[Reader-list] "ZAMEEN" - organic cotton farming & fair price for produce

[anupam chakravartty]

thanks for posting this Kshmendra!

On Wed, Jun 9, 2010 at 3:50 PM, francesca recchia <kiccovich at yahoo.com>wrote:

> thank you!
>
>  francesca recchia
> kiccovich at yahoo.com
> it +39 338 166 3648
> iq +964 (0) 750 7085 681
> http://www.veleno.tv/bollettini/
>
>
>
>
>
> ________________________________
> From: Kshmendra Kaul <kshmendra2005 at yahoo.com>
> To: sarai list <reader-list at sarai.net>
> Sent: Wed, 9 June, 2010 2:44:44
> Subject: [Reader-list] "ZAMEEN" - organic cotton farming & fair price for
> produce
>
> Some of you might be interested in this.
>
> More information about "ZAMEEN" can be accessed at:
> http://www.zameen.org/
> &
> http://www.facebook.com/pages/Hyderabad-India/Zameen-Organic/130739011014/
>
>
> ARTICLE on "ZAMEEN" :
>
> "Zameen: Bringing an Agricultural Revolution"
>
> By Rahul Anand
>
> We have all read and heard about farmer suicides, pesticides in food and
> issues of child labour. Here is an organization that is working towards the
> eradication of all of these – Zameen.
>
> Zameen is a unique farmer owned organic cotton trading company working to
> improve market access for marginalized farmers in India through
> certification, supply chain partnerships and organizational development.
>
> Cotton farmers in India do not receive a fair price for their produce which
> leads them to usurious money lenders. Huge debt and inability to support
> their families leaves suicide as the only dignified option. In the Amravati
> district of Maharashtra, 5000 farmers commit suicide every year and that is
> an alarming statistic.
>
> Zameen believes in the ‘trade, not aid’ approach to rural development.
> Farmers invest their own capital in Zameen and are completely engaged in the
> process. Zameen has a tie up with AOFG (Agriculture and Organic Farming
> Group), a non-profit organization, to facilitate the development of
> independent, legally registered farmer cluster associations that are self
> managed and are able to sell organic cotton as per strict international
> standards.
>
> Infamously referred to as ‘dirty cotton’, the commodity accounts for 16% of
> global insecticide use which is far more than any other crop. Agro-chemicals
> contaminate local water supplies, degrade soil quality and harm wildlife.
> Farming communities also face an increased risk of various diseases like
> cancer. Zameen trains farmers in organic farming which has resulted in
> drastic improvement in soil fertility and farmers’ health.
>
> As a Fairtrade certified organisation, Zameen farmers are no longer
> subjected to widespread speculation and fluctuation in market prices.
> Fairtrade guarantees a minimum price which covers sustainable farming and
> living conditions. Additionally, a social premium is earned by the farmer
> community and that premium is democratically invested in community
> development projects. So far, Zameen’s farmers have invested in wells, their
> children’s education and ofcourse into their own businesses.
>
> Fairtrade prohibits child labour and encourages movement towards gender
> equality. Zameen farmers have access to international markets and being
> organized into an association gives them a stronger collection voice.
>
> http://www.thebetterindia.com/1498/zameen-agriculture-revolution/
>
>
>
>
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