15/01/2025 – Sustainable cotton

Ventile supports organic cotton growers in Egypt

Sustainable textile manufacturer, Ventile, has issued a progress update as part of its ongoing efforts to promote biodynamic farming in Egypt, following the second year of its joint venture with the Egyptian Biodynamic Association (EBDA).

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The farms have registered improved soil health and increased biodiversity in their productions. © The Egyptian Biodynamic Association

 

As Ventile and EBDA round off the second year of the partnership, the teams have announced that Ramadan Kamel Farm in Behira and Salsol Farm in Dommiat have taken further steps in the process of converting into biodynamic farming, reporting 47,728 kg of high-quality organic cotton harvested this season. The farms have also registered improved soil health and increased biodiversity in their productions.

With the support of Ventile funding, one-to-one education sessions from EBDA, and both fertilisation and biological control training, the Ramadan Kamel farm was able to cultivate a crop of “Giza 86 cotton”. In this same period, the Salsol Farm transitioned from its wheat, beetroot, and alfalfa harvests to a new cultivation plan that included “Giza 92 cotton” and rice – with 20 feddens of the farmland now benefiting from rejuvenated soil to make this possible.

Looking ahead, both farms will focus on biological control strategies, plant disease management, and additional fertilisation training.

Maintain the ecological balance whilst ensuring sustainable growth

Ventile Brand Director, Daniel Odermatt, said: “As a team, at Ventile we are constantly researching more sustainable ways of producing our fabrics – from fibres to finishings. When EBDA reached out to us we were impressed by the amazing work they do in Egypt and so, in early 2023, we combined our efforts to support two farms as they transition from conventional cotton growing into biodynamic methods. In the first year of the partnership, we worked together to identify and support two farms; Salsol Farm and Ramadam Kamel Farm as they transform the land. Now, we are starting to see the results of that work – with reports showing that the long-term productivity and quality of cotton from the farms are expected to increase significantly.”

Justus Harm, Co-Executive Director of The Egyptian Biodynamic Association, commented, “Thanks to Ventile’s ongoing support, each farmer has been allocated their own EBDA engineer, and together, the land has been cultivated to improve soil health. We have already seen an enhancement in soil organic matter, microbial activity, and overall soil fertility. The farms have collectively generated 380.83 carbon credits, produced 390 t of verified compost, and planted 57 trees.”

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