CRDC and Cotton Australia have just released the inaugural annual progress update against cotton's key sustainability indicators, outlined in the PLANET. PEOPLE. PADDOCK. Sustainability Framework.
The annual update, which looks at the year ending June 2021, provides a snapshot of cotton's performance against the nine indicators - PLANET: water, greenhouse gases, biodiversity, pesticides and soil health; PEOPLE: wellbeing and workplace; and PADDOCK: productivity and profitability.
The annual updates are designed to fit between cotton's comprehensive five-yearly sustainability reports, giving important insights into progress, so the industry can keep track of areas performing well, and those that need more emphasis.
"The Sustainability Update 2021 shows that improvements have been seen in water use efficiency, a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions per bale and insecticide hazard, and an increase in both cotton yield and the physical health of people in cotton communities," said Chris Cosgrove, cotton's sustainability lead.
"On the downside, we've seen a reduction in mental health in cotton communities, and an increase in herbicide hazard as the result of a wetter season with higher weeds numbers and an increase in the use of residual herbicides."
What's does it mean for growers?
A long-term trend of improvement in many areas is something the industry can be proud of, says Chris. It also helps us tell a positive story to people who buy Australian cotton.
In terms of areas for improvement, across across the industry as a whole priority needs to be given to:
- Reducing net greenhouse gas emissions (per bale, and in total), by improving nitrogen fertiliser efficiency, reducing electricity and energy from fossil fuels, and keeping carbon in soil and in native vegetation.
- Reducing herbicide toxicity and volume where alternatives are available, such as via alternatives to residuals and use of optical sprayers, ensuring all changes are in line with cotton's resistance management strategy.
- Improving farm safety.
- Continuing to adopt practices to improve soil health by maintaining soil cover, reducing soil disturbance, maximising living roots, and maximising biodiversity above and below the ground.
- Protecting biodiversity on farms by avoiding native vegetation loss, preserving existing native vegetation, and restoring land to native vegetation to provide habitat for beneficials and native animals.
What is cotton doing to manage sustainability?
PLANET. PEOPLE. PADDOCK. is helping the Australian industry to be a global leader in sustainable cotton production. It sets sustainability targets, coordinates a whole-of-industry strategy to achieve these targets, and engages with growers, the wider cotton industry, cotton communities, and important community groups on actions and progress.
Priorities for Cotton Australia, CRDC and the Sustainability Working Group to continue to improve the PLANET. PEOPLE. PADDOCK. Sustainability Framework are to:
- Improve the quality of our data. Collecting accurate industry scale data is a challenge for agriculture sectors around the world and is something the Sustainability Working Group is working on with other industries here in Australia.
- Contribute to national work to have a consistent approach to managing and measuring native vegetation and soil health. (See the following soil health article and stay tuned to Spotlight for more regarding native vegetation.)
- Continue to work with other industries to have consistency across sustainability frameworks, and to share ideas and resources to increase our ability to meet targets.
Along with the annual snapshot, CRDC and Cotton Australia have also released an online sustainability data pack with more detailed information and methodologies. This data pack will be kept updated in real time, to provide an important central source of information on cotton's sustainability progress. This is a new and important initiative.
"Providing transparent and frequent updates of progress is critical for building trust, and an essential part of any good sustainability program," Chris said.
"The CRDC-supported Community Trust in Rural Industries project clearly shows that demonstrating our responsiveness to the things that matter most to the community, along with our sound environmental management, are two of the most important things we can do to build trust in cotton."
Read the Australian Cotton Sustainability Update 2021 here.
