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IKEA and WWF cooperate on a project in India and Pakistan to develop better cotton farming practices. About 2,000 farmers in Pakistan and 500 in India are being trained in Farmer Field Schools where they learn how to reduce the amount of water and chemicals they use. This has a positive impact on the environment and also increases the farmers’ income from their harvest, providing an example for thousands of farmers in the region.

To be able to buy cotton that is better for the environment than conventional cotton, IKEA cooperates with WWF. The aim is to influence mainstream farmers in India and Pakistan, two of the main cotton sourcing countries for IKEA.

It began in 2005 with 20 weeks of field schooling for 450 cotton farmers. Today the projects also involve local organizations in order to reach larger number of farmers. So far, 80,000 farmers have introduced farming practices that reduces water and chemical use, while increasing their profit margins.

The results have been very encouraging. WWF estimates show that project farmers’ average use of pesticides has halved. Water use has also dropped by 50 percent, and at the same time, farmers’ average earnings are up around 40 percent.