Two international nonprofits have established a formal alliance to transform India's cotton and palm oil production through regenerative agriculture approaches. The partnership creates comprehensive frameworks targeting climate resilience enhancement, sustainable sourcing advancement, and transparency improvement across commodity sectors historically characterised by environmental challenges and resource-intensive practices affecting farmer livelihoods and ecological systems.
- WWF-India and Solidaridad Asia have agreed to foster deeper collaboration focused on driving systematic change in commodity production landscapes.
- The agreement includes responsible sourcing promotion, market reforms, sustainable trade facilitation, green finance development, and creation of enabling policy frameworks for key commodities in India.
- Planned joint activities include pilot projects, joint research initiatives, and development of inclusive certification standards for cotton and palm oil landscapes nationwide.
THE PARTNERSHIP: WWF-India and Solidaridad Network Asia Limited signed a Memorandum of Understanding on 8 August 2025 in New Delhi. The agreement outlines cooperation on regenerative cotton farming through demonstration projects, research studies, and inclusive certification standards. It also specifies collaboration in promoting responsible supply chains, facilitating market transformation, advancing sustainable trade, developing green finance, and creating enabling policy frameworks in India’s agricultural production landscapes.
WHAT’S AT STAKE: Cotton cultivation in India is described as resource-intensive and linked to environmental challenges. WWF-India and Solidaridad will introduce regenerative agriculture approaches in cotton landscapes. Activities include market transformation, policy advocacy, capacity building, and multi-stakeholder engagement. These actions are listed as measures to improve transparency, strengthen resilience, and support the adoption of sustainable production practices across India’s cotton farming systems.
- Cotton farming in India is associated with high resource demands and environmental pressures, creating an urgent need for introducing regenerative agriculture practices to reduce impacts and improve farming resilience.
- Regenerative agriculture approaches will be introduced under the agreement to promote sustainability in cotton, supporting market transformation and enhancing traceability in production systems nationwide.
- Planned actions include coordinated policy advocacy, targeted capacity building programmes, and broad multi-stakeholder engagement to strengthen transparency, improve resilience, and support smallholder farmers’ participation in sustainable production systems.
HOW IT WILL WORK: Activities include implementing pilot projects, conducting joint research to generate findings, and sharing outcomes with stakeholders. Plans are also to promote adoption of inclusive certification standards in cotton production systems, aligning them with regenerative agriculture practices recognised in relevant national and international frameworks.
- WWF-India and Solidaridad will jointly engage businesses, policymakers, financial institutions, and consumers in collaborative actions aimed at embedding sustainability principles across India’s cotton sector.
- Implementation will involve pilot projects in cotton landscapes, joint research to generate actionable insights, and dissemination of findings to industry stakeholders.
- The partnership will support ongoing sustainability efforts in Indian agriculture by prioritising regenerative approaches in cotton and strengthening systems for responsible sourcing and environmental stewardship.
- Climate-smart approaches outlined in the agreement aim to build resilience in cotton production while contributing to national sustainability targets and responsible supply chain transformation.
UP NEXT: Over the next year, the alliance will roll out pilot projects, conduct joint research, and engage policymakers to create supportive frameworks for sustainable sourcing. These steps aim to catalyse systemic transformation in cotton, ensuring regenerative agriculture becomes a mainstream, non-negotiable standard for production systems in India.
- Pilot activities will apply regenerative practices in key cotton landscapes to evaluate adoption potential.
- Joint studies will generate evidence for replicating successful models in other high-impact commodity sectors.
- Policy advocacy will support the creation of frameworks that encourage sustainable production and sourcing practices in India’s cotton sector.
WHAT THEY SAID:
For decades, we’ve asked our farmers to feed the nation, often at the cost of their own land and water. This partnership is about reversing that equation. We are building a future where agriculture doesn’t just sustain, it actively heals our planet and secures the prosperity of our farmers. In partnership with WWF-India, we are moving beyond sustainability as a goal and establishing regeneration as the new, non-negotiable standard for Indian agriculture.
— Shatadru Chattopadhayay
Managing Director
Solidaridad Asia
Our partnership with Solidaridad will strengthen national efforts to embed regenerative practices in cotton and catalyse a sustainability transition in India’s palm oil sector—benefiting people, nature, and the climate. By ensuring broad-based, cross-sectoral and inclusive stakeholder engagement, this collaboration aims to work towards building resilient, transparent, and responsible supply chains grounded in climate-smart approach and smallholder inclusion
— Sejal Worah
Programme Director
WWF-India
