Is It Time for Rules on Sustainability?

It is difficult in today’s high-tech world to literally “return to nature.” However, social consciousness of environmental issues is still growing – at least in countries that are rich enough to be able to afford such approach.
Developed countries have realized that taking care of the environment within their own borders is not enough to get the job done. Pro-ecological activities and consciousness must also be global. The great role to be played by developed countries is establishing conditions for the protection of people and the environment – including those regions in which local producers lack the financial resources to develop and implement new, environment friendly technologies and procedures on their own.
Numerous programs have been launched and supported by the Common Fund for Commodities (CFC), the International Cotton Advisory Committee (ICAC), the European Union, the United States, and a variety of international holdings known for their environmentally friendly activities.
Of course, the United States is among the first adopters of the new technologies, such as biotech seed varieties, integrated pest management strategies, conservation tillage, water optimization strategies, among others. The Sustainable Cotton Project (SCP) there is already experiencing success with the participation of farmers.
Among other programs, one the most high-profile is being realized with the support of CFC and strong engagement on the part of ICAC: integrated pest management (IPM). IPM is a thorough consideration of all available methods of pest fighting, resulting in an comprehensive approach that weakens the pest population’s development. An important factor is that IPM allows for the use of pesticides as long as it is economically justified, thus helping to minimize threats to human health and the environment.
Finally, in West Africa, the United Nations’ Food and Agriculture Organization has implemented a widely propagated project known as the West African Regional Integrated Production and Pest Management (IPPM) Programme, which was developed for cotton, rice and vegetable producers. It encompasses 100,000 farmers in Benin, Burkina Faso, Mali and Senegal. As results show, both yields and farmers’ incomes increased, it has also lowered pesticides usage at the same time. What is important is that the IPPM offers real, quantifiable economic benefits to offset the project’s costs during its development and implementation – not to mention the many non-economic advantages for human health, education and the environment.

Better Needs to Get Bigger
The Better Cotton Initiative (BCI) aims to make it possible for millions of farmers all over the world to grow cotton in a way that would be healthier for them and the environment, as well as more economical – in other words, sustainable production. The aim of the program is to introduce sustainable cotton to the turnover on the global commodity market. According to the experts, it is necessary for BCI production to reach the level of one million tonnes annually to balance the demand for it, once the world brands start using the Better Cotton in greater quantities.
Better Cotton has been grown for three years now. Data has shown that in the area in which Better Cotton was grown, pesticides and water usage decreased 50% and the use of artificial fertilizers dropped by 30%. In some regions, farmer incomes increased by 42%, thanks to decreased costs of inputs.
It is worth considering whether the time has come to more accurately define the factors hidden under the murky concept of “sustainable production.” Perhaps it is time to establish global rules and criteria – as well as strategies and tools for their implementation, unification and marking – matched to individual regions.
Both in Europe and globally, there exist many optional labels that pertain to saving resources and energy, limiting pollution and other factors (including ethical production and Fairtrade).
It is the reason there is so much uncertainty among consumers and entrepreneurs. An attempt to reconcile that problem will go a long way toward the realization of a sustainable production implementation program.