Better Cotton Farmer Results

2017-18 Cotton Season

© Better Cotton/Yuyang Liu. Better Cotton Farmer Wang Meishuang. Hebei, China, 2019.

© Better Cotton/Yuyang Liu. Better Cotton Farmer Wang Meishuang. Hebei, China, 2019.

Better Cotton Farmer Results provide an overview of the outcomes Better Cotton Farmers are experiencing at field-level by participating in the Better Cotton programme and adhering to the Better Cotton Principles and Criteria (P&C). Adhering to thePP&C enables Better Cotton Farmers to produce cotton in a way that is measurably better for people, the environment and farming communities.

The infographics below illustrate farmer results from five countries where the Better Cotton Standard System was implemented in the 2017-18 cotton season – China, India, Pakistan, Tajikistan and Turkey. The results show social, environmental and economic outcomes. Each infographic is accompanied by a detailed summary of the results, highlighting particular successes and challenges faced by BCI Farmers in the season.

Understanding BCI Farmer Results
Data from all BCI medium and large farms is collected. For smallholders, a sampling approach is used that includes the collection of data from a large representative sample of learning groups that are randomly selected by BCI on a yearly basis at the end of the season.

Reporting on BCI Farmer Results — Results Indicator data — is fully integrated into the Better Cotton Assurance Programme to ensure that sustainability improvements are adequately measured everywhere Better Cotton is produced. You can learn more about Results Indicator data collection and sampling methodologies here.

Communicating BCI Farmer Results
Farm results must not be manipulated in any way. Averaging farm results across different geographies undermines the credibility of the data. If you are a BCI Member and wish to use the results to support your storytelling, please contact the BCI Communications Team who will help you craft your Better Cotton story in a way that maintains the integrity of the data.

Download the 2017-18 BCI Farmer Results Infographics:

China

2017-18 Farmer Results

© BCI/Yuyang Liu. BCI Farmer Learning Group. Hebei, China, 2019.

© BCI/Yuyang Liu. BCI Farmer Learning Group. Hebei, China, 2019.

China

In the 2017-18 season, BCI Farmers in China achieved 25% higher profits and generated 14% higher yields than Comparison Farmers, despite continuing to face challenges due to extreme and irregular weather. BCI Farmers in the Yangtze and Yellow River basin experienced a series of obstacles including early season drought, heat damage, heavy rain and flooding. In Xinjiang, lower temperatures put seedlings at risk, while high temperatures later in the season prompted BCI Farmers to rely more on drip irrigation. Farmers in the region also faced greater pressure from cotton aphids, which suck sap from plants, and red spider mites which are tiny, destructive pests.

In particular, BCI Farmers learnt to build resilience to extreme weather and improve their livelihoods by adopting more sustainable farming practices, using fewer inputs and better managing their costs. For example, BCI Farmers used 18% less water,* achieved in part by levelling fields – preparing the ground so that water could move easily across their fields – prior to irrigation in early spring. Farmers in Hebei and Xinjiang also benefitted from government investment in infrastructure to improve water efficiency – this included the repair and replacement of old canal systems to control seepage and reduce evaporation, plus the construction of new canals and drip irrigation systems.

Taking a needs-based approach to applying pesticides and fertilisers helped BCI Farmers to more effectively address increased pest pressure and promote soil health. They used 5% fewer pesticides than non-BCI Farmers by monitoring pest numbers before spraying and by cultivating beneficial insects that prey naturally on the pests threatening their crops. Similarly, they used 12% fewer synthetic fertilisers by monitoring the needs of the soil and checking their crops, with a key focus on reducing their use of nitrogen, in order to help preserve water quality and improve soil fertility.

Farming families’ support for children’s education and the government’s focus on compulsory education, combined with training from BCI Implementing Partners, helped to improve awareness of child labour issues.

Data Collection
Total BCI Farmers: 79,093
BCI Farmers in the sample group: 8,226
Comparison Farmers: 2,455

India

2017-18 Farmer Results

© BCI/Florian Lang. BCI Farmer Vinodbhai Patel. Gujarat, India, 2018.

© BCI/Florian Lang. BCI Farmer Vinodbhai Patel. Gujarat, India, 2018.

India

In India, BCI Farmers optimised their use of water, pesticides and synthetic fertilisers, achieving 9% higher yields than comparison farmers, and 24% higher profits in the 2017-18 cotton season. Farmers generally experienced enough rainfall to grow their cotton, except in Gujarat - the state producing approximately 30% of India’s cotton - which experienced crop damage due to flooding. BCI Farmers also faced yield losses due to pest pressure from pink bollworm and white fly. A pink bollworm epidemic swept through the country, with the Indian Council of Agricultural Research-Central Institute reporting significant yield losses in the states of Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Karnataka and Madhya Pradesh, where yield losses ranged from 10%-30%.

Given the severe pest pressure, cotton farmers typically used more pesticides compared to the previous season, increasing their costs. However, BCI Farmers proved slightly more resilient in the face of the pest challenge, benefitting from the support and knowledge of BCI’s on-the-ground Implementing Partners, and using 19% less pesticide, on average, than Comparison Farmers. In particular, BCI Farmers learnt how to reduce their vulnerability to white fly and pink bollworm infestations using straightforward, picture-led guides, maintaining their yields at a relatively stable level.

To help improve the health of the soil, which has suffered fertility challenges in recent years, BCI Farmers took cost-effective measures including growing cover crops (such as sun hemp and sesbania* in their fields at the end of the season) and intercropping (planting crops such as green gram, black gram or ground nut in between their cotton rows). These techniques helped to enhance the quality of the soil, retain more moisture and promote biodiversity. Intercropping could also bring additional income to farmers. Almost 65% of the cotton in India comes from rain-fed regions and managing soil moisture is a key factor in getting good yields.

While compulsory education is promoted by the Indian government, less developed areas such as Rajasthan still experience relatively lower awareness of child labour issues due to poverty and a lack of access to schools. However, the majority of BCI Farmers have either basic or advanced awareness about child labour issues and BCI Implementing Partners are working to improve awareness.

Data Collection
Total BCI Farmers: 575,725
BCI Farmers in the sample group: 53,533
Comparison Farmers: 14,893

*Sesbania sesban is a Nitrogen-fixing shrub suitable as a soil improver. It provides green manure and its leaves produce rich compost. It provides Nitrogen to neighbour crops and can improve their yields.

Pakistan

2017-18 Farmer Results

© BCI/Khaula Jamil. Cotton farm workers. Vehari District, Pakistan, 2018.

© BCI/Khaula Jamil. Cotton farm workers. Vehari District, Pakistan, 2018.

Pakistan

Extensive monsoon rains hit cotton farmers in Pakistan in the 2017-18 season, with the Punjab region particularly affected. BCI Farmers across the country faced a challenging combination of frequent rainfall and hot, humid conditions during the growth and early fruiting stage of their cotton crops. This resulted in high pest pressure, particularly from white fly and pink bollworm, as well as fungal diseases, with farmers in Punjab relying on pesticides as heavy rains washed their applications away. Despite this, BCI Farmers achieved 40% higher profits than Comparison Farmers, in part, by adopting more sustainable techniques to raise their yields and reduce their input costs. Rising cotton prices and government subsidies further encouraged cotton farmers to invest in cotton farming, with cultivated cotton areas increasing by approximately 16%.

Working closely with BCI Implementing Partners, BCI Farmers achieved 15% higher yields by learning to monitor water stressed plants or dry soil and using this information to help determine when and how much water to apply through irrigation. To further optimise their use of water, BCI Farmers engaged in laser levelling (using specialist equipment to help ensure the land is even and sloping the best way to efficiently direct water across the field), and ridge sowing (planting crops on parallel ridges of soil in order to retain as much water in the dips in between). Overall, they used 17% less water than Comparison Farmers.

BCI Farmers learnt to select healthy seeds and optimise sowing time based on agronomic expertise and recommendations provided by BCI Implementing Partners. They remained vigilant to the condition of their crops through regular monitoring and field observations, and took a needs-based approach to applying pesticides and synthetic fertilisers (using 17% fewer than Comparison Farmers), monitoring pest numbers before spraying and only applying fertilisers when it stood to benefit the soil and their crops. Some BCI Farmers also opted for organic fertiliser such as manure and took steps to retain soil moisture through hoeing and weeding.

The majority of BCI Farmers had either basic or advanced awareness about child labour issues, but awareness remained slightly higher in the Sindh cotton-producing region, compared to Punjab, with poverty and a lack of access to nearby schools in Sindh creating barriers to children’s education. BCI Implementing Partners are working to improve this.

Data Collection
Total BCI Farmers: 251,292
BCI Farmers in the sample group: 22,830
Comparison Farmers: 6,188

Tajikistan

2017-18 Farmer Results

© BCI/Emma Upton. BCI Lead Farmer Sharipov Habibullo training BCI Farmers. Tajikistan, 2019.

© BCI/Emma Upton. BCI Lead Farmer Sharipov Habibullo training BCI Farmers. Tajikistan, 2019.

Tajikistan

In the 2017-18 season, BCI’s on-the-ground partner, Sarob, has actively supported BCI Farmers to manage pests more effectively, in contrast to Comparison Farmers, by using biological pest control methods (such as pheromones and botanical substances) while also introducing beneficial insects that feed on cotton pests. These methods have reduced BCI Farmers' reliance on costly synthetic pesticides, using 40% fewer pesticides overall. They also invested in a new seed variety with a better seed potential.

Some BCI Farmers have increased their use of synthetic fertiliser. However, they consult with project Field Facilitators to determine the optimal amount to apply, and in recent years, Field Facilitators have noticed a decrease in macro nutrients such as nitrogen, potassium and phosphorous present in the fertiliser. 

In Sughd region, BCI Farmers learnt how to help overcome soil fertility challenges posed by rocky soils by using organic fertilisers and caring for the health of the soil. Farmers also received comprehensive training on water stewardship practices as part of the Water Productivity Project (WAPRO), a multi-stakeholder initiative designed to improve water efficiency in rice and cotton production in Asia – BCI is a WAPRO project partner.

All BCI Farmers had a basic or advanced knowledge of child labour issues, having received training and advice from BCI’s Implementing Partner throughout the season. Additionally, a number of female BCI Farmers had the opportunity to take part in an agronomist training course, which enabled them to develop their knowledge and skills.

Data Collection
Total BCI Farmers: 1,261
BCI Farmers in the sample group: 663
Comparison Farmers: 333

Turkey

2017-18 Farmer Results

© IPUD. Cotton farm workers, Turkey.

© IPUD. Cotton farm workers, Turkey.

Turkey

Despite heavy pest pressure and irregular rainfall, BCI Farmers achieved 13% higher profits than Comparison Farmers in the 2017-18 season by responding at the optimal time to achieve better yields. Farmers faced unusually heavy early season spring rains, prompting them to re-sow several times before their seedlings began to grow, while in the south-east, water shortages caused challenges as plants began to take hold. All cotton-growing areas experienced high pest pressure, particularly from aphids, red spider mites and pink bollworm, with both BCI Farmers and Comparison Farmers relying on pesticides to help protect their crops.

Supported by the agronomic expertise of IPUD, our Strategic and Implementing Partner in Turkey, BCI Farmers were able to respond to challenging seasonal conditions at the optimal time, generating 5% higher yields overall. Additionally, BCI Farmers used 4% less water, with some using drip irrigation techniques to deliver water to their crops more efficiently, which in turn helped to deliver higher yields and profits.

Building on BCI Farmers’ growing awareness of the importance of preventing child labour, IPUD is continuing to partner with the Fair Labor Association to enable farmers’ and workers’ children to gain better access to education.

Data Collection
Total BCI Farmers: 791
BCI Farmers in the sample group: 765 
Comparison Farmers: 61 

*All figures presented show BCI Farmers’ performance in comparison to cotton farmers not involved in the BCI programme.