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CottonConnect, a leading organisation dirving responsibile sourcing and resilient supply chain in the textile industry, is empowering women to tackle climate change through training programmes in agri techniques to improve productivity and sustainability of their farms, the organisation’s Global Director of Values, Principles, and Governance Geetanjali Solanki has said.
“CottonConnect’s initiatives, such as Women in Cotton programme, have engaged over 300,000 (as of 2023) women in sustainable agri-skills, literacy, numeracy, rights, and healthcare,” she said in an email interaction with businessline.
CottonConnect, which works with organisations such as Primark and SEWA, has launched specific outreach programmes geared towards women farmers, especially in areas where women are less likely to be involved. “Our Women Climate Change Ambassadors’ Programme is a good example, empowering women farmers as leaders in climate resilience,” she said.
Recognising contribution
Solanki said ensuring equal opportunities, including access to resources and training, is imperative, along with fostering an environment where the community recognises women’s contributions to the overall advancement and sustainability of cotton farming communities.
“Another key initiative is the Primark Sustainable Cotton Programme, a partnership between Primark, RUDI and CottonConnect, now in its tenth year, which is successfully providing training on sustainable agricultural practices that increase women’s economic empowerment and self-reliance,” the ConnectConnect official said.
Stating that women farmers can play a decisive role in improving farms’ productivity if they receive training, she said research revealed the lack of recognition for women’s work in cotton farming and, in line with wider gender inequalities, that they are less likely to be part of decision-making or to own land.
“They lack access to education and skills training, which further perpetuates their marginalisation,” she said, adding that CottonConnect is keen to facilitate dialogue, foster innovative ideas, and encourage collaborations among diverse women stakeholders to drive sustainable policies and innovations for a more inclusive and sustainable future.
“We brought together a group of female experts to discuss challenges facing women in agriculture, at the Centre for Responsible Business (CRB) – India and Sustainability Standards Conference late last year. We co-hosted a plenary panel discussion to raise awareness of how to empower women, bridge the gender gap, and mitigate the negative effects of climate change,” she said.
100 women insights
In 2023, CottonConnect published “Women In Cotton: Addressing the Impact of Climate Change through Climate-friendly Practices” with insights from over 100 women working in its agricultural improvement programmes. “Our reports show that climate change effects are amplified among women where extreme weather exacerbates the challenges of achieving both their farm and domestic work,” Solanki said.
When women farmers are trained and armed with awareness and understanding, they can play a crucial role in improving farming and adapting, and reducing vulnerability to climate change. In addition, empowering women in the cotton value chain can have positive effects beyond farm productivity, leading to improved living standards and food security for the family and community, she said.
“Our research found that when more women receive training and resources, improvements in agricultural productivity, family security, and decision making are significant,” Solanki said
Stating that specialised training significantly enhanced women’s skills and awareness, leading to adoption of climate change mitigations, she said challenges persisted due to the unequal sharing of power between women and men and the gender gap in access to education, training, resources, and employment opportunities.
On achieving gender equality in cotton farming, Solanki said it depends on a range of improvements and support. These include raising awareness and recognition of the crucial work they do; giving them targeted training programmes and access to resources; and building their confidence to share skills and learning to the benefit of their wider communities.
CottonConnect’s initiatives aim to create a sustainable and efficient cotton production ecosystem, uplifting livelihoods and enabling greater opportunities in education and health for women and their families, Solanki said.
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