Buy more organic cotton product and get tremendous mind satisfaction!

To overcome unsustainable chemical agriculture methods and technologies that undermine humanity's future, Thanapara Swallows Development Society believes that the proposed Initiative on organic cotton cultivation is a sustainable alternative. It encourages the use of local resources based technologies that are compatible with the farmers abilities and are also profitable, environmentally sound, socially just and equitable, humane and culturally acceptable.

More over sustainable agriculture implies the development of local knowledge and technological innovations, conservation and sustainable use of genetic resources obtained through the impartial selection of farmers. Privatization of these resources is in violation of the rights of farmers and communities, it is unacceptable. Furthermore, experience in the field of agro-ecology has given proof of successful recovery and sustainable use of genetic resources in agriculture, which present more economical and safer results for humanity.

In this regards Thanapara Swallows started to work from 2004 with the farmers on organic manner. With this program farmers are made aware of organic manner and encouraged to use organic fertilizers on their land. In the beginning we started with homestead vegetable gardens using organic fertilizer and through field monitoring we have been able to understand the stipulation of producing organic crops.

Thanks to this experience and due to demand from foreign markets we started to produce organic cotton on Charland. Through financial assistance from Global village in Japan we have leased 1 acre of land and started to cultivate the land as a pilot project. We are hoping that the organic cotton project will give us the opportunity to work with the farmers cordially over a certain period of time in order to achieve our goal and surely we will be more capable to work with this burning issue.

Objectives
To make organic cotton viable in Bangladesh and to build processing support
To increase farmers' incomes
To protect the environment from chemical pollution and promote sustainability
To make organic cotton yarn available to Fair Trade projects to promote hand weavers livelihoods
To promote the sale of Fair Trade products and profile these products as the most sustainable and environmentally friendly

Buy more organic cotton product and get tremendous mind satisfaction!

Organic cotton production is very much laborious as farmers have to follow Integrated Pest Management techniques!

Women farmers' rate participation is greater for organic cotton production.