Abstract
In this report, we examine the potential role of voluntary sustainability standards (VSSs) in addressing three major sustainability challenges for South Asia’s cotton sector: pest management, water conservation, and farmers’ prices and incomes. The report provides analysis and guidance for policymakers in South Asia on how they might a) use VSSs to boost intraregional trade and improve conditions in cotton production and b) use public policy and trade agreements to increase the impact of VSSs in the region. The findings and recommendations are also relevant to standard-setting bodies in cotton value chains.
In Section 1, we show why regional action