Better Cotton shares successes & challenges in 2021 Annual Report

Over 2.2 million licensed farmers in 24 countries grew 4.7 million tonnes of Better Cotton - this accounted for 20 per cent of global cotton production and Better Cotton's membership base surpassed 2,400 members in 63 countries. Retailer and brand members sourced 2.5 million tonnes of Better Cotton - accounting for 10 per cent of global cotton production.

The report also talks about the launch of the ambitious 2030 Strategy, the organisation’s rebrand, Better Cotton's financials and governance, and key focus areas and priorities for Better Cotton in 2021, sharing the developments it has made so far and plans to 2030.

As well as agriculture having a role to play in reducing emissions, it also has the potential to store large quantities of atmospheric carbon in the soil. In 2021, Better Cotton launched its climate mitigation target: by 2030, it aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions per tonne of Better Cotton produced by 50 per cent (compared to 2017 baseline).

The organisations also developed a comprehensive four-year activity plan and detailed budget for introducing traceability into the Better Cotton network. Its top priority is to find ways to make this work in a way that delivers what consumers want in terms of traceability and what farmers need to achieve a thriving market.

In 2021, Better Cotton invested time and resources into research to better understand what farmers need and want, whether Better Cotton is delivering on this, and how it can further improve its offering for farmers and their communities.

"We can all agree that 2021 was a challenging year, amid the COVID-19 pandemic, and growing climate and biodiversity challenges. However, we remained steadfast in our commitment and purpose to promote more sustainable cotton production. Of the year’s many highlights, I’m proud to share that the Better Cotton programme continued to grow and deliver impact where it mattered most, and as of 2021, we can say that Better Cotton is mainstream – representing more than 20 per cent of global cotton production,” said Alan McClay, CEO, Better Cotton.

ALCHEMPro News Desk (KD)