Cotton Genomics and Genetics 2025, Vol.16, No.2, 80-94 http://cropscipublisher.com/index.php/cgg 92 improve agricultural early warning and insurance mechanisms to deal with extreme weather risks. Meteorological departments should provide cotton farmers with more refined forecasts and warnings, such as issuing high-temperature heat wave warnings in advance so that farmers can adjust the sowing period, or issuing high-risk warnings for pests for early prevention and control. At the same time, expand the coverage of cotton weather index insurance, and help low-income countries establish an agricultural insurance system with the support of the Global Climate Risk Fund. Once a disaster occurs, cotton farmers can at least receive basic compensation, avoiding falling into poverty due to a single disaster, and thus being able to continue to adhere to sustainable farming without returning to the old path of high input and high risk. Thirdly, encourage the development of climate-smart agricultural practices. For example, carbon sequestration in cotton production can be achieved through soil carbon sequestration and reduced agricultural inputs. Some studies have pointed out that the promotion of no-tillage mulching and intercropping can not only improve the climate adaptability of farmland, but also increase the organic carbon content in the soil (Adil et al., 2023). In the future, the carbon trading mechanism may be used to provide additional income to cotton farmers who adopt these practices to form economic incentives. In addition, in terms of macro-layout, countries should pay attention to the adjustment of agricultural planting structure and avoid excessive development of cotton monoculture in extremely fragile ecological areas. Through reasonable regional planning and adjustment of planting systems, cotton planting can be concentrated in areas with better water and soil resource carrying capacity, and cotton fields with high environmental costs can be gradually eliminated. This requires policy guidance and the provision of alternative livelihood solutions for cotton farmers to achieve a fair transition. Only by integrating climate resilience construction into the sustainable cotton strategy can we ensure that the cotton industry can still develop steadily under more extreme climate conditions in the future. 7.3 Strengthen global cooperation and responsibility sharing Cotton is a global industry that connects many countries. Improving its sustainability requires cooperation across the entire industry chain and multiple stakeholders. First, producing countries should deepen cooperation and jointly address sustainable development challenges. For example, strengthen consultation mechanisms in cross-border pest control and water resource management (Mukhtar, 2024). The international forums and alliances mentioned above provide a good start for this. We can explore the establishment of a "Global Sustainable Cotton Roundtable" to bring together government officials, scientific research experts, corporate representatives and farmers' organizations from cotton-producing countries for regular dialogue to negotiate and resolve major issues, such as eliminating the use of the most harmful pesticides and promoting global cotton subsidy reform. Second, developed and developing countries should strengthen cooperation in financing and technical assistance. Many least developed countries (such as some cotton-producing countries in Africa) lack the funds and technology needed for transformation, and the international community has a responsibility to provide support. For example, through channels such as the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the Green Climate Fund, provide grants and concessional loans for sustainable cotton projects in Africa and small island countries, introduce appropriate technologies and training, and help them improve productivity and environmental performance. Agricultural research institutions and enterprises in developed countries can also cooperate with these countries to carry out technical trials and capacity building to achieve knowledge sharing. Third, multinational cotton textile companies and brands need to assume more supply chain responsibilities. This includes implementing the commitment to purchase sustainable cotton and not giving up existing progress due to temporary cost considerations; at the same time, protecting the interests of cotton farmers when cotton prices are low and avoiding excessive price cuts that cause farmers to lose money. Several disputes that have emerged in recent years have shown that the misconduct of any party in the supply chain will have an impact on the reputation and stability of the entire industry. For example, some Western brands have improperly handled labor issues in the supply chain, leading to trade frictions and lack of trust, which is not conducive to the atmosphere of global cooperation. All parties should communicate and cooperate on the basis of facts and science, seek constructive solutions, and jointly promote industry improvements rather than confrontation. Finally, consumer education is also a part of global cooperation. Only when global consumers recognize and approve sustainable cotton products can the market's pulling power be fully exerted. Governments and NGOs can guide consumers to
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