Introduction
Genetically Modified Cotton (GM Cotton) is one in which biotechnology has been applied to come up with transgenic or altered and desirable traits such as increased pest resistance. Approximately 25 million hectares have been put under cotton around the world especially in China, India, US, and Pakistan. GM cotton has been engineered to address two major issues. The first one is ability to resist glycophosate-based herbicides and the second issue is the ability to produce a toxin that kills bollworms which is a primary destroyer of the crop (Eyhorn, 2007).
There are controversies regarding the benefits or disadvantages of GM cotton. When it was first introduced in India in 2002, farmers experienced some increased harvest due to the reduced losses that previously went with the pest destructions (Tirado, 2010). The farmers also enjoyed some significant reductions in the amounts that they spent on herbicides and pesticides.
There have been some concerns about the GM cotton. Farmers have reported declined yields in subsequent seasons while there are claims that secondary pests have emerged thereby forcing farmers to use pesticides much to the destruction of the environment and also increased costs of production (Eyhorn, 2007). The price of cotton seeds has gone up and the farmers have lost the option to access the non-GM cotton seeds.
Organic cotton industry
The organic cotton industry has proven to be more beneficial to the farmers and stakeholders at varying levels. In India, it is better for the environment and also for the small scale farmers. Farmers cultivating organic cotton in the India state of Andhra Pradesh spend half of what those cultivating GM cotton spend (Tirado, 2010). The organic cotton farmers also spend lesser on chemical fertilizers compared to those farming the GM cotton. Moreover, the net income for the organic cotton farmers is 200% higher than that of GM cotton farmers (Tirado, 2010). Organic cotton farming also leads to better environment sustainability due to the usage of lesser chemicals on the environment. There is more biodiversity where organic cotton farming takes place compared to the areas where GM cotton farming takes place.
Big cotton fashion retailers such as H&M and Levi Strauss & Co. have embraced the usage of organic cotton by making clothes out of 100% organic cotton. Levi Strauss aims at “democratizing organic” mainly due to consumer demand. The company’s retail sales of organic jeans increase by 238% between 2005 and 2007. H&M is also noted as one of the biggest users of organic cotton targeting to have all its products made from sustainable sources by 2020. Other big brands such as GAP and Patagonia are also in line to make clothes out of 100% organic cotton.
The downside of organic farming is that the farming itself can have a lot of control, but the processing may use lots of chemicals. For instance, the USDA states that raw fiber getting into the USA is sprayed with fumigants such as methyl bromide to kill bugs. Moreover, the making of denim entails the use of petroleum-based dyes that are hard to break down once they are released to wastewater facilities.
Sustainable practices in cotton industry
Organic cotton farming is one of the most sustainable practices in the cotton industry today. It uses less energy and water not to mention using less pesticides and insecticides. There is plenty of environmental sustainability from these measures while securing the financial statuses of the many small-scale farmers (Eyhorn, 2007). The Better Cotton Initiative aims at “continued improvement” to realize higher yields while it is an easier option for farmers to follow since the production of organic cotton I considered by many as demanding (Eyhorn, 2007). The Organic Cotton Accelerator program created in 2013 is aimed at addressing the challenges that organic cotton farming is facing to continue sustainable cotton farming. The global initiative also aims to link farmers to better markets as a way of encouraging production of more organic cotton.
CottonConnect is another sustainability practice supported by the C&A Foundation. It brings together more than 170 stakeholders in the Indian cotton industry. The Indian Organic and Fair Cotton Secretariat supports sustainable practices in the industry. The many farmers in the Indian state of Andra Pradesh is a classic example of empowered farmers to continue organic cotton farming as a sustainable practice in cotton farming.
Fairtrade Cotton
Fair Trade Cotton is a social foundation that that focuses on improving the living and working conditions of the small scale cotton farmers. The Fair Trade standards also have impacts on the environmental criteria for cotton producing areas (Eyhorn, 2007). The foundation supports many farmers engaged in organic cotton farming by strengthening their families and supporting the developmental efforts that the communities make.
The Fair Trade Cotton also urges the end consumers to support the farmers who are at the bottom of the chain by purchasing clothes approved by Fair Trade Cotton. The Foundation has noted that the price of cotton has declined over the last 30 years, and there is great need to empower the farmers to continue cotton production in a sustainable manner. The Cotton Pledge is a classic example of Fair Trade Cotton ratification. It was signed by more than 100 top brand and apparel companies boycotting the cotton from Uzbekistan which is said to be produced under inhumane conditions with claims of forced and child labor being employed.
References
Tirado, R. (2010) Picking Cotton: The choice between organic and genetically-engineered cotton for farmers in South India. Greenpeace Research Laboratories. University of Exeter, UK. Retrieved 2 April 2016 from http://www.greenpeace.org/international/Global/international/publications/agriculture/2010/Picking_Cotton.pdf
Eyhorn, F. (2007). Organic farming for sustainable livelihoods in developing countries?: The case of cotton in India. Zürich: pdf, Hochsch.-Verl. an der ETH.
Cheeseman, G.-M. (2016, February 2). The Low-Down On Sustainable Cotton. Retrieved April 2, 2016, from http://www.triplepundit.com/special/cotton-sustainability-c-and-a-foundation/the-low-down-on-sustainable-cotton/
Clarren, R. (2008, January 7). Not-so-green jeans. Retrieved March 2, 2016, from http://www.salon.com/2008/01/07/organic_jeans/
