Better Cotton, the world's largest cotton sustainability initiative, has launched an ambitious research project in India aimed at empowering women and increasing their representation at the farm level. The project, funded by ISEAL, will identify success stories and learnings that can serve as models for global interventions in cotton farming.

In India, women play a crucial role in cotton farming, yet face barriers such as limited education access, travel restrictions, and unpaid domestic responsibilities. Jyoti Narain Kapoor, Director of Better Cotton’s India Programme, emphasized the importance of recognizing and rewarding women’s contributions to farming communities.

Over the next year, Better Cotton will collaborate with local partners Cotton Connect India and WWF India, supporting over 125,000 licensed farmers across Maharashtra and Telangana. The project will focus on improving recruitment and leadership roles for women in community-facing positions, such as Producer Unit Managers and Field Facilitators.

This initiative will help Better Cotton work towards its 2030 Impact Target on women’s empowerment, while also promoting sustainable practices. Nini Mehrotra, Senior Manager for Gender Equality at Better Cotton, highlighted that empowering women in these roles fosters knowledge-sharing and strengthens the farming community.

Vamshi Krishna from WWF India noted that women are quick to adopt nature-positive agricultural practices, and this research could guide future innovations in sustainable cotton farming. Similarly, Hardeep Desai of Cotton Connect emphasized the value women bring to agriculture through their skills and indigenous knowledge, promoting gender equity and sustainability in the sector.