Dec 09, 2024 (MarketLine via COMTEX) --
TA 1/4rkiye is celebrated for its sustainable apparel manufacturing and given it is also the world's seventh largest producer of cotton it now has a unique opportunity to shift towards regenerative cotton farming.
Social enterprise CottonConnect explains TA 1/4rkiye is an attractive market for fashion sourcing executives due to clothing and textiles accounting for 6% of the country's GDP. It also boasts being the second-biggest textile supplier to the EU and the sixth-largest textile and apparel exporter to the world.
The country has the extra benefit of being in the world's seventh largest cotton producer, however CottonConnect notes it "faces a considerable gap in its domestic cotton production".
A recent roundtable, which featured CottonConnect and other stakeholders, including Turkish government officials, industry experts, local partners, manufacturers, brands and academics discussed the benefits of regenerative cotton for the country as well as the challenges.
Overall, the consensus was TA 1/4rkiye could lead the way in transitioning to regenerative cotton farming practices.
What are the key benefits of regenerative cotton farming? Regenerative cotton practices enhance biodiversity, restore soil health, and improve water retention. This is critical for mitigating the impacts of climate changeand securing long-term agricultural sustainability and the long-term sustainability of the cotton sector itself.
Four key challenges facing TA 1/4rkiye's cotton sector The roundtable agreed there are a number of challenges that TA 1/4rkiye will need to address through innovative, sustainable approaches to ensure a resilient cotton sector in future, which includes:
Soil Health
Conventional farming practices, including heavy pesticide use, have impacted the soil health in cotton-growing regions. The depletion of organic matter and poor water retention is reducing yields and threatening long-term land productivity.
Impact of climate change
Climate change has introduced erratic weather patterns, resulting in unpredictable rainfall and prolonged dry spells. Many cotton-producing regions in TA 1/4rkiye face severe water shortages, making irrigation a challenge. In certain areas, farmers are only able to irrigate twice during the growing season.
With the changing climate, pests and diseases are becoming increasingly problematic for cotton farmers. The surge in pest populations threatens to undermine yields and increase the need for chemical interventions.
Knowledge gap
While government subsidies exist to support sustainable transitions, awareness among farmers about these subsidies is limited. Greater collaboration between brands, government, and local partners could help promote these resources, encouraging farmers to adopt regenerative and sustainable practices. Although farmers in TA 1/4rkiye are aware of the new technologies, it is important to raise their knowledge about the importance of biodiversity and other natural resources and their effective utilisation and management as a tool for regeneration.
Socio economic conditions
Large-scale and smallholder farmers face significant disparities in access to resources including technical expertise and financial support. There is also a generational gap, with older farmers tending to adapt more easily to regenerative practices as they are more akin to traditional farming methods, while younger farmers are less familiar with these techniques and can struggle to transition. A dissemination method utilising trusted aEUR~lead farmersaEUR(TM) from older generations could address this.
Three key ways to promote regenerative cotton farming The industry experts suggest TA 1/4rkiye will be able to speed up its transition to regenerative cotton farming by taking a multi-faced approach. This includes a combination of government initiatives, private sector engagements and innovation, as well as farmer education and support.
Government initiatives
Implementing supportive policies, including subsidies, and low-interest loans will incentivise farmers to adopt regenerative practices, particularly in the early stageswhen yields may be lower compared to conventional farming methods.
Invest in comprehensive training programmes for farmers covering topics such as soil health, water conservation, and biodiversity.
Fund research to develop innovative technologies and practices that can improve the efficiency and sustainability of cotton production.
Establish robust certification and traceability systems to ensure the authenticity of sustainably produced cotton and enhance market access.
Private sector engagement
Encourage private sector companies to provide support in developing, adoption and promotion of innovative technologies/practices such as precision agriculture, IoT,and AI through extensive demonstration to optimise resource use and to reduce environmental impacts.
Foster partnerships between the public and private sectors to share knowledge, resources, and best practices.
Work with suppliers and retailers to create sustainable supply chains that prioritise regenerative cotton.
Encourage brands and the fashion industry in general to promote the benefits of regenerative products to consumers, helping to drive greater demand and achieve a premium for farmers.
Farmer empowerment
Facilitate knowledge exchange among farmers through workshops, field demonstrations, and peer-to-peer learning.
Provide farmers with the tools and skills needed to implement regenerative practices, such as soil testing, water management, and crop rotation.
Connect farmers to sustainable markets and provide support in accessing fair prices for their products.
What's next for TA 1/4rkiye's regenerative cotton sector?CottonConnect says TA 1/4rkiye has the potential to "significantly contribute to global sustainable cotton production".
CottonConnect has already been working in TA 1/4rkiye on a pilot regenerative cotton programme called REEL with 30 farmers in the Nazilli region, Aydin. The programme has shown the transformations that regenerative practices can bring into the agroecosystem.
CottonConnect is adapting to regenerative cotton in TA 1/4rkiye by localising the REEL Regenerative Code to the specific needs and conditions of Turkish cotton farming,engaging with farming communities to educate farmers about regenerative practices and using scientific principles to optimise input use and improveon-farm management.
CottonConnect's CEO Alison Ward explains: "By prioritising education, financial support, collaboration and impact monitoring, TA 1/4rkiye can accelerate the adoption of regenerative cotton farming to help ensure the long-term sustainability of the cotton sector.
"Through initiatives such as our REEL Regenerative Code, we look forward to continuing to work with the Turkish government, local farmers and global brands to make regenerative farming a reality for more farms."
Earlier this year Ward told Just Style in an exclusive interview that fashion brands should focus on regenerative agriculture combined with traceability and accountability to secure a more sustainable future for the industry.
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