When Policy Meets Reality: Women Shaping Regenerative Cotton

In this episode of The Thing About Cotton, we explore what it really takes to make regenerative cotton production a reality: from global policy frameworks to the lived experiences of farmers on the ground.

As the industry pushes toward more sustainable practices, a key challenge remains: how do we bridge the gap between ambition and implementation?

We begin with Tacko Ndiaye from the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations and the International Year of the Woman Farmer (2026) – a global initiative focused on increasing recognition, investment, and support for women across agricultural systems. We discuss the structural barriers women farmers face and what needs to change to unlock their full potential.
 
Learn more about the FAO initiative here:  https://www.fao.org/woman-farmer-2026/home/en

We then move from policy to practice, hearing directly from Ms. Vaijayanti Gokhale, a regenerative cotton farmer in Maharashtra, India. Her experience highlights the realities of transitioning to more sustainable methods – from rising costs and climate pressures to rebuilding soil health.

Together, these perspectives underline a critical truth: a successful regenerative transition depends on the alignment of policy, market forces, and farmer realities - and on properly valuing both cotton and the people who produce it.