By the means of a close collaboration between the Indian organic cotton organisation bioRe India and chetna organics, with respectively 4300 and 1200 smallholder farmers, as well as the University Dharwad and the Research Institute of Organic Agriculture (FiBL), a decentralized cotton breeding is build. This cotton breeding aims to stay genetic-free and consistent with the needs of ecological and low-input cultivation.
During an innovative and transdisciplinary approach, smallholder farmers, breeders, researchers, cultivation advisors, spinning and textile companies are integrated into the process and actively participating from the beginning.
The main goal of the coordinated cooperation is to enable smallholder farmers to cover their seed demands for a sustainable production of organic cotton and thus re-establish and increase the organic cultivation sites in India. In the long-term smallholder farmers should once more establish their seed sovereignty.
The Green Cotton Project started in 2013 and resumed directly at the work in the seed sector between bioRe India, the University Dharwad and FiBL, which started in 2011. Due to the financial support from the Corymbo foundation, Tina Roner was able to build up important capacities during her Master thesis about participatory cotton breeding at bioRe India in 2011/12. Continuing in 2012/13, the main focus has been put on the establishment of On-Station varieties trials to identify the main cotton varieties that are suitable for organic cultivation (financed by the Corymbo foundation and bioRe foundation). In addition to the variety testing under local conditions, the Green Cotton Project also breeds new varieties.
Further Information:
- Participatory Cotton Breeding and Cultivar Evaluation for Organic Smallholders in India (Organic World Congress)
- Participatory research_an efficient tool to empower farmers and foster innovation (Press Release FiBL)
- Organizations advancing cotton sustainability (Textile Exchange)
- Importance of safeguarding non-GM seeds for the Future of Organic Cotton (Round Table for Organic Cotton)
- Cotton seeds research project in India (fibre2fashion)
- Participatory Cotton Breeding for Organic and Low Input Farming (Tropentag)