Organic Cotton - the Ethical Choice

People are increasingly turning to organic cotton as the more responsible, ethical choice. Switching to organic cotton can have a beneficial impact on the lives of cotton growers.

The most marked characteristic of organic cotton is the way that it is grown without synthetic pesticides. The obvious health benefits for the farmers are clear; their health is vastly improved due to stopping their exposure to these hazardous pesticides. Described as ‘extremely toxic products’ by the field agent for the Beninese Organisation for the Promotion for Organic Agriculture, these pesticides are known to cause serious lung and stomach problems and burns. Indeed the World Health Organisation reports 3 million cases of pesticide poisoning annually. Many of these are attributed to cotton production as cotton farming uses 32% of the world’s pesticides and insecticides despite the fact that cotton plantations take up only 2.5% of the world’s farmland.

The benefits of this method of farming does, however, go beyond being beneficial for health. Instead of using synthetic pesticides, organic farmers use natural methods such as crop rotation. Not only does this allow for better yield without the use of chemicals, but also brings about greater food security, as food crops can be grown without the worry they are being contaminated by pesticide residues. Organic farming in the developing world has shown a marked increase in food crops, the production of beans and peas in particular. Similarly it allows opportunities and income for women growing the cotton and food crops, who under conventional cotton systems are often not permitted to register their own plots.

The switch to organic production for farmers is usually down to the benefits of income as well. In the traditional cotton production system, there is a growing vicious circle of indebtedness amongst farmers as they are forced to purchase expensive farming inputs such as pesticides and fertilisers on credit at the start of the season. The fair price at which organic cotton is bought is one of the real benefits for farmers; it gives them an overall better net income, despite the lower yields at the start of organic cultivation. It is a much more reliable system for farmers as the organic supply chain is much more committed to paying the farmers on time in contrast to the disorganisation of the conventional one. Organic farmers have also achieved a greater level of consistency of produce outputs throughout the year, whilst also having the benefit of gaining skills and training through organic farming associations.

Agriculture is responsible for a massive amount of employment in developing countries, and the consumer can choose to encourage this ethical, healthier, more responsible mode of production. Buying organic significantly improves the lives of farmers, the effect on the environment and the cotton industry in general, as well as making a quality product you can trust at the end of the process.