Eshwari, a cotton farmer based in Erode, Tamil Nadu is getting ready to begin her day at the field.
Morning prayers at the temple alongside the cotton field.
Women farmers carrying their lunch and water to the cotton fields.
On the way to the cotton field. In India, chronic debt and crop failure have contributed to an epidemic, with roughly 48 farmer suicides per day recorded between 1995 and 2018.
The transition of a cotton flower from creamy white to vibrant pink is a clear signal that pollination has successfully occurred. This colour change is a biological "status update" that helps the plant manage its resources and communicate with pollinators.
Unlike machine harvesting, which strips the entire plant, organic cotton is often hand-picked. This allows workers to selectively harvest only mature, open bolls while leaving unopened ones to ripen, resulting in higher-quality, longer fibers that are softer and more durable.
Cotton picking is overwhelmingly performed by women, who comprise approximately 90% of the picking workforce in India.
Eshwari picking cotton at the field. Hand-picking keeps fibers intact and minimises "trash" (plant debris) in the harvest.
Organic cotton farming creates a sanctuary for insects and butterflies by replacing "chemical warfare" with a balanced, living ecosystem. While conventional cotton covers only 2.5% of the world's land, it consumes 16% of all global insecticides, which indiscriminately kill pollinators and beneficial bugs.
Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations reports that women in cotton face disproportionate barriers in access to land, inputs, finance, training, services, and decision-making, which limits how much they benefit from the value chain even when they do a large share of the work.
Organic cotton farming manages weeds through a combination of cultural and mechanical methods, relying on cover crops, crop rotation, and cultivation rather than synthetic herbicides.
The scratching and pecking behavior of chickens helps aerate the soil and control larvae in the soil.
Full grown cotton boll ready to be picked.
Kuppuswami inspecting the cotton fibre. Organic cotton farmers in South India are reviving ancient, indigenous (desi) cotton varieties like Kala cotton and Gossypium herbaceum, which are deeply rooted in local agrarian traditions and offer superior resilience.
Traditional ear and nose ornament on a farmer in Tamil Nadu.
Earthworms are crucial to organic cotton farming, acting as "ecosystem engineers" that boost soil health, fertility, and structure by converting organic matter into nutrient-dense vermicompost.
Children getting ready for school. According to the latest Child Labour: Global estimates 2020, the agriculture sector accounts for 70 per cent of children in child labour.
House of a farmer in Erode, Tamil Nadu. Organic cotton farming in South India, particularly in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh, is a growing movement driven by smallholder farmers aiming to escape debt cycles, reduce chemical reliance, and improve soil health.
