The Organic Cotton Accelerator (OCA) has rolled out the next phase of its strategy to scale a more resilient global organic cotton supply chain by 2030. Building on the past decade of work by the sustainable farming organization, the next step expands OCA’s impact areas simplifies participation for brands and retailers and increases global supply through new partnerships.
The OCA’s new strategy covers three key components: Expanded impact areas and strong data, simpler participation through the OCA Farm Fund and scaling supply through strategic partnerships.
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To expand its reach, OCA is broadening its impact focus beyond farmer income to include climate and nature outcomes such as soil health, greenhouse gas emissions, biodiversity and water stewardship. The organization also will focus on social priorities such as better working conditions for farm workers and empowering women. OCA will use data systems to measure and report these impact areas, supporting textile companies to meet growing due diligence and disclosure requirements.
The OCA also will tap into its Farm Fund program to create a more streamlined and transparent funding approach. Currently in the pilot phase, the OCA Farm Fund is designed to make participation easier for brands and retailers by providing clear cost visibility and reducing administrative complexity. The Farm Fund will create more stable and predictable support for farmers and producers by pooling contributions for farmer premiums and technical support while separating these investments from cotton prices. OCA said this approach will help partners plan and scale investments while ensuring more funding goes to farmers.
According to OCA’s verified data, between 2021 and 2024, farmers participating in the organization’s Farm Program have earned and average 9 percent higher net income per hectare from organic cotton than their peers growing using conventional farming methods. Over that same period, a total of nearly €15 million was paid to farmers as a premium through the OCA Farm Program.
OCA also plans to enter additional partnerships that expand their reach globally beyond work currently happening in India, Pakistan and Turkey. The organization plans to target sourcing regions in Africa and Latin America by collaborating with existing organic initiatives in those areas, supporting farmers and strengthening the global organic cotton supply. The ultimate goal is to improve coordination between stakeholders and farmers while increasing traceability and long-term market access for farming communities.
The OCA currently works with more than 100,000 farmers, supporting them through training, access to quality inputs and sourcing commitments that provide better prices and long-term market incentives. Late last year, the OCA brought its Organic Cotton Training Curriculum to farmers in Turkey, taking proven organic cotton-growing best practices and tailoring them to the nation’s soil, climate and growing conditions.
“The industry is at a turning point,” said Bart Vollaard, executive director of OCA. “Sustainability expectations are changing fast, and brands now face rising demands on traceability, climate action and human rights, while managing real sourcing risks. Farmers, meanwhile, face growing climate and market volatility and need stable markets and fairer returns to stay resilient. By scaling proven solutions with our partners, we can deliver meaningful impact for farmers and strengthen the long‑term resilience of the global textile sector.”
Along with these changes, the OCA said it will continue to grow its contributor community, uniting brands, retailers, suppliers, farm groups and community organizations to support long-term market access for organic farmers while also bumping up its advocacy efforts to promote organic cotton growth and usage.
