Question

Hand loom and cotton growers prepare power point presentation show ten points

Answer 1

DAY 1
Inauguration Kavitha Kuruganti of ASHA introduced the workshop. She pointed out that the
workshop was aimed at exploring desi cotton seed diversity, production, the post-production
processing issues and markets. The two-day gathering would discuss real desi cotton seed
diversity, and not just what farmers know of as desi cotton. She also explained that studies show
that seed choices by farmers have become irrational. She pointed out that various individuals and
groups are working at different points of the supply and value chain, but there has been no
concrete attempt to bring them all together to evolve solutions to the current day cotton farming
crisis – this includes ones who are working to promote traditional seed diversity, ones who are
working with farmers to promote organic cotton farming, ones who are working on micro-, household- and village-level cotton processing units, ones who are into khadi and handloom,
ones who are into marketing of organic cotton fabric and garments and so on. The scientists and
innovators associated with work at various stages have also not come together onto one platform
whether it be breeders or agronomy specialists or ones who are working to promote organic
production systems. She said that it was an important effort being initiated through this
workshop, to create a common platform for all these different players to come together and
evolve a common plan around desi organic cotton production and marketing, from seed to
garments.
Session 1: Setting the context Organic farmer Jayashankar (Tula Garments, Tamil Nadu) and
Ananthoo (ASHA and Tula Garments, Tamil Nadu) explained the cotton value chain. They listed
the main links in the cotton chain from crop to cloth, and pointed to the area under cotton
cultivation and production worldwide as well as India’s cotton production. Information on the
four cotton families was provided. Further, detailed statistics on Bt cotton adoption in India, and
particulars of desi cotton varieties still grown in the country was shared. An interesting slide in
the presentation explained how the price of a cotton shirt was distributed across the people
along the value chain. The presentation gave the audience an encapsulated understanding of the
cotton value chain.
Session 2: Cultivation of Desi cotton Desi cotton growers RS Patil from Gadag, Nagappa
Nimbegondi from Haveri and Kallappa from Bellary participated in this session. Nagappa is a well- known seed saver who has conserved 29 desi cotton varieties on his farm in Makari village,
Haveri district, Karnataka. One of the main points from these presentations is that traditional
cotton cultivation was also in a multi-cropped approach, and therefore, our understanding of
productivity in such a context has to be different from the frameworks applied in the modern
times.
Session 3: Processing of Desi cotton Mani Chinnaswamy, Managing Director of Appachi Cotton,
Pollachi, Tamil Nadu, which produces a range of cotton products from yarn to fabrics using
organic cotton, interacted with farmers. He emphasised the importance of branding desi cotton
and products made from it. He pointed out that the focus is on seed for oil and cattle, when there
are large markets for fish feed and pet feed as well, since desi varieties are highly rich in protein.