in the process help in creating a large market for the organic produce. They will work with international brands and bring together organic cotton farmers and mills that will make organic clothing. This project will thus create employment opportunity for 30,000 farmers and improve the condition of 60 hectares of land in India. Taken up as a corporate?s responsibility towards society, the three organisations will work towards improving the living conditions of the poor farmers too.