Climate-smart cotton solutions

Pakistan is one of the world’s top five cotton producers, and cotton farming provides a living for more than 1.5 million families. But cotton is a crop with serious environmental impacts caused by agrochemicals (especially pesticides), high water consumption and soil health degradation. Cotton farmers in Pakistan are also increasingly feeling the effects of climate change, with unpredictable, irregular weather patterns and extreme heat resulting in increasing water scarcity and shorter growing seasons. Changing climate conditions are bringing more pests too, making farmers increasingly reliant on pesticides. High input costs and low market prices for Pakistani cotton leave many smallholders struggling to earn enough to support their families.

WWF and IKEA have been working together to improve cotton farming practices in Pakistan since 2005. We’re continuing to support the cotton sector to become more socially, economically and environmentally sustainable. We promote sustainable business solutions for the cotton supply chain to increase profits for smallholders, while mitigating the impacts of climate change and enhancing biodiversity in cotton growing regions.

What we’re doing

Promoting climate-smart solutions

Pakistan is among the 10 countries most affected by climate change. Its economy is mostly based on agriculture, but unsustainable farming practices directly contribute to climate change. WWF and IKEA are building capacity for farmers to adopt carbon-smart solutions. As well as reducing greenhouse gas emissions, carbon-smart solutions improve farmers’ lives and livelihoods by enhancing crop productivity, reducing expensive inputs and improving food security.

Collaborating with partners

We’re engaging and building partnerships with a wide variety of stakeholders. Government institutions, private organizations, academia, research institutions, the state agriculture extension department and technology providers are all participating in making the cotton sector more sustainable, bringing their specialist knowledge and expertise.

Increasing forest cover

Agroforestry is the best way forward when it comes to expanding forest cover while maintaining traditional cotton cultivation. Integrating indigenous trees into cotton landscapes makes the agricultural system more effective: it provides multiple ecological and environmental services, such as biodiversity conservation and carbon sequestration, as well as preventing soil erosion and improving soil fertility. The trees also provide communities with wood for fuel, fruits and a source of income, without affecting the cotton and other crops they grow.

Conserving biodiversity in agricultural landscapes

Biodiversity and farming are closely interrelated. Ecosystem services such as soil fertility, natural pest control and pollination are essential to produce cotton crops, while conserving genetic diversity improves resilience. WWF and IKEA are promoting sustainable solutions among farming communities to conserve biodiversity and minimize negative impacts on nature.

Empowering women and improving family livelihoods

Women in rural Pakistan play a crucial role in feeding and financially supporting their families, managing natural resources and strengthening resilience against climate change. WWF and IKEA are seeking to reach 10,000 families by empowering female farm workers to improve their livelihoods. This includes training in beekeeping, silk farming, and establishing and managing food gardens and micro-nurseries. So far, more than 1,200 women have participated in the training sessions, enabling them to earn additional income for their families.

Driving sustainable business solutions

Under the WWF and IKEA partnership, we’re supporting farmers and small businesses in the cotton supply chain in Pakistan to increase the value of their products. We’re helping to reduce waste and contamination in harvest and post-harvest practices, and introducing smart practices for ginning – the process of separating the cotton fibres from the cotton seed. We aim to support at least 20 ginning factories to improve their energy efficiency and production practices during this phase of the partnership. In addition, in an effort to promote sustainable trade, we’ve created a digital trading platform connecting farmers and supply chain companies, which currently has more than 1,000 users.

For more information

Zernash Ehtisham
Programme Manager – Cotton
zehtisham@wwf.org.pk

 

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