November 11-13, 2013
| Description: | The summary of the ediscussion held by members of the platform. |
| File: | Download file (167462 Bytes) |
| Author: | Andrea Bischof |
| Year: | 2013 |
| Category: | Trade & Markets |
| Submitted by: | Andrea Bischof |
| Description: | A midpoint summary of the ediscussion held by members of the platform. |
| File: | Download file (32735 Bytes) |
| Author: | OC Platform |
| Year: | 2012 |
| Category: | Trade & Markets, Farming Aspects |
| Submitted by: | Ashley Gill |
| Description: | English, Spanish and French |
| File: | Download file (280901 Bytes) |
| Author: | Community Members |
| Year: | 2012 |
| Category: | Environmental & social aspects, Trade & Markets |
| Submitted by: | Ashley Gill |
| Description: | English, French, Spanish |
| File: | Download file (231255 Bytes) |
| Author: | Community |
| Year: | 2012 |
| Category: | Environmental & social aspects, Farming Aspects |
| Submitted by: | Ashley Gill |
| Description: | This document was developed by the Texas Organic Cotton Marketing Cooperative (TOCMC), based in Lubbock, Texas. For more information about TOCMC, visit their website. |
| Link: | http://www.texasorganic.com |
| File: | Download file (72067 Bytes) |
| Author: | Kelly Pepper, TOCMC |
| Year: | 2010 |
| Category: | Environmental & social aspects |
| Submitted by: | Ashley Gill |
| Description: | Summary of e-discussion about the influence of the high cotton price on organic and fairtrade cotton production. |
| File: | Download file (175784 Bytes) |
| Author: | Ashley Gill, Textile Exchange |
| Year: | 2011 |
| Category: | Trade & Markets, Fair Trade |
| Submitted by: | Andrea Bischof |
| Description: |
In the wake of the recent global media stories on the use of child labour in the cotton sector, Simon Ferrigno asks how far should brands go to get to know their supply chain? |
| Author: | Ecotextile News |
| Year: | 2012 |
| Category: | Environmental & social aspects, Fair Trade, Farming Aspects, Control & Certification |
| Submitted by: | Andrea Bischof |
| Description: | This is a summary of the discussion on the availability of non GM cotton seeds, held in November 2011. The document includes English, French, and Spanish translations. |
| File: | Download file (124080 Bytes) |
| Author: | Community of Practice |
| Year: | 2011 |
| Category: | Farming Aspects |
| Submitted by: | Ashley Gill |
| Description: |
A study into the functioning of current structures for research, breeding, multiplication and distribution and their impacts on cotton farmers |
| File: | Download file (2574765 Bytes) |
| Author: | for Traidcraft Policy Unit, Ferrigno, Nalunga, Bationo |
| Year: | 2011 |
| Category: | Environmental & social aspects, Farming Aspects |
| Submitted by: | Andrea Bischof |
| Description: | Barcelona, 18 September 2011. Tobias Bandel from Soil & More, Netherlands, was one of the expert in the third panel of the Cotton Dialogues 2011. The panel discussed the issue of "Supporting sustainable growth". In this video, Tobias reflects on the outcome of the roundtable discussion. According to Tobias, organic is not a religion or just wishful thinking but it's actually the only logic way to produce food and cotton. Organic as of today is not yet fully sustainable but in a few years organic production will be cheaper than conventional production. This will shift organic from a niche market to mainstream. See more at http://www.organiccotton.org |
| Link: | http://blip.tv/helvetas/value-and-future-prospects-for-organic-cotton-production-5574075 |
| Author: | Pier Andrea Pirani - Euforic Services Ltd. |
| Year: | 2011 |
| Category: | Environmental & social aspects, Trade & Markets, Value chain |
| Submitted by: | Andrea Bischof |
| Description: |
Barcelona, 18 September 2011. Jane Nalung from NOGAMU, Uganda was one of the expert in the third panel of the Cotton Dialogues 2011. The panel discussed the issue of "Supporting sustainable growth". According to Jane, her main learning point from the session is that supporting sustainable growth can be best achieved through collaboration and coordination amongst all actors involved in the organic cotton value chain. |
| Link: | http://blip.tv/helvetas/supporting-sustainable-growth-through-collaboration-in-the-organic-cotton-value-chain-5574006 |
| Author: | Pier Andrea Pirani - Euforic Services Ltd. |
| Year: | 2011 |
| Category: | Value chain |
| Submitted by: | Andrea Bischof |
| Description: | Barcelona, 18 September 2011. Ben Ramsden, from Pants to Poverty, UK. was one of the expert in the first panel of the Cotton Dialogues 2011. The panel discussed the issue of "Shaping the future of non-GM seed supply". According to Ben, the discussion was "fantastic" as it brought together farmers, seeds producers, academics, textile manufacturers and brands. Amongst the participants, a shared understanding of the problems that related to non-GM seeds emerged. More important, according to Ben, it is the need to build capacity for production, distribution and security of cotton seeds. Further, the different actors involved need to campaign collectively all along the value chain to engage consumers, retailers and brands in viable solutions where non-Gm and GM can coexist so to preserve biodiversity on the planet. |
| Link: | http://blip.tv/helvetas/building-a-new-programme-for-production-and-distribution-of-non-gm-cotton-seeds-5563809 |
| Author: | Pier Andrea Pirani - Euforic Services Ltd. |
| Year: | 2011 |
| Category: | Environmental & social aspects, Farming Aspects |
| Submitted by: | Andrea Bischof |
| Description: | Barcelona, 18 September 2011. Keith Tyrell from Pesticides Action Network (PAN), UK, moderated the second panel of the Cotton Dialogues 2011, focusing on responsible business practice and trade in the organic cotton sector. In this video, he shares his main takeaway messages from the session. |
| Link: | http://blip.tv/helvetas/developing-guidelines-for-responsible-business-practice-and-trade-5563981 |
| Author: | Pier Andrea Pirani - Euforic Services Ltd. |
| Year: | 2011 |
| Category: | Trade & Markets, Fair Trade, Control & Certification |
| Submitted by: | Andrea Bischof |
| Description: | Barcelona, 18 September 2011. Thomas Favennec, Tudo Bom?, Brazil, participated as expert in the second panel at the Cotton Dialogues 2011. In this video, Thomas shares his takeaways from the session. According to Thomas, there is a need to work on de-commoditization of organic and fair trade cotton, by making more direct links between farmer organisations and brands. |
| Link: | http://blip.tv/helvetas/de-commoditization-of-organic-and-fair-trade-cotton-5564069 |
| Author: | Pier Andrea Pirani - Euforic Services Ltd. |
| Year: | 2011 |
| Category: | Trade & Markets, Control & Certification |
| Submitted by: | Andrea Bischof |
| Description: | Barcelona, 18 September 2011. Liesl Truscott, Director of Farm Engagement at Textile Exchange introduces the face-to-face meeting of the Organic Cotton Community. The discussion in the event will address 3 main topics: Shaping the future of non-GM seed supply; Developing guidelines for responsible business practice and trade; Supporting sustainable growth. These themes were chosen by members of the Global Organic Community in a democratic way. Liesl is very excited about the openness of this process and very much looking forward to the discussions of the day. |
| Link: | http://blip.tv/helvetas/introducing-the-cotton-dialogues-2011-5563518 |
| Author: | Pier Andrea Pirani - Euforic Services Ltd. |
| Year: | 2011 |
| Category: | Environmental & social aspects, Trade & Markets, Fair Trade, Farming Aspects |
| Submitted by: | Andrea Bischof |
| Description: | Barcelona, 18 September 2011. Damien Sanfilippo, Fairtrade International, Germany, participated as expert in the second panel at the Cotton Dialogues 2011. In this video, Damien underlines two of the issues discussed in the session: the need of a sustainable and transparent price for cotton; the need of strong, long term relationships between brands and cotton producers. |
| Link: | http://blip.tv/helvetas/building-long-term-relationships-between-brands-and-cotton-producers-5564046 |
| Author: | Pier Andrea Pirani - Euforic Services Ltd. |
| Year: | 2011 |
| Category: | Trade & Markets, Fair Trade, Control & Certification |
| Submitted by: | Andrea Bischof |
| Description: | Barcelona, 18 September 2011. Prabha Nagarajan, Textile Exchange, India, moderated the first panel of the Cotton Dialogues 2011, focusing on the issue of \"Shaping the future of non-GM seed supply\". In her views, the session highlighted how the non availability of non-GM cotton seeds represents a real crisis situation. This crisis has many aspects as it affects biodiversity, seeds sovereignty and choice of farmers, and ultimately the consumers as well. Therefore according to Prabha there is a need for a concrete, global, action plan that addresses these issues. |
| Link: | http://blip.tv/helvetas/shaping-the-future-of-non-gm-seed-supply-5563887 |
| Author: | Pier Andrea Pirani - Euforic Services Ltd. |
| Year: | 2011 |
| Category: | Environmental & social aspects, Farming Aspects |
| Submitted by: | Andrea Bischof |
| Description: |
Barcelona, 18 September 2011. Jane Dever from Texas AgriLife Research, USA, was one of the expert in the first panel of the Cotton Dialogues 2011. The panel discussed the issue of "Shaping the future of non-GM seed supply". The session provided a great opportunity to discuss the issues related to seeds and traditional organic cotton varieties. |
| Link: | http://blip.tv/helvetas/ensuring-future-supplies-of-organic-cotton-seeds-5574016 |
| Author: | Pier Andrea Pirani - Euforic Services Ltd. |
| Year: | 2011 |
| Category: | Environmental & social aspects, Farming Aspects |
| Submitted by: | Andrea Bischof |
| Description: | Barcelona, 18 September 2011. Dr Shreekant S Patil (University of Agriculture Sciences, Dharwad, Karnataka, IndiaBen Ramsden) is a cotton breeder and was one of the expert in the first panel of the Cotton Dialogues 2011. The panel discussed the issue of "Shaping the future of non-GM seed supply". According to Dr. Pail, the biggest challenge today across the world, and in India specifically, it is that organic cotton growers can't find enough, high quality non-GM cotton seeds for their productions. Dr. Pail suggests that farmers need to be educated and trained so they become self sufficient and can produce the desired quantity of the chosen variety of organic cotton. This could be done also for hybrid seeds, and there are concrete and simple ways to make this happen. This way, while making farmers self sufficient for the supply of cotton seeds, they would become also more conscious and responsible of their farming practices |
| Link: | http://blip.tv/helvetas/how-and-why-to-train-cotton-farmers-to-breed-their-own-seeds-5563860 |
| Author: | Pier Andrea Pirani - Euforic Services Ltd. |
| Year: | 2011 |
| Category: | Environmental & social aspects, Farming Aspects |
| Submitted by: | Andrea Bischof |
| Description: | Barcelona, 18 September 2011. Rajeev Baruah from bioRe, India was one of the expert in the first panel of the Cotton Dialogues 2011. The panel discussed the issue of "Shaping the future of non-GM seed supply". In his views, there is a strong, increasing support on the issue and it is now important to see how to bring this forward. According to Rajeev it is important to undertake global actions where non GM and hybrid seeds are made available to farmers at lower prices. Consumers need also to be involved in this actions and awareness needs to be created in the general public, addressing issues of sustainability, biodiversity and conservation. |
| Link: | http://blip.tv/helvetas/increasing-support-for-non-gm-seeds-5563786 |
| Author: | Pier Andrea Pirani - Euforic Services Ltd. |
| Year: | 2011 |
| Category: | Environmental & social aspects, Farming Aspects |
| Submitted by: | Andrea Bischof |
| Description: | On 21 June 2011, the National Workshop on ‘Disappearing non-GM cotton – ways forward to maintain diversity, increase availability and ensure quality of non-GM cotton seed’ was hold at the University of Agricultural Sciences Dharwad (UAS Dharwad), Dharwad, Karnataka, India. The proceeding provides an overview on the presentations and presents the main workshop output the ‘Dharwad Declaration 21st June 2011’. |
| Link: | http://www.fibl.org/fileadmin/documents/en/news/2011/ProceedingNationalWorkshop_DisappearingNon-GMCotton.pdf |
| Author: | D. Forster, M. Messmer, R. Baruah, S.S. Patil |
| Year: | 2011 |
| Category: | Environmental & social aspects, Farming Aspects |
| Submitted by: | Dionys Forster |
| Description: | On World Environment Day and the first anniversary of Engage, Textile Exchange celebrates the remarkable contribution organic cotton agriculture is making to the grower communities and ecology of our world. There are also a small number of snapshots of some of the people, organisations and companies behind the progress. |
| File: | Download file (2040456 Bytes) |
| Author: | Textile Exchange, Farm Engagement Program |
| Year: | 2011 |
| Category: | Environmental & social aspects, Trade & Markets, Farming Aspects, Value chain, Other |
| Submitted by: | Ashley Gill |
| Description: | Experiences and lessons learnt by RLDP in the promotion of the cotton sub-sector in the Central Corridor of Tanzania. Perspectives on how the “Making Markets Work for the Poor” (M4P) approach can be applied to improve the livelihoods of cotton producers. |
| Link: | http://www.rldc.co.tz/docs/EGRP.pdf |
| Author: | Alain Cuvelier, Maja Rueegg, Ajuaye Sigalla |
| Year: | 2011 |
| Category: | Trade & Markets, Value chain |
| Submitted by: | Maja Rueegg |
| Description: | Summary of the e-discussion held March 10 to April 7 on the Influence of High Cotton Prices on Fairtrade/Organic. The summary includes English, Spanish and French versions. |
| File: | Download file (248580 Bytes) |
| Author: | Simon Ferrrigno |
| Year: | 2011 |
| Category: | Trade & Markets, Fair Trade |
| Submitted by: | Ashley Gill |
| Description: | DESCRIPTIONS OF PRODUCTION PROGRAMS: ORGANIC, FAIR TRADE, COTTON MADE IN AFRICA, AND THE BETTER COTTON INITIATIVE |
| File: | Download file (2042840 Bytes) |
| Author: | ICAC |
| Year: | 2011 |
| Category: | Environmental & social aspects |
| Submitted by: | Lena Staafgard |
| Description: | Special feature. Sustainable cotton. Assuring a renewable resource. |
| Link: | http://www.cotlook.com/index.php?action=content&content_id=69 |
| Author: | Cotlook |
| Year: | 2008 |
| Category: | Environmental & social aspects, Trade & Markets, Fair Trade, Control & Certification |
| Submitted by: | Andrea Bischof |
| Description: |
Insects expected to drop dead after feeding on genetically modified cotton plants have instead been found for the first time in India to be thriving and even successfully breeding on the plants. |
| Link: | http://www.telegraphindia.com/1101212/jsp/frontpage/story_13290179.jsp# |
| File: | Download file (25659 Bytes) |
| Author: | Telegraphindia |
| Year: | 2010 |
| Category: | Environmental & social aspects, Farming Aspects |
| Submitted by: | Andrea Bischof |
| Description: |
This platform aims to improve access to and availability of GOTS-compliant chemical products for organic textile manufacturers. The system includes more than 1000 dyestuff- and pigment preparations and over 1500 textile auxiliaries from many different suppliers. All products have been approved by the Institute for Marketecology (IMO) according to the Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS). |
| Link: | http://www.gots-positivelist.imo.ch/ |
| Author: | IMO |
| Year: | 2010 |
| Category: | Control & Certification |
| Submitted by: | Andrea Bischof |
| Description: | Summary of the e-discussion about "access to finance for organic cotton projects" (20th September - 17th October 2010) in English and French (no Spanish translation so far). |
| File: | Download file (31876 Bytes) |
| Author: | Andrea Bischof |
| Year: | 2010 |
| Category: | Other |
| Submitted by: | Andrea Bischof |
| Description: |
Issues surrounding the use of genetically modified (GM) technology within the clothing and textile industries have been outlined in a new document released by the UK not-for-profit organisation the RITE Group. The timely document comes after several leading European retailers were caught out earlier this year when it was discovered that the certified organic cotton garments they were selling in-store were actually made from GM cotton fibre. |
| Link: | http://www.ritegroup.org/pdf/RITE%20booklet_lowres.pdf |
| Author: | RITE, MCL global |
| Year: | 2010 |
| Category: | Environmental & social aspects |
| Submitted by: | Andrea Bischof |
| Description: | This factsheet introduces sheanuts. The nuts available for organic cotton farmers and are suitable to achieve an additional income for them. |
| Link: | http://www.pan-germany.org/deu/projekte/cotton_connection/aktuell/publikationen.html |
| File: | Download file (298871 Bytes) |
| Author: | PAN Germany & PAN UK |
| Year: | 2009 |
| Category: | Environmental & social aspects, Rotation crops |
| Submitted by: | Alexandra Perschau |
| Description: | This factsheet introduces cashew nuts as food crops available in organic cotton farming systems in West Africa. |
| Link: | http://www.pan-germany.org/deu/projekte/cotton_connection/aktuell/publikationen.html |
| File: | Download file (316858 Bytes) |
| Author: | PAN Germany & PAN UK |
| Year: | 2009 |
| Category: | Environmental & social aspects, Rotation crops |
| Submitted by: | Alexandra Perschau |
| Description: | This factsheet introduces sesame as food crop grown in organic cotton farming systems in West Africa. |
| Link: | http://www.pan-germany.org/deu/projekte/cotton_connection/aktuell/publikationen.html |
| File: | Download file (486934 Bytes) |
| Author: | PAN Germany & PAN UK |
| Year: | 2009 |
| Category: | Environmental & social aspects, Rotation crops |
| Submitted by: | Alexandra Perschau |
| Description: | This factsheet introduces bissap - better known ouside Senegal as hibiscus - as food crop grown in organic cotton farming systems in West Africa. |
| Link: | http://www.pan-germany.org/deu/projekte/cotton_connection/aktuell/publikationen.html |
| File: | Download file (298827 Bytes) |
| Author: | PAN Germany & PAN UK |
| Year: | 2009 |
| Category: | Environmental & social aspects, Rotation crops |
| Submitted by: | Alexandra Perschau |
| Description: | This factsheet introduces fonio, a low in gluten cereal, as an example of food crops grown in organic cotton farming systems in West Africa |
| Link: | http://www.pan-germany.org/deu/projekte/cotton_connection/aktuell/publikationen.html |
| File: | Download file (365971 Bytes) |
| Author: | PAN Germany & PAN UK |
| Year: | 2009 |
| Category: | Environmental & social aspects, Rotation crops |
| Submitted by: | Alexandra Perschau |
| Description: | This briefing explores som of the livelihood and income generating issues for African organic cotton farmers and the different opportunities to improve their family income and welfare by gathering better market reward for food crops grown as part of the organic cotton rotation. |
| Link: | http://www.pan-germany.org/deu/projekte/cotton_connection/aktuell/publikationen.html |
| File: | Download file (1163210 Bytes) |
| Author: | PAN Germany & PAN UK |
| Year: | 2010 |
| Category: | Environmental & social aspects, Rotation crops |
| Submitted by: | Alexandra Perschau |
| Description: | This leaflet introduces the potential of rotation crops to contribute to the economic well-being of organic cotton farmers. |
| Link: | http://www.pan-germany.org/deu/projekte/cotton_connection/aktuell/publikationen.html |
| File: | Download file (513306 Bytes) |
| Author: | PAN Germany & PAN UK |
| Year: | 2009 |
| Category: | Environmental & social aspects, Rotation crops |
| Submitted by: | Alexandra Perschau |
| Description: |
(June 2010) In recent months, a group of specialists in the cotton industry have studied ways of delivering pragmatic and transparent processes and recommendations which will help to further strengthen efforts for the prevention of contamination of organic cotton in countries where the cultivation of GMO cotton is common. Specialists from organic cotton projects, certification bodies, academics and supply chain managers have elaborated a guidance document which explains the Do\'s and Don\'ts for maintaining high standards for non-contamination, via simple protocols from seed to bale, in line with International organic farming regulations. The content provided in this document will remain the intellectual property of C&A which has sponsored the study. However, it has been decided to publish the results in the public domain, allowing more general use and reference for the benefit of the wider organic cotton community, and in order to further strengthen the integrity of organic cotton. |
| File: | Download file (245953 Bytes) |
| Author: | C&A, Helvetas, Organic Exchange, Cotton Connect |
| Year: | 2010 |
| Category: | Environmental & social aspects, Farming Aspects, Control & Certification |
| Submitted by: | Andrea Bischof |
| Description: |
Picking GE Cotton: a pricy move for Indian cotton farmers. The choice between organic and genetically-engineered cotton for farmers in South India. Greenpeace documents the experiences of farmers in Andhra Pradesh, one of the biggest cotton growing states in India. |
| Link: | http://www.greenpeace.org/international/en/news/Blogs/makingwaves/picking-ge-cotton-a-pricy-move-for-indian-cot/ |
| Author: | Greenpeace |
| Year: | 2010 |
| Category: | Environmental & social aspects, Farming Aspects |
| Submitted by: | Andrea Bischof |
| Description: | Greenpeace report which says that farming organic cotton in India is more profitable than growing genetically engineered varieties of cotton because of the higher input costs of GM and a greater potential for debt accumulation. |
| Link: | http://www.greenpeace.org/international/Global/international/publications |
| File: | Download file (1536286 Bytes) |
| Author: | Greenpeace |
| Year: | 2010 |
| Category: | Environmental & social aspects, Farming Aspects, Other |
| Submitted by: | Andrea Bischof |
| Description: | The training manual contains a collection of slides, a brief summary of the key learnings to be conveyed for each topic, and recommendations for an interactive approach to cover the topic in a training program. Slides are available as ppt-files from info@organicandfair.org (for free). |
| File: | Download file (7797804 Bytes) |
| Author: | Frank Eyhorn |
| Year: | 2003 |
| Category: | Farming Aspects |
| Submitted by: | Frank Eyhorn |
| Description: | MSc thesis at Hohenheim University, Stuttgart, Germany on how seed security can be achieved for organic cotton projects in two states of India: Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka. |
| File: | Download file (2150038 Bytes) |
| Author: | Noémi Nemes |
| Year: | 2010 |
| Category: | Environmental & social aspects, Farming Aspects |
| Submitted by: | Noemi Nemes |
| Description: | Summary of the e-discussion about "Sourcing options for small brands & young designers" (29th March - 23rd April 2010) in English, French and Spanish. |
| File: | Download file (32911 Bytes) |
| Author: | Andrea Bischof, Organic & Fairtrade Competence Center |
| Year: | 2010 |
| Category: | Trade & Markets |
| Submitted by: | Andrea Bischof |
| Description: | Summary of the e-discussion about "ensuring integrity in the organic cotton value chain" (7th February - 16th March 2010) in French and English. |
| File: | Download file (28588 Bytes) |
| Author: | Andrea Bischof, Organic & Fairtrade Competence Center |
| Year: | 2010 |
| Category: | Value chain |
| Submitted by: | Andrea Bischof |
| Description: | Summary of the e-discussion about "water consumption in organic cotton production" (17th August - 16th October 2009) in French and English. |
| File: | Download file (113118 Bytes) |
| Author: | Andrea Bischof, Organic & Fairtrade Competence Center |
| Year: | 2009 |
| Category: | Environmental & social aspects, Farming Aspects |
| Submitted by: | Andrea Bischof |
| Description: |
This annual Organic Exchange report provides: - The Global context of cotton production and challenges - Organic cotton production and fiber markets 2008/09 - Overview of area and average yields with review of pricing - Regional profiles of organic cotton: India, Africa & Latin America - Changes in the market caused by growth and impacts - Clear and concrete steps that farmers, companies and other organizations can take to support the sustainable expansion of the global organic cotton supply - Estimates of future organic production trends Provided is the Executive Summary, the full report can be purchased at the provided link; OE Members recieve this full report as a membership benefit. |
| Link: | http://organicexchange.org/oecms/Organic-Exchange-Publications.html |
| File: | Download file (1150471 Bytes) |
| Author: | Organic Exchange |
| Year: | 2009 |
| Category: | Environmental & social aspects, Farming Aspects, Rotation crops |
| Submitted by: | Daren Abney |
| Description: |
The guide provides practical know-how and essential information for planning, managing and expanding organic businesses with groups of smallholders. Covering topics from designing production and internal control systems to business planning and marketing, it is a comprehensive reference book for organic entrepreneurs, cooperatives and facilitators. It draws on a wide range of practical examples and provides links to useful resources available on the internet. An interactive version is available at www.wikibooks.org |
| Link: | http://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Organic_Business_Guide |
| File: | Download file (5700725 Bytes) |
| Author: | Frank Eyhorn, Bo van Elzakker |
| Year: | 2010 |
| Category: | Environmental & social aspects, Trade & Markets, Fair Trade, Farming Aspects, Control & Certification, Processing, Rotation crops, Value chain |
| Submitted by: | Frank Eyhorn |
| Description: | A Summary of Issues and Gaps for Potential Action. |
| File: | Download file (84133 Bytes) |
| Author: | ICCO, Organic Exchange and Solidaridad |
| Year: | 2010 |
| Category: | Value chain |
| Submitted by: | Andrea Bischof |
| Description: | GOTS standard: organic fiber content as well as social and environmental requirements for final products. |
| Link: | http://www.global-standard.org |
| Author: | International Association Natural Textile Industry e.V. |
| Year: | 2009 |
| Category: | Control & Certification |
| Submitted by: | Andrea Bischof |
| Description: | explaining to brands and retailers what to look for and demand to ensure the organic integrity of their products (note that a separate one is being developed for supply chain members) |
| Link: | http://www.organicexchange.org/oecms/index.php?option=com_content&view=ar |
| Author: | Organic Exchange |
| Year: | 2008 |
| Category: | Control & Certification |
| Submitted by: | Andrea Bischof |
| Description: | OE standards: ensuring organic fiber content in final products. |
| Link: | http://www.organicexchange.org/oecms/index.php?option=com_content&view=ar |
| Author: | Organic Exchange |
| Year: | 2009 |
| Category: | Control & Certification |
| Submitted by: | Andrea Bischof |
| Description: | A selection of relevant irrigation resources available on the Internet. |
| Author: | Jens Soth, Organic & Fairtrade Competence Center |
| Year: | 2009 |
| Category: | Farming Aspects |
| Submitted by: | Andrea Bischof |
| Description: | This is the summary of the e-discussion about "seed availability for organic cotton production" (10th November - 1st December 2009) in French and English. |
| File: | Download file (28415 Bytes) |
| Author: | Andrea Bischof, Organic & Fairtrade Competence Center |
| Year: | 2009 |
| Category: | Farming Aspects |
| Submitted by: | Andrea Bischof |
| Description: |
Discussion paper about suicides of Indian farmers. A case study on the potential link between technological choices and farmer suicides in India. Although officially recognized for having increased production and farmers’ income, Bt cotton, genetically-modified, insect-resistant cotton, remains highly controversial in India. |
| File: | Download file (501124 Bytes) |
| Author: | IFPRI Guillaume P. Gruère, Purvi Mehta-Bhatt, Debdatta Sengupta |
| Year: | 2008 |
| Category: | Environmental & social aspects |
| Submitted by: | Andrea Bischof |
| Description: | In this article an Indian organic farmer and seed breeder argues that it is crucial for farmers to retain control over seeds, particularly in light of the increasing corporate grip on seeds, so as to restore agricultural biodiversity. |
| File: | Download file (1167284 Bytes) |
| Author: | Third World Resurgence no. 230 |
| Year: | 2009 |
| Category: | Farming Aspects |
| Submitted by: | Andrea Bischof |
| Description: | The aim of this guide is to support organizers of organic cotton projects in designing and setting up organic cotton production with smallholders, or in re-thinking existing projects. Recognizing that there are many possible ways and approaches in doing this, the guide wants to stimulate reflection and provide ideas rather than giving final answers and prescriptions. The guide does not deal with the processing of the cotton fibre and the trade of cotton products. |
| File: | Download file (1793302 Bytes) |
| Author: | Frank Eyhorn |
| Year: | 2005 |
| Category: | Environmental & social aspects, Fair Trade, Farming Aspects, Control & Certification, Rotation crops |
| Submitted by: | Andrea Bischof |
| Description: |
The handbook ”Sustainable cotton on the shelves” is a hands-on manual that is meant to help mainstream retailers to decide on, to source and to market sustainable cotton. Through concrete questions and straightforward answers, the handbook provides an overview of issues and trends in the production and marketing of sustainable cotton. The handbook ”Sustainable cotton on the shelves” is the outcome of a project run in the Netherlands by the retailers HEMA and de Bijenkorf, the Dutch association for large textile retailers (VGT), the NGOs Oxfam Novib and WWF, and the consultancy CREM. |
| Link: | http://www.crem.nl/main.php?page=266 |
| Author: | Pascale Guillou, CREM |
| Year: | 2009 |
| Category: | Environmental & social aspects, Trade & Markets, Fair Trade, Farming Aspects, Control & Certification, Value chain |
| Submitted by: | Guillou pascale |
| Description: | A recent scientific study carried out by Navdanya, compared the soil of fields where Bt-cotton had been planted for 3 years with adjoining fields with non GMO cotton or other crops. The region covered included Nagpur, Amravati and Wardha of Vidharbha which accounts for highest GMO cotton planting in India, and the highest rate of farmers suicides (4000 per year). |
| Link: | http://www.i-sis.org.uk/BtCottonKillsSoilandFarmers.php |
| Author: | Navdanya |
| Year: | 2009 |
| Category: | Environmental & social aspects |
| Submitted by: | Andrea Bischof |
| Description: |
In this catalogue 17 innovations for improving irrigation technologies in Kyrgyzstan are presented. The ideas for the technologies come from farmers and specialists from Kyrgyzstan, and from other countries. This document gives an overview, what possibilities farmers have to improve irrigation practices, with the objective to use natural resources more sustainable and at the same time to increase economical profit. |
| File: | Download file (3635045 Bytes) |
| Author: | Lydia Pluess, Christoph Studer, Roza Bekboeva, Talant Kadyraliev, |
| Year: | 2004 |
| Category: | Environmental & social aspects, Farming Aspects, Rotation crops |
| Submitted by: | Jens Soth |
| Description: | Summary of an impact study conducted by the University of Berne on the organic and fairtrade cotton project supported by Helvetas in Burkina Faso. |
| File: | Download file (613435 Bytes) |
| Author: | Helvetas / CDE |
| Year: | 2009 |
| Category: | Environmental & social aspects, Farming Aspects |
| Submitted by: | Frank Eyhorn |
| Description: | Chincha - Peru (empresa Oro Blanco) costa centro sur peruana |
| File: | Download file (1728896 Bytes) |
| Author: | Organic Exchange, Alfonso Lizzaraga |
| Year: | 2009 |
| Category: | Environmental & social aspects |
| Submitted by: | Andrea Bischof |
| Description: | The aim of this report is to assess the ‘water footprint’ of worldwide cotton consumption, entifying both the location and the character of the impacts. |
| File: | Download file (1672055 Bytes) |
| Author: | UNESCO-IHE, Institute for Water Education |
| Year: | 2005 |
| Category: | Environmental & social aspects |
| Submitted by: | Andrea Bischof |
| Description: | Procedure to estimate yields and harvests in organic cotton production for traceability and forecasting total production; based on the discussion in the Global Organic Cotton Community |
| File: | Download file (38912 Bytes) |
| Author: | Frank Eyhorn, OFTCC |
| Year: | 2009 |
| Category: | Farming Aspects |
| Submitted by: | Frank Eyhorn |
| Description: | Summary of the CoP discussion on harvest estimates in cotton, July-August 2009 |
| File: | Download file (11456 Bytes) |
| Author: | Frank Eyhorn, OFTCC |
| Year: | 2009 |
| Category: | Farming Aspects |
| Submitted by: | Frank Eyhorn |
| Description: | Template to develop a product description sheet that can be used to inform buyers about an organic product (e.g. cotton) on offer in an attractive way. The template contains the essential parameters a potential client needs to know. |
| File: | Download file (49152 Bytes) |
| Author: | Frank Eyhorn, OFTCC |
| Year: | 2009 |
| Category: | Trade & Markets |
| Submitted by: | Frank Eyhorn |
| Description: | This is the summary of the online discussion within the Global Organic Cotton Community about „How can we achieve that supply of organic cotton will match demand in this season 2009/10, and also in future?” The discussion took place from 22 June – 17th July 2009. |
| File: | Download file (34466 Bytes) |
| Author: | Andrea Bischof, Organic & Fairtrade Competence Center |
| Year: | 2009 |
| Category: | Trade & Markets |
| Submitted by: | Andrea Bischof |
| Description: |
A review of crops grown in rotation or as part of the organic cotton farm system |
| Author: | Organic Exchange |
| Year: | 2009 |
| Category: | Rotation crops |
| Submitted by: | Andrea Bischof |
| Description: |
The material flow perspective of organic cotton brings a lot of opportunities for companies to substantiate their credibility. Thus a clear target setting for the organic cotton material flow could bring in quantifiable indicators into either the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) activities or in the environmental (ISO14000ff) or social management system (SA 8000, AA 1000). |
| File: | Download file (47496 Bytes) |
| Author: | Jens Soth, Organic & Fairtrade Competence Center of Helvetas |
| Year: | 2009 |
| Category: | Trade & Markets, Value chain |
| Submitted by: | Andrea Bischof |
| Description: | Different pulses that are grown in rotation with cotton, displayed in a market in India |
| Author: | Frank Eyhorn |
| Year: | 2004 |
| Category: | Farming Aspects, Rotation crops |
| Submitted by: | Frank Eyhorn |
| Description: | Meeting of organic cotton farmers in Burkina Faso |
| Author: | Frank Eyhorn |
| Year: | 2007 |
| Category: | Environmental & social aspects, Farming Aspects |
| Submitted by: | Frank Eyhorn |
| Description: | Cajanus cajan, a typical rotation crop of cotton in India |
| Author: | Frank Eyhorn |
| Year: | 2004 |
| Category: | Rotation crops |
| Submitted by: | Frank Eyhorn |
| Description: | Cotton baling, bioRe India |
| Author: | Frank Eyhorn |
| Year: | 2004 |
| Category: | Processing |
| Submitted by: | Frank Eyhorn |
| Description: | Roll-ginners in the ginning factory of bioRe India |
| Author: | Frank Eyhorn |
| Year: | 2004 |
| Category: | Processing |
| Submitted by: | Frank Eyhorn |
| Description: | Heaps of organic raw cotton (seed cotton), bioRe project, India |
| Author: | Frank Eyhorn |
| Year: | 2004 |
| Category: | Farming Aspects, Processing |
| Submitted by: | Frank Eyhorn |
| Description: | Red cotton stainer nymphs, India |
| Author: | Frank Eyhorn |
| Year: | 2004 |
| Category: | Farming Aspects |
| Submitted by: | Frank Eyhorn |
| Description: | Covering compost heap with mud layer; bioRe project, India |
| Author: | Frank Eyhorn |
| Year: | 2004 |
| Category: | Farming Aspects |
| Submitted by: | Frank Eyhorn |
| Description: | Setting up a compost heap, bioRe project, India |
| Author: | Frank Eyhorn |
| Year: | 2004 |
| Category: | Farming Aspects |
| Submitted by: | Frank Eyhorn |
| Description: | Ingredients for preparing compost, bioRe project, India |
| Author: | Frank Eyhorn |
| Year: | 2004 |
| Category: | Farming Aspects |
| Submitted by: | Frank Eyhorn |
| Description: | Low-cost drip systems in cotton, bioRe project, India |
| Author: | Frank Eyhorn |
| Year: | 2004 |
| Category: | Farming Aspects |
| Submitted by: | Frank Eyhorn |
| Description: | Bullock-drawn weeder in cotton in India (bioRe project) |
| Author: | Frank Eyhorn |
| Year: | 2004 |
| Category: | Farming Aspects |
| Submitted by: | Frank Eyhorn |
| Description: | series of cotton bud, flower, pods, boll in India |
| Author: | Frank Eyhorn |
| Year: | 2004 |
| Category: | Farming Aspects |
| Submitted by: | Frank Eyhorn |
| Description: | Designed primarily as a reference manual for extension workers and farmers, the Organic Cotton Crop Guide provides comprehensive practical know-how on organic cotton production in the tropics. The guide covers all relevant aspects from soil preparation and variety selection over crop nutrition and pest management to the economic performance of organic cotton farming. |
| Link: | http://www.organiccotton.fibl.org |
| File: | Download file (1967354 Bytes) |
| Author: | FiBL / Frank Eyhorn |
| Year: | 2005 |
| Category: | Environmental & social aspects, Farming Aspects, Processing, Rotation crops |
| Submitted by: | Frank Eyhorn |
| Description: | Simplified form for internal inspections of (cotton) farms |
| File: | Download file (148480 Bytes) |
| Author: | Lazare Yombi / Frank Eyhorn, Helvetas |
| Year: | 2009 |
| Category: | Farming Aspects, Control & Certification |
| Submitted by: | Frank Eyhorn |
| Description: | Typical content of an operating manual covering the organisational set-up, main processes and ICS of a producer organisation or company. |
| File: | Download file (30720 Bytes) |
| Author: | Frank Eyhorn, Helvetas |
| Year: | 2009 |
| Category: | Farming Aspects, Control & Certification |
| Submitted by: | Frank Eyhorn |
| Description: | List of possible non-conformities with regard to internal regulations of cotton farms, with a respective system of sanctions (example from West-Africa). |
| File: | Download file (90112 Bytes) |
| Author: | Lazare Yombi / Frank Eyhorn, Helvetas |
| Year: | 2009 |
| Category: | Farming Aspects, Control & Certification |
| Submitted by: | Frank Eyhorn |
| Description: | A simple form for farmers and extension workers to record farm activity data for a specific crop (as part of the Internal Control System). |
| File: | Download file (80384 Bytes) |
| Author: | Lazare Yombi / Frank Eyhorn, Helvetas |
| Year: | 2009 |
| Category: | Farming Aspects, Control & Certification |
| Submitted by: | Frank Eyhorn |
| Description: | A simplified form to enter farm profile data, as part of the Internal Control System (ICS). |
| File: | Download file (102912 Bytes) |
| Author: | Lazare Yombi / Frank Eyhorn |
| Year: | 2009 |
| Category: | Farming Aspects, Control & Certification |
| Submitted by: | Frank Eyhorn |
| Description: | This simple excel-based tool helps you to plan production figures, costs and revenues over a period of time, and to calculate cost prices of your organic cotton and rotation crops. The tables need to be adapted to the respective situation. |
| File: | Download file (50688 Bytes) |
| Author: | Helvetas OFTCC (Frank Eyhorn) |
| Year: | 2009 |
| Category: | Trade & Markets, Value chain |
| Submitted by: | Frank Eyhorn |
| Description: | Cotton boll |
| Author: | Helvetas, Switzerland |
| Year: | 2007 |
| Category: | Other |
| Submitted by: | Andrea Bischof |
| Description: | G. barbadense |
| Author: | Helvetas |
| Year: | 2005 |
| Category: | Other |
| Submitted by: | Andrea Bischof |
| Description: | Two closed cotton boll |
| Author: | Helvetas, Switzerland |
| Year: | 2005 |
| Category: | Other |
| Submitted by: | Andrea Bischof |
| Description: | Blossom of the cotton |
| Author: | Helvetas, Switzerland |
| Year: | 2005 |
| Category: | Other |
| Submitted by: | Andrea Bischof |
| Description: |
Cotton production in the Central Asian Republic of Uzbekistan represents one of the most exploitative enterprises in the world. Up to one third of the country’s workforce is made to labour on cotton farms; denied ownership of the land they work, and forced to labour without reasonable wages they are unable to opt out of cotton cultivation – those who try are subject to violence, imprisonment and intimidation. Tens of thousands of children are forced to pick the cotton harvest each year. Crucially, the suffering caused by this industry comes at the hands of the government. It is the Uzbek state, not the country’s mafia that instigates the abuses connected to the production and sale of cotton turning its people in to a slave nation. |
| File: | Download file (1971112 Bytes) |
| Author: | Environmental Justice Foundation (EJF) |
| Year: | 2004 |
| Category: | Environmental & social aspects |
| Submitted by: | Andrea Bischof |
| Description: | Template of a memorandum of understandig regarding the partnership on producing and purchasing organic-fairtrade cotton. |
| File: | Download file (23712 Bytes) |
| Author: | Organic & Fairtrade Competence Centre of Helvetas |
| Year: | 2008 |
| Category: | Value chain |
| Submitted by: | Andrea Bischof |
| Description: | This document represents the fourth and final output in Phase II of a long-term collaborative effort between the Interchurch Organization for Development Cooperation (ICCO) and the Expert Center for Sustainable Business and Development Cooperation (ECSAD). This collaborative research project entitled Partnerships, Power and Equity in Global Commodity Chains” was initiated in 2004 with as its objective an enhanced understanding of the issues, processes and dynamics related to setting up international commodity chains aimed at improving market access for low-income farmer groups in the Third World. |
| Author: | ECSAD / ICCO, Muller et al. |
| Year: | 2005 |
| Category: | Trade & Markets, Value chain |
| Submitted by: | Andrea Bischof |
| Description: | Drawing on case studies from Benin, Senegal, Uganda, Tanzania and Zimbabwe, this paper argues that organic cotton has much to offer smallholder farmers in sub-Saharan Africa. |
| File: | Download file (136353 Bytes) |
| Author: | Ferrigno et al. |
| Year: | 2009 |
| Category: | Farming Aspects |
| Submitted by: | Andrea Bischof |
| Description: | The fairtrade standards for organic cotton from the Fairtrade Labelling Oragnizations (FLO). Version 2008. |
| File: | Download file (49512 Bytes) |
| Author: | Fairtrade Labelling Oragnizations International |
| Year: | 2009 |
| Category: | Control & Certification, Processing |
| Submitted by: | Andrea Bischof |
| Description: |
The cotton trade has been characterised as a “success story” in the developmental process of African countries. However, the agricultural subsidies that the developed nations provide to their cotton farmers have global trade-distorting effects. Not only do these subsidies reduce the income of the African cotton producers, but they also force them to use cultivation methods that harm the environment. |
| File: | Download file (170612 Bytes) |
| Author: | Submitted by |
| Year: | 2009 |
| Category: | Trade & Markets |
| Submitted by: | Andrea Bischof |
| Description: | Sustainable development project in India Organic and fair trade cotton |
| File: | Download file (4179810 Bytes) |
| Author: | Submitted by |
| Year: | 2009 |
| Category: | Environmental & social aspects |
| Submitted by: | Andrea Bischof |
| Description: | Designed primarily as a reference manual for extension workers and farmers, the Organic Cotton Crop Guide provides comprehensive practical know-how on organic cotton production in the tropics. The guide covers all relevant aspects from soil preparation and variety selection over crop nutrition and pest management to the economic performance of organic cotton farming. |
| Link: | https://www.fibl-shop.org/english/shop/article/1388-cotton-guide.html |
| Author: | Submitted by |
| Year: | 2009 |
| Category: | Control & Certification |
| Submitted by: | Andrea Bischof |
| Description: | Designed primarily as a reference manual for extension workers and farmers, the Organic Cotton Crop Guide provides comprehensive practical know-how on organic cotton production in the tropics. The guide covers all relevant aspects from soil preparation and variety selection over crop nutrition and pest management to the economic performance of organic cotton farming. |
| Link: | https://www.fibl-shop.org/english/shop/article/1388-cotton-guide.html |
| Author: | Submitted by |
| Year: | 2009 |
| Category: | Environmental & social aspects |
| Submitted by: | Andrea Bischof |
| Description: | Abstract: The certified organic cotton supply chain is compared to the conventional cotton supply chain in Mali. The most important differences between the two supply chains are highlighted in this study. Switching to organic production may offer a range of potential advantages to cotton farmers, including lower expenses for farm inputs, healthier soils, diverse sources of income, and higher prices. A comparison of the gross margins of both production methods indicates that Mali organic cotton may be able to offer higher gross margins than conventional cotton farming. |
| File: | Download file (379049 Bytes) |
| Author: | Submitted by |
| Year: | 2009 |
| Category: | Environmental & social aspects |
| Submitted by: | Andrea Bischof |
next e-discussion in preparation....
Any suggestion for a topic to discuss? Just get in touch with info@organiccotton.org
Business Models: January 15 - February 20, 2013 (summary in the library)
Access for registered members only
This platform is a joint project by ICCO, SECO, Textile Exchange and HELVETAS Swiss Intercooperation. For any queries please contact: info@organiccotton.org.