A key finding from the report is drawn from the Life Cycle Assessment (LCA), which examined the effects of sustainable farming practices implemented under the REEL Cotton Programme on greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.
The LCA revealed that by cutting down on chemical fertilisers, lowering water usage, and implementing new irrigation techniques, farmers could achieve a potential 35% reduction in CO2 equivalent emissions.
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REEL Cotton Programme’s achievements for the year 2023-24 include
· A reduction of chemical pesticide usage by 21.4%
· A 17.5% cutback in chemical fertiliser application
· A 21.9% drop in water consumption.
The company says that these practices not only safeguard environmental ecosystems but also enhance cotton farmers’ incomes through lower input costs and increased crop yields.
Reel regenerative
CottonConnect has furthered its commitment to regenerative agriculture by establishing the REEL Regenerative Centre of Excellence across various markets in 2022-23 to test and assess the outcome of regenerative cotton farming. This initiative has successfully educated over 250,000 farmers in regenerative techniques, yielding significant environmental improvements in 2023-24.
An example from India’s REEL Regenerative programme showed a 41% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions when compared to traditional farms.
The organisation has reached a milestone by training more than 800,000 farmers to date. The Impact Report 2024 also marks the first inclusion of programme results from Türkiye, reflecting CottonConnect’s recent expansion into this new region.
Cottonconnect’s initiatives on women’s empowerment goal
For over ten years, CottonConnect has been championing gender and social equality through its Women in Cotton programme.
This initiative has empowered over 270,000 women in 2023-24 alone, providing them with essential education in literacy, numeracy, and health and safety. The programme targets 500,000 participants by 2030.
Through the Women Climate Change Ambassadors Programme, CottonConnect also trained over 1,200 women farmers in climate-resilient farming methods that maintain yield and profitability while reducing reliance on chemical fertilisers and pesticides.
CottonConnect has already met its 2025 goal for complete traceability within the REEL Cotton supply chain ahead of schedule, showcasing its dedication to transparency and sustainable practices.
As per the report, the cotton consultancy achieved the target by recording cotton transactions along the supply chain in its own TraceBale software tool.
The tool traced 193,468 MT lint cotton in 2023-24.
CottonConnect CEO Alison Ward said: “We have seen first-hand the impact of climate change on some of the most vulnerable in the supply chain, and the time for action has never been more urgent. We now have data that shows the significant potential of our farm level programs in climate change mitigation. We hope to encourage and help others in the textile industry to work on increasing responsible production by supporting smallholder farmers in adopting our REEL practices.”
