OCA expects to back more than 10,000 farmers in 2025–26, signalling steady momentum for organic cotton in Pakistan.
The Organic Cotton Accelerator (OCA) is scaling up its work in Pakistan, marking its third year in the country with a significant expansion of organic cotton cultivation. For the 2025–26 season, OCA expects to support over 10,000 farmers managing nearly 60,000 hectares across Baluchistan, Punjab and Sindh — land projected to yield roughly 16,000 tonnes of lint cotton.
The initiative comes as Pakistan continues to confront climate shocks, including recurrent flooding and crop stress. OCA argues that organic cultivation can offer farmers a measure of resilience by improving soil health, reducing exposure to costly synthetic inputs and diversifying income prospects.
Central to OCA’s model is a support system that provides non-GM seed access, agronomic and financial training, and predictable market linkages — all critical gaps in Pakistan’s fragmented cotton economy. The NGO has also introduced digital tools to strengthen traceability and data-driven decision-making, while investing in more rigorous laboratory testing and a locally adapted Organic Cotton Training Curriculum to safeguard organic integrity.
For Pakistan’s cotton sector — long weakened by low yields, pest outbreaks and declining farmer interest — OCA’s work offers a modest but meaningful complement to wider efforts to stabilise the value chain.
As demand for certified organic cotton rises globally, OCA’s leadership says collaboration will be essential. Bringing farmers, industry and policymakers into a shared framework, they argue, can build stronger local markets and help Pakistan capture more value from higher-quality, climate-resilient cotton.
