The Raddis-Earthist-GSR partnership brings together social entrepreneurs from India, Turkey and the Netherlands to demonstrate that another textile industry is possible.
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The Raddis team has deep experience in grassroots mobilization, agroecology and Fairtrade in India.
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Earthist network has its roots in hemp cultivation and processing, as well as web3 technology.
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Green Silk Road is a 21st century version of the ancient trade route that connected Anatolia with Europe and Asia.
Our three ventures are pulling together their strengths and we invite others keen to be a part of this transformational journey as we explore a holistic transformation including a range of aspects: economic, social, political, cultural, and ecological.
Economic threads:
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What patterns of ownership and control are conducive to regeneration, care and solidarity? Which patterns are holding us back?
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What possibilities exist to shift to more regenerative models, structures and processes?
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How can we align and enhance the perceived value, going beyond just financial returns?
Social fabric:
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To what extent are people restricted by barriers of class gender, religion and ethnicity? What possibilities exist to shift towards more inclusivity, equity and care?
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Can we explore cross-border collaborations, such as peer-to-peer learning exchanges, between Turkish and Indian cotton farmers?
Governance canvas:
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Which governance systems enable direct community participation in decisions that affect their lives? Which systems are limiting?
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How can we establish a unified and cohesive system that embraces cultural, technical, and geographical diversity?
Ecology:
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What elements in the agroecological zone are doing well? Which are not? What processes support resilience and self-organising and which hamper these qualities?
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How can we implement mechanisms that position local and traditional knowledge as the central focus in the context of regeneration?
We intend to keep each of these broad questions in mind as we dive deep into the operations of cultivation and commerce. It is by practicing the alternative we want to see in the world that we learn what is actually possible.
2024 pilot aims
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To grow relationships of trust and mutual understanding based on shared experience and reflection, primarily between project partner organizations and farmer families.
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To support cotton farmers grow cotton in a way that nourishes the soil, enhances self healing across the farm ecosystem, and generates balanced returns.
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To learn about regenerative economics in practice (product, process and market), including multiple forms of wealth, such as spiritual, experiential, social, cultural, intellectual, natural, physical and financial.
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To assess the scope and nature of future possibilities regarding natural fibers and regenerative agri based value chains in the Anatolian bio region.
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To learn which aspects of Raddis experience in India are relevant and appropriate in Turkey and vice versa.
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To discover which roles Earthist and the Green Silk Road can play in supporting land based communities at the forefront of transition from business as usual towards regenerative alternatives.
