Image from Dirty White Gold film
Ethical fashion advocates have been pushing organic cotton into the spotlight for some years now, even a few mainstream retailers have committed to switching some production to organic. H&M has been the biggest user of organic cotton since 2010. But how many consumers actually know why conventional cotton is bad, and organic good? A new film in the pipeline is setting out to change all that, and make some waves across the whole supply chain along the way.
The producers of the film Dirty White Gold are giving the public the chance to be a part of the change by asking them to directly support the making of this ground-breaking film.
What are the issues?
The people affected most by conventional farming practices are farmers and farming communities who work and live with these chemical pesticides on a daily basis. Serious health issues caused by inhalation of pesticides are common There are also major adverse affects on the natural environment and complete destruction of delicate eco-systems. These issues and many more face thousands of small scale Indian farmers caught up in the cycle of conventional cotton farming.
All farming started as organic, reliant on well balanced eco-systems. Then came some clever representatives who persuaded farmers that using chemical pesticides and GM seeds would bring them greater crops. Excited by this huge potential many farmers converted.
The sad truth is that although they may experience increased yield initially, the pests build up resistance and the farmers are forced to use more and more chemicals to sustain their crops. After a few harvests the natural ecosystem becomes so damaged that any benefits provided by the once rich soil has completely disappeared, creating a total reliance on chemical fertilisers, pesticides and GM seeds.
Just a small number of multinational agro chemical companies control all sale and distribution of pesticides, seeds and chemical fertilisers in India and across the world. They have the power to control the market and create demand for their products, increasing prices as they wish. The farmers have no choice but to pay, they must purchase their seeds.
While the majority of organic farmers use local seeds stored from their previous harvest, the pesticide reliant farmers must purchase seeds from the same companies selling them their pesticides. And there is no guarantee of a good harvest; if the crop fails the farmer has no come back on the companies who supplied the seeds. They must start over again by purchase and re-sowing more seeds.
The ever increasing price of seeds and pesticides, along with failing crops, are causing farmers to get into spiralling debt. They are leading simple, rural lives and do not have the knowledge or power to challenge the system they find themselves in. They take loans to pre-pay for their seeds and chemicals, and when their crops fail, many have taken their own lives with the same chemicals that had promised them a better future. The irony is sickening.
Organic Cotton – a way out?
Organic cotton farming is one way to stop the heavy reliance on chemicals, but converting to organic is a transitional process which takes up to five years. Only then can ‘organic’ status be applied for. Many consumers are aware of organic cotton, but at the moment there is little awareness of ‘transitional’ cotton; cotton on the journey to become organic. One other lesser known classification is ‘better cotton’, identifying that not all farmers will have all the right conditions to produce organic cotton, but still want to work within improved ecological systems.
For farmers to consider converting to organic they need to see the financial benefit. This can often be gained through the higher premium offered for organic cotton, but at the moment there are few companies who pay high premium for ‘in transition’ or ‘better’ cotton. Education is needed to show farmers the wider benefits of pursuing more sustainable farming practices which include increased health, more fertile land, possible crop diversity, no reliance on third party, possible self sufficiency and less financial risk. But going organic or making said improvements is not an easy process and requires an initial capital investment which for many is enough to scare them off. It also involves re-learning farming and eco-systems which will differ from farm to farm, depending on their location, availability of water and many other factors.
The solution?
If governments and multinationals put as much effort into supporting the organic movement as they do into promoting, supporting and selling chemicals and GM seeds to farmers we would no longer have a problem. But that may well be the problem; multinational agro chem companies are happy travelling to all these remote farms promoting and selling their own brands as they get a nice financial return.
But who will pay for the organic farming training programs? The Indian government? it is the government who for many years have been offering subsidies on chemical fertilisers. Earlier this year they announced that they would reduce the subsidies on chemical fertilisers to encourage the use of more ecological fertilisers. But this kind of action needs to go hand in hand with educating the farmers about the alternative options, otherwise it is just taking more from those already reliant on chemical fertilisers.
The team behind the film ‘Dirty White Gold’ have decided enough is enough, they are out to make some waves by exposing the truth about conventional cotton production and its link to the many thousands of farmers committing suicide in India.
I hope this film can not only raise consumer awareness on the cost of cotton, but also ask serious questions about why only a handful of companies are allowed to control the livelihoods of vulnerable farmers. It is too late for so many, but this film has the potential to instigate lasting change. The more people involved and backing it, the harder it will be for those in power to wriggle out of their responsibilities.
Dirty White Gold : The Cotton Film:
This film will illustrate the horrific fiscal and physical effects of pesticides on cotton production, explore the viability of fairtrade and organic alternatives and try to prove that you don’t have to look like a patchouli-scented 60s throwback to have an ethical fashion industry.
Filmed in the fields and factories of India and the high streets and catwalks of London, this film and campaign incorporates reportage, video montage, direct action, artistic intervention and a multi-platform transmedia distribution plan. It will call for supply chain transparency across cotton industries….
Here is a great article from Urban Times which gives an overview of the film, including interview with the director Leah Borromeo. CLICK HERE
You can show your support by sponsoring the film : CLICK HERE
And follow Dirty White Gold on FACEBOOK
Here are a few links to further information on the subject:
PAN North America : Chemical Cartel – This is a real eye opener, we should be worried.
Times of India – Farmer Suicides You just need to search on Times of India for farmer suicide to see the scale of the issue.
PAN Europe – Pesticide Campaign Lots of info about pesticides including health and environmental risks.
EJF Foundation – Have you picked yours carfully EJF campaign for organic cotton and have evidenced the negative impacts of pesticide use.
People Tree – Organic Cotton Fibre – Comparison between conventional and organic cotton.
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