John Lewis implements cotton farming project in Gujarat

30 Jul '12

2 min read

John Lewis, the UK-based department store chain, is setting up developmental projects for cotton farmers in India. With the help of its charitable entity, John Lewis Foundation, the department store chain has initiated educational projects for the development of cotton farming in the western Indian state of Gujarat.

Siân Grieve, spokesperson, John Lewis, told Fibre2fashion about the John Lewis Foundation’s charitable services worldwide. She says, “The John Lewis Foundation is a registered charity, which provides support to communities residing in the regions where our suppliers operate.”

“In 2011, the Foundation set up a three-year-educational project for cotton farmers in Rajkot, Gujarat. The project aims to reduce input costs and contribute in enhancing the livelihoods of the farmers of that area,” she adds.

The three-year-educational programme will teach 1,500 farmers and their families about more sustainable methods of cotton farming. The training includes soil health, water, pest and nutrient management studies.

“Over 6,000 metric tonnes of cotton fibre will be produced over the course of the ongoing three-year-training programme. A part of the cotton produced will be used in John Lewis’s tufted bath mat range and the rest will be supplied to wholesale markets,” she avers.

By using sustainable business model practices and working with the whole supply chain, the project would create a long-term cotton supply for John Lewis, while helping the farmers to forge commercial relationships with other businesses in John Lewis’s supply chain.

In Gujarat, the John Lewis Foundation is working with CottonConnect, which delivers business benefits to retailers and brands by creating more sustainable cotton supply chains. The company implements farmer training courses and has teams in Europe, South Asia and China.

Fibre2fashion News Desk - India

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