Assessing the potential of organic farming for sustainable livelihoods in developing countries - The case of cotton in India

Summary

Based on the example of cotton farming in India, this research examines in how far conversion to organic management can be a viable option for improving the livelihoods of farmers in developing countries. While cotton cultivation provides livelihood for an estimated 10 million Indian households, stagnating cotton yields, high input costs and low cotton prices have led many of them into indebtedness. By substituting synthetic fertilizers and pesticides with farm-own resources and labour, organic farming not only could have the potential to improve natural resource management, but also to reduce production costs and obtain a better price for the produce. Development agencies and companies are increasingly trying to utilize this potential by organizing organic farmer groups and linking them to the growing market demand in industrialized countries. Maikaal bioRe® in central India is one of these initiatives, involving 1500 small and medium-sized farms with a production of 1'000 t cotton fibre in 2005.