54th Meeting of the Expert Panel on Social, Environmental and Economic Performance of Cotton Production – SEEP
Thursday, 31 August 2023 6:00 am ET
Virtual – Teams
Members:
Mr. Allan Williams, CRDC (Chair)
Mr. Bruno Bachelier, CIRAD (Vice-Chair)
Ms. Elke Hortmeyer, EU
Mr. Damien Sanfilippo, EU
Mr. Leon Picon, Turkey
Dr. Don Parker, USA
Mr. Jens Soth, EU
Mr. Ali Farman, Pakistan
ICAC Secretariat:
Ms. Lorena Ruiz, Economist
Introduction and Adoption of the Agenda
Allan Williams, Chair of the SEEP panel, opened the meeting by welcoming the delegates present and asked all attendees to present themselves. Mr. Williams noted that this was the first meeting for Dr. Parker and thanked him and every member for their participation. The chair explained the topics in the agenda, and the agenda was approved with no comments.
- The work plan for the last quarter of the year
- Selection of topics for the Fact sheets the SEEP will produce,
- SEEP meeting at the 81st Plenary Meeting in Mumbai, India, from December 2 to 5
- The work plan for the last quarter of the year
Mr. Williams noted that during the SEEP Meeting held in Bremen in September 2022, members reached a consensus that the panel should concentrate its efforts on creating fact sheets to inform and promote an understanding of the benefits associated with cotton. However, Mr. Williams encouraged members to provide feedback on specific activities the panel should realistically undertake in the year’s final quarter.
The chair acknowledged a significant challenge faced by the cotton industry: the constant influx of reports from prominent consultancy firms primarily focused on the distant aspects of the textile supply chain. These reports offer numerous recommendations for cotton farmers, often without incorporating the valuable insights of the farmers themselves.
Mr. Williams asked the group: Should SEEP play a role in critically evaluating these documents, similar to the approach employed by Veronica Bates in her series of articles published and promoted by the ICAC in its Cotton Review Report?
Discussion and Comments from Participants
Mr. Soth suggested that the panel should prioritize its attention on cotton reports that target Life Cycle Assessments (LCAs) or assess the carbon footprint. He noted that such reports often provide limited insights and draw potentially hazardous conclusions.
Mr. Damien Sanfilippo, the representative from BCI, highlighted several significant developments that are rapidly evolving and impacting the cotton community:
- Policies and Regulations: Rapidly evolving policies and regulations pose risks and opportunities for cotton producers worldwide.
- Regenerative Agriculture: The term is being adopted globally, causing fragmentation within the industry due to varying interpretations.
- Traceability: There’s a growing need for traceability in the cotton value chain, with potential disadvantages for smallholder farmers in establishing direct connections with the market.
- Sustainability Performance: Mechanisms should be developed to reward cotton farmers for sustainability improvements and monetize their outcomes, promoting collaboration with brands and retailers.
Mr. Bachelier emphasized countries’ underutilization of SEEP indicators and raised questions about how the panel could facilitate their adoption and gather information from countries worldwide. Additionally, he inquired about recent sustainability innovations that could be beneficial, particularly in the context of Africa, such as promoting initiatives like introducing carbon into the soil and improving soil health.
Mr. Leon Picon pointed out that the SEEP panel should consistently generate reports focused on what’s being done in different countries for more sustainable cotton production practices and upcoming regulations such as trading with EU countries. These reports should help ICAC member governments better understand cotton and the environment. It is crucial for SEEP to take an active role in effective communication with policymakers and support the transformation of their national cotton practices towards greater sustainability.
Dr. Parker observed that “regenerative” has emerged as a prominent buzzword with many definitions, leaving many uncertain about its true meaning. Although the cotton industry has changed production practices, particularly concerning soil health, it has not yet been able to measure and capture all the associated benefits comprehensively.
The chair emphasized the importance of the SEEP panel constructing a framework to support all cotton-producing countries, initiatives/programs, and farmers. This framework is intended to provide a narrative that enables them to illustrate how their combined efforts contribute to developing a more regenerative agricultural system. This presents a unique opportunity for collective showcasing of farmers’ actions that can genuinely be categorized as “regenerative.” This approach is aimed at preventing overly restrictive definitions or excessive marketing dominance.
The chair requested that SEEP members share pertinent information on “Regenerative Agriculture,” including documents, definitions, studies, and presentations. Members can upload these documents using the link shared by email.
The chair and the ICAC Secretariat will collaborate to advance these discussions further to determine the next steps. This may include the possibility of members arranging conference calls to deliberate on and potentially establish principles that the panel considers suitable for defining something as “regenerative” within the framework.
Other matters
The Chair thanked the delegates for their presence and declared the meeting closed.
The meeting was adjourned at 7:00 am Eastern Time (ET)