Transcript Simon Ferrigno

The importance of a sustainable farm
system to a successful fashion industry
Simon Ferrigno
Consultant
Sustainable & Organic Farm Systems
Texworld forum
In search of organic and other sustainable textiles
September 15 2010
Simon Ferrigno - sustainable & organic farm systems
Cotton: zero to...?
Cotton remains one of the most important fibres in the world:
35% of textiles market and global production in 2010/11 of 25.3
million tonnes
However, many sustainable options are now
Itavailable
is the most important natural fibre (2/3 of total)
Cotton's use of pesticides has declined, however, serious
challenges remain including:
Water use, land use, soil fertility, use of chemicals,
energy/GHGs, etc.
Texworld, Paris - www.sustainableorganicfarmsystems.co.uk - 15-09-2010
Introducing Better Cotton
September 15 2010
Texworld, Paris - www.sustainableorganicfarmsystems.co.uk - 15-09-2010
BCI is a multi-stakeholder initiative - from
producer to retailer – to reduce the damaging
environmental and social consequences of
cotton production.
www.bettercotton.org
Goals
To demonstrate the inherent benefits of Better Cotton
production, particularly the financial profitability for farmers
To reduce the impact of water and pesticide use on human
and environmental health
To improve soil health and biodiversity
To promote Decent Work for farming communities and cotton
farm workers
To facilitate global knowledge exchange on more sustainable
cotton production
To increase the traceability along the cotton supply chain
www.bettercotton.org
Target: 300,000 tonnes by 2012 (1.3% global
cotton)
BCI members already account for 4% of global
cotton production
2010:
India: 30,000 farmers, 37,000 hectares
Pakistan: 50,000 farmers, 164,00 farmers
Brazil: 150 farmers, 27,000 hectares
West Africa: 5,000 farmers, 13,200 hectares
www.bettercotton.org
BCI, organic and Fairtrade
BCI complements, rather than competes with, existing initiatives such
as Fairtrade and organic cotton.
All three are working to increase the amount of environmentally and
socially sustainable cotton.
BCI is focused on the long-term transformation of the mass market,
making smaller improvements on a larger scale
BCI will not use a labelling scheme and there will be no fixed
premium for Better Cotton.
BCI is actively working towards aligned activities with Fairtrade and
organic
www.bettercotton.org
However...
Sustainability is not just about which system, but
also how you implement the system...
Texworld, Paris - www.sustainableorganicfarmsystems.co.uk - 15-09-2010
The farm is the core and foundation of the
cotton value chain
Natural resources: land, soil, water,
energy
Farm/Farmers
Primary
Marketing &
support
Value Chain
Marketing &
Retail
Consumers
Texworld, Paris - www.sustainableorganicfarmsystems.co.uk - 15-09-2010
An example of a sustainable fibre value chain
and support services
Texworld, Paris - www.sustainableorganicfarmsystems.co.uk - 15-09-2010
On the farm
Beneficial and harmful organisms
(fungus, mites, insect, birds, mammals and others)
water
Seeds
Association
energy
Food
- Beans
- Maize
Animals
Bees and Honey
Cows and goats
Cash
- Sesame
Crop Rotation
Food
- Maize
- Beans
- Lentil
- Vegetables
COTTON
Cash
- Sesame
- Groundnut
- Soya
- Sweet
potato
Sun
Periphery
Border
(useful plants)
Chemicals
Food
- Cassava
- Carob
- Sunflower
Cash
- Coffee
- Banana
- Mango
Soil
(fungus, lichens, mites, insects, and others)
Texworld, Paris - www.sustainableorganicfarmsystems.co.uk - 15-09-2010
Fertiliser
Inputs to the farm system: water – labour –
seed – finance – inputs – training – land – soil
– biodiversity -
Outputs from the farm system: fibre – food
– water – pollution – money – soil
degradation – loss of resources – social
change/issues -
Extractive systems
- deplete soils through poor
management
- increase poverty through
poor productivity, low prices,
high costs, labour exploitation
- pollute land, air and water
through improper chemical
use
Constructive systems
- train people
- study and balance
agronomy, productivity,
people and planet
- reduce water use
- build soil fertility
- invest in research,
development e.g., improved
varieties
Texworld, Paris - www.sustainableorganicfarmsystems.co.uk - 15-09-2010
Good systems
Resilient (food,
Innovative
education, health,
ecosystem,
water...
(research and
development)
Productive
(good varieties,
good soils, etc.)
Supported (training,
investment, fair
returns, fair wages
and practices...)
Long-term (contracts,
relationships,
partnerships)
Texworld, Paris - www.sustainableorganicfarmsystems.co.uk - 15-09-2010
Costs and benefits for brands
Costs
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Certification
Traceability
Premium or fair prices
More expensive if potentially
higher quality raw material
Poor economies of scale (at
beginning)
CSR costs
Monitoring
Management
Farmer support/investment
Benefits
Shorter value chain
Better quality management
Traceable product
Positive stories from farming =
communication
Fewer intermediaries (=fewer
commissions)
More productivity
More efficiency
Lower footprints including costs of
water and energy
Closer management
Texworld, Paris - www.sustainableorganicfarmsystems.co.uk - 15-09-2010
What system for me?
Ask the right question for you business, e.g.,
A strong consumer message (organic, Fairtrade)?
Or a combination of all options?
Partnership with a movement (Fairtrade)
Wide change across sourcing chain (BCI)
Texworld, Paris - www.sustainableorganicfarmsystems.co.uk - 15-09-2010
What system for me?
Verifiable
Traceable
Calculated: impacts, positives versus
negatives
Think of products and where there is
room for manoeuvre in margins
Organic or FT good consumer facing
options or even loss leaders,
while...
BCI addresses the wider product
mix and addresses the awkward
question: and what about the rest
of your cotton?
Adapted to business size: an
SME, niche or high end brand
might be able to do 100% of
organic and/or FT
A larger business might need a
mixture
Texworld, Paris - www.sustainableorganicfarmsystems.co.uk - 15-09-2010
Conclusion
Get help and collaborate:
NGOs
Trade Bodies
Experts
Existing programmes
…
Thank you.
Simon Ferrigno
+44 1843 845 919
+44 7940 462 311
Skype: simon_ferrigno
[email protected]
[email protected]
Texworld, Paris - www.sustainableorganicfarmsystems.co.uk - 15-09-2010