Raddis Cotton
A pioneering regenerative organic cotton initiative, enhancing the Indigenous women farmers' livelihoods while regenerating the environment.
472
Villages
6362
Farmers
42
Mandals
4
Districts
Challenges
The conventional cotton farming practices in Southeast India have led to significant socioeconomic and environmental challenges. By prioritizing short-term gains over sustainability, we are left with depleted soil and dwindling biodiversity. Fragmented, opaque supply chains exacerbate inefficiencies and inequalities, particularly affecting smallholder farmers. These unsustainable practices not only undermine environmental health but also perpetuate cycles of poverty among farmers, underscoring the urgent need for more sustainable approaches in cotton production
Solutions
RADDIS stands for Radically Disruptive, which is a holistic system that empowers Indigenous women farmers to adopt regenerative farming practices. By promoting agricultural diversification through bio-manure, sustainable inputs, and intercropping, the RADDIS system improves soil health and boosts productivity. This approach minimizes reliance on harmful chemicals, conserves natural resources, and fosters biodiversity. The initiative not only enhances environmental sustainability but also creates a more equitable, sustainable model that uplifts smallholder farmers and secures their livelihoods
Regenerative Impact
Our initiative successfully converted 6362 Indigenous women farmers and approximately 7,000 acres into regenerative farming systems, yielding significant social, economic, and ecological benefits. By adopting regenerative practices, farmers have seen their annual household incomes increase by around 35%. The shift from monoculture to cultivating a diverse mix of 7 crop species not only enhanced their yields but also reduced reliance on costly chemical inputs. The initiative has also eliminated toxic chemicals and chemical fertilizers while eradicating GMOs.
In terms of environmental impact, regenerative practices enable each acre of a RADDIS® farm to sequester between 2 to 3 tons of carbon annually, further contributing to enhancing biodiversity and improving soil water storage, contributing to overall environmental sustainability.
