Fibre, Food and Beauty for Poverty Reduction – Make it move! (ENGLISH)

21.08.2008, PAN Germany, Alexandra Perschau

PAN Germany together with PAN UK, OBEPAB from Benin and Enda Pronat from Senegal advocates for poverty reduction of organic cotton farmers in developing countries. Organic farming offers the chance for farmers to reduce dependency on cotton as only source of income: Compulsory crop rotation under organic standards together with additional on-farm-practices to improve diversity and stability of the whole production system provide the chance to generate more sources of income, as well as increase family and community food security. In this way dependency on cotton can be reduced, farm income increased, production risks spread and reduced and on-farm biodiversity improved. This is the starting point for PAN Germany and partners. We aim to raise awareness among companies, public and private donors and civil society organisations in Europe, want to develop a framework for new, sustainable trade models and to investigate in pilot partnerships among Southern cotton-based organic projects and European food and cosmetic companies. To realise these aims, we’re taking these steps:

1. Analyse the present potential marketing for other products of organic cotton farms
2. Conduct workshops to discuss results of analysis. Develop a framework of a socially and environmentally sustainable trade models and seize cooperation potential for southern projects and trade partners in Europe.
3. Presentation of suitable projects and products at different fairs in Germany, the UK, France and Italy.
4. Raise awareness among consumers via different publications and events.
5. Compilation of achieved results and lessons learned in a brochure available for all target groups.