The Cotton Network Meeting is an annual gathering of Fairtrade cotton producers, partners, and stakeholders across Asia and the Pacific. Established under the governance framework of the Fairtrade NAPP, the meeting has evolved into a collaborative platform where farmer organizations, brand representatives, traders, and Fairtrade partners come together to share experiences, align strategies, and address challenges facing the cotton sector.

Over the years, the Cotton Network has served not just as a meeting ground but as a community of practice, where producers from India, Pakistan, Central Asia, and exchange knowledge and innovations that directly impact their livelihoods. It reflects Fairtrade’s core belief that farmers and workers must be at the heart of decision-making, driving the agenda for sustainable trade and ethical supply chains.

The workshop was co-funded under the European Commission Financial Framework Partnership Agreement , further strengthening the network’s ability to promote equitable trade, sustainable farming practices, and producer-led solutions to global challenges.

The 2025 workshop, attended by 15 representatives from 14 Cotton Producer Organisations, was especially significant because it took place in a context where:

• Climate change is intensifying risks like water scarcity, erratic rainfall, and pest infestations.
• Global markets are demanding a more sustainable and traceable cotton supply chain.
• Small-scale cotton farmers’ organisations are stepping up as key players in ensuring farmer ownership, governance, and fairer returns.
• Regulatory frameworks in Europe and beyond (e.g., EUDR, EUOR) are reshaping trade requirements, making compliance and due diligence essential.

By bringing together regional leaders, the Cotton Network Meeting 2025 provided a timely and strategic platform to address these issues collectively.

The overarching objective of the meeting was to strengthen sustainable cotton systems that put farmers first, while ensuring transparency, accountability, and equity in trade.

Inaugural and Opening Sessions: Stronger Representation for Producers

Mr Pravakar Meher- Fairtrade NAPP Board Chair and Mr. Shailesh Patel – Board Member acknowledged the growing inclusivity of the platform, which now has direct representation from producers, ensuring farmer voices guide the discussions and decision-making. India’s rising contribution to the Fairtrade Cotton trade was celebrated as a motivating factor for producers, signaling confidence in sustainable cotton’s future.

Cotton Pricing & Premium Consultation

A central highlight of the meeting was the consultation on cotton pricing and Fairtrade Premiums (COSP). Producers shared concerns about price volatility and sustainability and Fairtrade premium challenges.  To strengthen this process, a dedicated Price Consultation Session was held on July 22, 2025, with Mr. Arun Ambatipudi (Fairtrade Standards Committee Member). This session ensured that producer feedback was directly integrated into ongoing Fairtrade pricing reviews.

Regional Updates & Knowledge Exchange

The Regional Update and Learning Session featured insights from South Asia and Central Asia, led by Cotton Network Convenors and NAPP team consultants:

Ms. Nandita- shared updates on Weather Stations for better crop planning, the promotion of biochar for sustainable soil management, and a Seed Breeding Program to develop more resilient cotton varieties.

Mr. Avinash Karmakar of Pratibha Vasudha highlighted the practical benefits of biochar, noting its role in improving soil health, lowering input costs, and storing carbon. He also emphasized farmer-led seed breeding efforts, stressing the need to expand access to high-quality seeds and scale these practices across producer groups for greater impact.

Agreed Actions:

• Organize dedicated learning sessions on biochar, seed breeding, and weather station technologies.
• Institutionalize peer-to-peer learning as a permanent feature of future meetings.
• Share premium utilization reports regularly to enhance transparency and collective learning.

Long-term Impact:

These exchanges will allow producers to replicate successful innovations, fostering a culture of collaboration and shared responsibility across the Cotton Network.

Session on Climate Action

Led by M.V. Iresha Sanjeewanie, Climate Focal Point , the session focused on re-establishing the Centre of Excellence (CoE) on Communication & Engagement (C&E).

The objectives of the session were to strengthen producer engagement by ensuring their active involvement in decision-making, to align the Centre of Excellence’s (CoE) agenda with cotton-specific interventions so that it directly addresses sector priorities, and to provide a structured space for knowledge-sharing that fosters collaboration, learning, and the exchange of best practices among producers and stakeholders.

The next steps will focus on finalizing the CoE framework and Terms of Reference, conducting consultations with producers to ensure their priorities are fully integrated, and establishing the CoE as a sustainable platform that supports long-term knowledge exchange and collaboration across the cotton sector.

Session on Enhancing Visibility of Fairtrade Cotton

Anu Rai , Sr Manager-Marketing and Communications, presented initiatives to enhance the visibility of Fairtrade Cotton.

The communication and marketing initiatives highlighted the launch of the new NAPP website, integrated with the global Fairtrade platform, alongside a strong focus on farmer success stories and impact-driven storytelling centered on climate resilience, gender equality, and premium utilization. To maintain regular engagement, weekly digital updates and quarterly newsletters are being rolled out, while produdcers will be trained  as “farm-fluencers” to document and share stories from the ground. These efforts are complemented by the production of documentaries and impact films that showcase farmer empowerment, as well as advocacy through regional and global campaigns aimed at strengthening the visibility of Fairtrade Cotton and amplifying producer voices worldwide.

Monitoring, Learning, and Evaluation Session

Gideon Balasingam-MEL & ICT Manager highlighted key studies and impact assessments shaping Fairtrade Cotton. Since 2018, evaluations of Non-GM seed breeding programs in India and Central Asia, GHG emissions studies in both regions, and a Delta Framework pilot in West India have strengthened data-driven decision-making. Recent work includes a 2024 GHG and Delta Framework study, an afforestation project evaluation, and the 2025 FTNL end-term report. Ongoing initiatives such as FairInsight Premium, CODImpact, and Commercial Profile reporting continue to build transparency and producer capacity through regular training.

Commercial Strategy Presentation for Cotton

The Commercial team – Samir Kapur, Commercial Lead and Ranjith Kumar shared updates on the Commercialization of services ​under the Fairtrade NAPP Sustainability Strategy, summarising the result of the recent Traders Survey conducted for the services. They also presented the Commercial Strategy for cotton, highlighting coordination with NFOs and Fairtrade India to strengthen supply chains. Plans are underway for a Cotton Producers’ Meeting in Sept–Oct 2025 to align producer offerings with market demand. A Q4 commercial cotton map will also be prepared and shared proactively, with producers requested to provide their commercial profiles to improve buyer access.

Interaction with National Fairtrade Organizations (NFOs) on Updates on Fairtrade Cotton Market

In a virtual session with Global Product Manager for Fairtrade Cotton, NFO Germany, and Max Havelaar Switzerland, producers gained direct insights into European markets.

Discussions with NFOs focused on the rising consumer demand for sustainable cotton, growing procurement interest from European buyers, and the persistent gap between demand and supply. Upcoming consumer awareness campaigns were also highlighted as an opportunity to strengthen Fairtrade’s market presence. To respond effectively, participants agreed on key action points: holding quarterly market update sessions with NFOs, conducting country-specific demand analyses, and creating feedback mechanisms to ensure producers can share challenges directly with market partners.

These dialogue strengthens producer's ability to align production strategies with market trends.

Session on Transition from Contract Production (CP) to SPOs

The session, facilitated by Amit Das- Regional General Manager, South Asia, focused on the transition from Contract Production (CP) to Small Producer Organizations (SPOs), highlighting the differences between the two models, the SPOs’ capacity to manage stock and costs, and the need for greater education and training for farmers. Clarification was also sought on second-grade SPO certification under APEDA rules for Indian producers. Moving forward, the session emphasized the importance of gathering producer input for CP standards revisions, seeking clarity from Flocert on certification requirements, and supporting SPOs in building stronger organizational capacity. This transition is seen as vital to enhancing farmer ownership, governance, and bargaining power within the global cotton supply chain.

Session on Human Rights & Environmental Due Diligence (HREDD)

Facilitated by Sahiti Kachroo, Social Compliance & Risk Management Manager, the session on HREDD and risk mapping used group-based case studies to explore key challenges. The discussions addressed child labour and education gaps, gender inequality in training and decision-making, and the impacts of climate change on biodiversity, such as altered rainfall and pest infestations. Participants agreed that risks must be tackled at their root causes, with active collaboration from schools, governments, and women’s groups. The session emphasized that gender inclusion, climate advocacy, and strong monitoring systems are central to building sustainable cotton supply chains. As a way forward, Small Producer Organisations will conduct participatory risk assessments, develop HREDD action plans, and strengthen their capacity for ongoing risk management.

DEVELOPMENT OF ADVOCACY WORKING GROUP FOR THE COTTON/TEXTILE PRODUCT NETWORK IN ASIA AND THE PACIFIC

The advocacy session led by Natasha Erika Siaron- Advocacy Manager, emphasized Fairtrade’s commitment to building producer-led advocacy that secures fair incomes, workers’ rights, and sustainable livelihoods. Supported by the European Commission (2024–2027), the initiative seeks to address inequality, climate risks, and trade barriers by empowering producer organizations and regional networks.

The session objectives were to build awareness on Fairtrade advocacy work, support the creation of regional cross-country advocacy working groups, identify shared advocacy priorities in the cotton and textile sector, and draft a 3–5 year Advocacy Work Plan for the Cotton Product Network.

The program featured a presentation on advocacy in the context of Fairtrade, followed by Workshop on advocacy needs assessment and issue prioritization. Participants were then introduced to the Backcasting Method, which guided drafting of advocacy plans.

Discussions stressed the importance of using advocacy to influence public policy, regulations, market conditions, and consumer behavior in favour of Fairtrade practices. The session also underlined the historical roots of Fairtrade advocacy and its relevance today in addressing power imbalances in trade, rising protectionism, climate change, and social justice issues. The outcome was a strong commitment to establishing a Cotton Advocacy Working Group, ensuring that producers’ voices shape the future of cotton trade and sustainability.

Way Forward: Key Decisions and Roadmap

The meeting concluded with a clear action plan focused on strengthening the sector and empowering producers. Key priorities include institutionalizing peer-to-peer learning and thematic exchanges, launching a Women’s Empowerment Program through Self-Help Groups, and enhancing consumer awareness campaigns on Fairtrade Cotton. The plan also calls for building a regulatory learning platform to help producers stay informed on evolving market rules such as EUOR and EUDR, while improving producer visibility through stronger, impact-driven communication.

As demand for ethical and sustainable cotton grows, the Cotton Network is ensuring that farmers are not just suppliers but leaders in shaping a fairer global trade system. By amplifying farmers voices, fostering innovation, and building resilient supply chains, the network continues to drive change across Asia and the Pacific.