The event saw participation from over 80 stakeholders, including local partner teams, who were equipped with knowledge on greenhouse gas emissions (GHGs) assessment and reduction strategies in agricultural settings.
Various local partners including SEWA, MYRADA-CIDOR, and others committed to sustainable development and empowerment initiatives within agricultural communities took part.
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The training featured ICAC chief scientist Dr Keshav Kranthi and was attended by executive director Eric Trachtenberg.
Participants engaged in workshops and lectures designed to deepen their understanding of the impact of GHGs on climate change and crop production.
Eric Trachtenberg said: “There are many reasons that cotton is a global public good, from poverty alleviation to women’s empowerment to its ability to biodegrade. But cotton’s remarkable ability to absorb and sequester cotton is as important a reason as any of them, and working on this regenerative agriculture project with CottonConnect has made it clear that farmers on the front lines in the fight against climate change.”
The curriculum covered methodologies for measuring and reporting emissions, exploring carbon credits, and implementing effective carbon capture techniques such as using biochar, promoting soil microbial health, planting cover crops, and minimising soil disturbance through reduced tillage practices.
This initiative is part of CottonConnect’s ongoing efforts to disseminate global scientific advancements to rural communities. It is particularly significant for women and girls who constitute nearly half of the world’s cotton farming population.
CottonConnect CEO Alison Ward said: “At CottonConnect we are committed to bridging the gap between global scientific knowledge and rural farming communities. Through training sessions, such as this one with the ICAC, we can ensure that the latest, cutting-edge agricultural insights reach those on the ground, empowering cotton farmers to adopt sustainable and regenerative practices that benefit the environment as well as create a more resilient future for themselves.
“Within this, we particularly recognise the vital role of women farmers, who are disproportionately affected by climate change, in driving positive climate action. By placing them at the forefront of these efforts, we support their leadership in building climate-smart farming communities.”
The event also emphasised the significance of adopting regenerative farming methods to help the sector advance towards net zero emissions.
“Our road to net zero starts by acknowledging the part that agriculture plays in shaping our environment. As one of the world’s most widely grown crops, cotton offers a unique opportunity to reduce the industry’s carbon footprint. We were delighted to speak with CottonConnect’s local partners on the subject, as we have seen the value of these training sessions first-hand,” said Dr Keshav Kranthi.
In a previous 2023 workshop on regenerative agriculture hosted by ICAC and CottonConnect, around 2,300 master trainers received instruction in biochar preparation and application across India. This resulted in 1,200 successful biochar demonstration projects with cotton farmers.
