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Better Cotton in South Africa

Update – August 2023: Cotton SA and Better Cotton have jointly announced the temporary suspension of the Better Cotton Programme in South Africa. Read more below.

Update on the Better Cotton Programme in South Africa – August 2023

Cotton SA and Better Cotton jointly announce the temporary suspension of the Better Cotton Programme in South Africa. Cotton SA funded the Better Cotton Programme activities in South Africa from willing contributions collected from farmers in South Africa who were participating in the implementation of the Better Cotton Standard System in order to sell their cotton as licensed Better Cotton. These funds were used to sustain the ongoing Better Cotton Programme Activities. Given the challenging operating environment, the funds are currently insufficient to support the Better Cotton Programme in South Africa.  

Despite this suspension, it is important to note that volumes of licensed Better Cotton remain present within the supply chain from the farmers who have been successfully licensed for the current marketing season (2023/2024). 

The Better Cotton Programme has been a pivotal initiative in enhancing sustainability practices within the cotton sector in South Africa. Through collaborative efforts, it has promoted responsible farming practices and environmental stewardship, and encouraged decent work conditions. 

The decision to suspend the Programme has not been taken lightly. The challenging operational environment with the current rise in production input costs has been challenging for farmers. The willing contribution, based on the volume of seed cotton produced to sustain the Programme activities was withdrawn by the farmers, which subsequently led to constrained resources at Cotton SA which has necessitated this suspension. 

To ensure the sustainable revitalization of the Better Cotton Programme, a concerted multi-stakeholder engagement approach is essential. Cotton SA aims to garner support and collaboration from all sectors involved in the cotton industry in South Africa – from farmers, ginners, to spinners, manufacturers, retailers and brands.  

Annette Bennett, CEO of Cotton SA states “We recognize the significance of the Better Cotton Programme and its positive impact on environmental awareness during cotton production in South Africa. It is through collective efforts that we can address the resourcing challenges and collectively work towards the longevity and resilience of ensuring sustainable licensed cotton production in South Africa, and continued access to local and international markets. 

As we embark on this journey in planning to relaunch the Better Cotton Programme in South Africa, we invite all stakeholders to actively engage in this process. We believe that by uniting our strengths, experiences, and resources, we can create a more robust, sustainable, and equitable cotton sector for the benefit of all involved.” 

For inquiries and further information, please contact: 

Better Cotton  
Lisa Barratt [email protected] 

Cotton SA: 
Annette Bennett [email protected] 



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Licensed Farmers
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Cotton SA and Better Cotton jointly announce the temporary suspension of the Better Cotton Programme in South Africa. Cotton SA funded the Better Cotton Programme activities in South Africa from willing contributions collected from farmers in South Africa who were participating in the implementation of the Better Cotton Standard System in order to sell their cotton as licensed Better Cotton. These funds were used to sustain the ongoing Better Cotton Programme Activities. Given the challenging operating environment, the funds are currently insufficient to support the Better Cotton Programme in South Africa.  

 

Despite this suspension, it is important to note that volumes of licensed Better Cotton remain present within the supply chain from the farmers who have been successfully licensed for the current marketing season (2023/2024). 

 

The Better Cotton Programme has been a pivotal initiative in enhancing sustainability practices within the cotton sector in South Africa. Through collaborative efforts, it has promoted responsible farming practices and environmental stewardship, and encouraged decent work conditions. 

 

The decision to suspend the Programme has not been taken lightly. The challenging operational environment with the current rise in production input costs has been challenging for farmers. The willing contribution, based on the volume of seed cotton produced to sustain the Programme activities was withdrawn by the farmers, which subsequently led to constrained resources at Cotton SA which has necessitated this suspension. 

 

To ensure the sustainable revitalization of the Better Cotton Programme, a concerted multi-stakeholder engagement approach is essential. Cotton SA aims to garner support and collaboration from all sectors involved in the cotton industry in South Africa – from farmers, ginners, to spinners, manufacturers, retailers and brands.  

 

Annette Bennett, CEO of Cotton SA states “We recognize the significance of the Better Cotton Programme and its positive impact on environmental awareness during cotton production in South Africa. It is through collective efforts that we can address the resourcing challenges and collectively work towards the longevity and resilience of ensuring sustainable licensed cotton production in South Africa, and continued access to local and international markets. 

 

As we embark on this journey in planning to relaunch the Better Cotton Programme in South Africa, we invite all stakeholders to actively engage in this process. We believe that by uniting our strengths, experiences, and resources, we can create a more robust, sustainable, and equitable cotton sector for the benefit of all involved.” 

 

For inquiries and further information, please contact: 

Better Cotton  
Lisa Barratt [email protected] 

Cotton SA: 
Annette Bennett 

[email protected] 

The first Better Cotton harvest took place in South Africa in 2016, and Better Cotton is currently grown in the subtropical highlands of the Loskop area, at the West of the KwaZulu-Natal province on a mix of smallholder, medium and large farms. Through our on-the-ground partner, we seek to support large farms in adopting advanced farming technologies, while building smallholders’ capacity and helping them gain access to vital funding and inputs.

Better Cotton Partner in South Africa

Cotton South Africa is our Programme Partner in South Africa.

This non-profit serves as an umbrella organisation for all of the stakeholders in South Africa’s cotton industry, including farmers, companies and government agencies. Cotton South Africa is responsible for stimulating and supporting the production and use of cotton, acting as an industry forum and enhancing the marketability of cotton through research and training.

Sustainability challenges

Climate change is putting pressure on the water supply in South Africa, leaving farmers to contend with yearly droughts, especially in the Northern Cape. This is particularly challenging for the country’s cotton sector, and especially smallholder cotton farmers, who may lack the knowledge and expertise to address these issues. Currently, there is limited government funding and support for cotton production that could help.

To address these challenges, Cotton South Africa is providing training to Better Cotton Farmers across the country, helping them adopt more sustainable practices like more efficient irrigation methods and use of natural pesticides. They are also helping large farms take advantage of precision agriculture tools (including satellite data, remote sensing devices and data collection technologies) to help them identify risks and optimise farm management, while establishing a formal training programme for smallholder cotton farmers.

Find out more about the outcomes farmers are experiencing by participating in the Better Cotton programme in our latest Farmer Results Report.

Get in touch

Contact our team via the contact form if you’d like to learn more, become a partner or you’re a farmer interested in farming Better Cotton.