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Scaling regenerative agriculture in cotton farming

Pilot programmes tested climate and soil solutions

As conversations around climate resilience and sustainable sourcing continue to evolve, regenerative agriculture is becoming increasingly important within global cotton supply chains. By focusing on soil health, biodiversity, water management, and ecosystem restoration, regenerative farming aims not only to sustain agricultural systems, but to actively improve them over time.
Building on the sustainable practices already embedded within its REEL Cotton and Organic programmes, CottonConnect launched a Regenerative Agriculture and Carbon Sequestration Pilot Project during the 2020/2021 growing season with 100 organic cotton farmers in Madhya Pradesh, India.
The pilot was designed to explore how regenerative farming techniques could strengthen soil health, increase biodiversity, support rural livelihoods, and contribute to long-term carbon sequestration within cotton farming systems.

Women working on a cotton farm.

Key outcomes

  • Regenerative agriculture pilot launched with 100 organic cotton farmers

  • Adoption of practices including composting, cover cropping, agroforestry, and rotational grazing

  • Plants introduced to support carbon sequestration

  • Improved understanding of regenerative farming opportunities and implementation challenges

The challenge

Conventional agricultural systems often place significant pressure on soil health, biodiversity, and natural resources through intensive land use and high external input dependency. While many farmers already practice forms of sustainable agriculture, there remains a need to better understand:

  • How regenerative methods can be scaled within cotton farming
  • Which practices are most suitable for local farming systems
  • How regenerative agriculture contributes to climate mitigation and carbon sequestration
  • What barriers farmers face when adopting unfamiliar techniques

 

CottonConnect recognised the importance of generating practical field-level insights that could support future programme development and help brands strengthen more climate-resilient supply chains.

 

 

The approach

The pilot project worked with 100 organic cotton farmers across three villages in Madhya Pradesh, with training delivered in small groups through local partners trained by CottonConnect.

Farmers received practical guidance on regenerative agriculture techniques including compost preparation and management, green manuring, mulching, minimal or no-tillage practices, agroforestry, silvopasture, cover cropping, and rotational grazing.

Animal husbandry was also integrated into the farming system, with farmers encouraged to allow cattle grazing on farmland as part of nutrient cycling and ecosystem management practices. In line with regenerative farming principles, farmers cultivated multiple crops throughout the year, including cotton, border crops, intercrops, and diverse rotational crops.

The pilot also promoted the use of GMO-free seed varieties.

Alongside regenerative farming practices, CottonConnect collaborated with Tamil Nadu Agricultural University to identify plant species with strong carbon sequestration potential suitable for local conditions.

As part of this initiative, 2,200 plants were produced and planted around farmers’ homes and community areas. Soil testing and comparison with control samples were used to monitor changes in soil texture, composition, and soil organic carbon over time.

 

 

 

 

The pilot created valuable early insights into the practical application of regenerative agriculture within organic cotton farming systems.

The impact

Improving soil health and farm ecology

Practices such as composting, mulching, crop diversification, and reduced tillage contributed to healthier soil conditions and improved on-farm biodiversity. Many of the techniques also helped improve moisture retention and reduce pressure on natural resources.

Advancing carbon sequestration efforts

The introduction of tree planting and soil-focused regenerative methods aimed to increase soil organic carbon and strengthen the farm ecosystem’s ability to capture and store carbon over time. The pilot also provided a framework for measuring environmental improvements through ongoing soil analysis and monitoring. The lower CPA emissions were linked to the adoption of natural pest management methods promoted through programme training, including intercropping, pheromone traps, bird perches, and border crops.

Building long-term farmer resilience

Several of the regenerative practices introduced were familiar to farmers as traditional or ancestral farming methods, helping encourage acceptance and participation. Other techniques, including cover cropping and rotational grazing, proved more challenging to implement, highlighting the importance of practical training, local adaptation, and long-term support during transition periods. Farm electricity and fuel management were also identified as important areas for future improvement.

“Early learnings from the pilot show regenerative agriculture is very good for soil health, water management, and longer-term for farmers’ financial health.”

Hardeep Desai, Head of Farm Operations, CottonConnect

Looking ahead

The pilot provided CottonConnect with valuable field-level learning on how regenerative agriculture can be integrated into cotton farming systems in ways that support both environmental and livelihood outcomes.

As interest in climate-smart agriculture continues to grow, regenerative approaches offer significant potential to improve soil health, strengthen biodiversity, support carbon sequestration, and create more resilient raw material supply chains. The insights gained through the pilot will help shape future programme design and support brands seeking more sustainable sourcing solutions.