Pakistan is the world's fourth largest producer of cotton after China, the USA and India, according to statistics from the All Pakistan Textile Mills Association. Organic cotton agriculture has long been practiced in some pockets of Pakistan. Two key officials of the WWF who work out of its headquarters in Geneva are in Pakistan this week to guide the national WWF chapter in introducing organic cotton agriculture. Cotton and freshwater project manager Christine Barochler and international policies director Jennifer Heap will work with local people to turn one of Pakistan's largest industries in an environmentally friendly direction. Talking to ENS at the WWF office in Karachi Saturday, Barochler said it is time for Pakistan to switch over to organic cotton agriculture to safeguard its fresh waters.
River dolphins are symbols of the freshness of water.
Their numbers have dwindled not only because of dams and barrages, but also because of agriculture run-offs. Cotton growers in Pakistan and other cotton growing countries depend heavily on pesticides. Twenty-five percent of all insecticides used around the world each year are applied in traditional cotton agriculture, according to the U.S. based EcoChoices Green store. Calling for a holistic approach to agriculture, Barochler said that if steps are not taken quickly, developing countries like Pakistan might face something akin to Russia's Aral Sea tragedy. The Aral Sea, spread over 60,000 kilometers, was one of the largest fresh water ecosystems.