How Regenerative Practices and Gender Inclusion Can Transform Agriculture in the Face of Climate Change
At the 2024 Climate & Sustainability Leadership Summit, Alison Ward, CEO of CottonConnect, delivers a presentation on the critical role of smallholder farmers in creating a climate-resilient future. As climate change increasingly disrupts global supply chains, particularly in agriculture, Ward highlights how CottonConnect is spearheading efforts to mitigate these impacts through regenerative farming and empowering farming communities.
With over 30 years of experience in sustainability and 11 years leading CottonConnect, Ward brings deep expertise and a sense of urgency to the conversation. The cotton industry, which employs millions across countries like India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh, faces profound challenges from climate change. Ward’s message is clear: for businesses that rely on cotton, building resilience within the farming community is not just a moral imperative but a strategic necessity.
Climate Change and the Reality for Smallholder Farmers
Ward begins by outlining the severe threats posed by climate change to smallholder cotton farmers. The impacts are already being felt on the ground, with extreme weather events becoming more frequent and severe. Recent years have seen unprecedented heatwaves in India, where temperatures have soared beyond 122°F, making it nearly impossible for farmers to work outdoors. In Pakistan, devastating floods have wiped out entire farming communities, washing away topsoil and crippling local economies. For smallholder farmers, who make up a significant portion of the global cotton supply chain, these events aren’t theoretical—they are devastating realities.
Ward points out that these farmers are not just losing crops; they are losing their livelihoods. The economic fallout from climate change has deepened food insecurity and pushed many farmers further into poverty. In addition, climate-related stressors have exacerbated the physical and mental health burdens faced by farmers, an often-overlooked aspect of the crisis. Ward stresses that tackling these multifaceted challenges requires a holistic approach, one that addresses not only environmental impacts but also social and economic factors.
Regenerative Agriculture: A Path Forward
In response to these challenges, CottonConnect has adopted regenerative agriculture as a key strategy to mitigate the impacts of climate change and restore ecosystems. Regenerative agriculture goes beyond minimizing harm; it aims to enhance biodiversity, enrich soil, and improve water management, all while boosting the resilience of farming systems. “The future of agriculture,” Ward states, “lies in restoring the land we rely on, rather than depleting it.”
CottonConnect’s regenerative agriculture program focuses on four core principles: resilient livelihoods, healthy soils, biodiversity, and climate adaptation. By training farmers in sustainable practices, CottonConnect helps them diversify their income streams and build resilience against climate shocks. Ward provides a powerful example from Gujarat, India, where female farmers in the program have adopted innovative practices like producing biochar to enrich the soil and using neem leaves as a natural pesticide. These changes not only reduce the environmental impact of cotton farming but also cut costs for farmers, making their operations more sustainable in the long term.
The results of these initiatives speak for themselves. Ward shares that 75% of the farmers in CottonConnect’s regenerative agriculture program have adopted biodiversity practices, and many have transitioned to using homemade biopesticides. These shifts have led to measurable improvements in soil health and crop yields, underscoring the effectiveness of regenerative methods.
Bridging the Gap Between Big Data and Smallholder Farmers
One of CottonConnect’s most innovative initiatives involves leveraging big data to support smallholder farmers. In collaboration with the European Space Agency and data specialists like Simular, CottonConnect provides farmers in Bangladesh with satellite-based weather forecasts and agro-meteorological advisories delivered via WhatsApp. These tools allow farmers to plan for extreme weather events and make data-driven decisions about planting and harvesting.
Ward emphasizes that this combination of global technology and localized knowledge is critical for building resilience. By equipping farmers with advanced data, CottonConnect enables them to better anticipate and respond to the unpredictable effects of climate change. This is a particularly powerful example of how technological innovation can bridge the gap between global resources and local needs, offering smallholder farmers the tools to adapt and thrive.
CottonConnect is also taking steps to address the health impacts of climate change on farming communities. Through workshops and educational programs, the organization provides farmers with vital information on how to protect themselves and their families during extreme weather conditions. This focus on health education, Ward notes, is an essential but often neglected aspect of sustainability in agriculture.
Empowering Women: A Critical Lever for Change
Ward’s commitment to empowering women in smallholder communities is central to CottonConnect’s approach. Despite playing key roles in agricultural work—sowing, tending, and harvesting crops—women are often excluded from decision-making processes due to traditional definitions of land ownership. This, in turn, limits their access to resources and support systems.
CottonConnect is working to change this by elevating the status of women within their communities. One of the organization’s flagship initiatives is the Women Climate Change Ambassadors program, which trains women to become leaders in sustainable farming. These ambassadors not only adopt climate-smart practices themselves but also educate other women in their villages, creating a ripple effect of knowledge and empowerment.
Ward shares the story of Kamida Ben, a farmer from Gujarat who became an ambassador through the program. Before participating, Ben followed instructions given by men without question. Now, she works alongside male farmers, contributing to decision-making and teaching others about sustainable practices like biochar production and pest management. Ward describes this transformation as a powerful example of how empowering women can drive systemic change within agricultural communities.
The Road Ahead: Investing in Resilience and Innovation
While CottonConnect’s programs have had a significant impact, Ward acknowledges that much work remains to be done. Building climate resilience at scale requires continued investment in adaptation and mitigation efforts, as well as stronger partnerships between governments, businesses, and civil society. “We need practical, scalable solutions,” Ward asserts, “and that means working together across sectors.”
Access to finance and markets is also crucial for smallholder farmers. CottonConnect’s work involves not only training farmers in sustainable practices but also helping them connect to commercial markets. By providing traceability from farm to store, CottonConnect ensures that brands can source sustainable cotton and invest in the long-term success of the farmers who produce it.
Ward concludes by reiterating the importance of women’s leadership in this effort. “Women are key to building resilient communities,” she says. “If we want to tackle climate change effectively, we must invest in women as leaders and innovators.” For Ward, empowering women is not just a social goal—it is a strategic imperative for achieving long-term sustainability in agriculture.
A Resilient Future Through Collaboration
Alison Ward’s presentation at the Climate & Sustainability Leadership Summit highlights the interconnectedness of climate resilience, sustainable farming, and the empowerment of local communities. Climate change poses an existential threat to agriculture, but it also presents an opportunity to rethink and rebuild farming systems in ways that are more sustainable and resilient. Through initiatives like regenerative agriculture, big data integration, and the empowerment of women, CottonConnect is showing how smallholder farmers can become powerful agents of change.
For Ward, the future of cotton farming lies in collaboration—between businesses, governments, and farmers themselves. Sustainability, she argues, is not just about minimizing harm but about creating long-lasting positive impacts that ensure both environmental and economic well-being for generations to come. As the world grapples with the challenges of climate change, the work of CottonConnect stands as a model of how empowering farmers can lead the way to a more resilient and sustainable future.
