The farmer centric multi-stakeholder organisation continues its growth momentum
Amsterdam
The Organic Cotton Accelerator (OCA) announced its Annual Report for the year 2021, highlighting the continued steady growth across OCA, with measurable farm-level impact made during a year disrupted by the pandemic.
The collective achievements over the past year detailed in the report are in line with the five pillars of OCA’s 2030 Strategy Plan. The company achieved another year of positive income benefits to organic farmers in their Farm Programme during the 2020/21 cotton season, while growing the number of participating farmers by 83% compared to the number reported in the previous year.
OCA also launched the non-GM cottonseed production guidelines and assurance programme with a group of Indian seed producers. The in-conversion programme, started in 2021 by OCA and continuing through the 2021-22 farm season, enabled 21,000 farmers to transition from conventional to organic farming. This focused support is ensuring they have a guaranteed market, better price, and the right conditions in place to make the transition successfully.
The farmer centric multi-stakeholder commenced trials of soil organic carbon testing methods as well as studying the impact of Regenerative Organic Certified (ROC) cotton to support its wider adoption. OCA also achieved growth of 80% in new contributors joining compared to last year, increased sector representation at Board level, and delivered a successful online Organic Cotton Summit.
“Looking back at the amazing growth we saw over the past year, we see a rise in the numbers of farmers we reached, an array of new Contributors joining our mission, and important funding secured to support more and more producers to successfully shift to organic farming and maximising their regenerative practices. I truly believe OCA is in the best possible shape to spearhead the transformation of a transparent, responsible, and resilient organic cotton supply chain, one that creates tangible and lasting benefits for farmers, their lands and soils, and our future generations.†Commented Bart Vollaard, Executive Director at OCA