ENABLING MECHANISMS

BCI recognises that cotton is grown in a variety of different farming contexts, ranging from family smallholdings to large commercial farms. In order to promote change in all of these contexts, scoping work will be undertaken in each region to assess the needs of cotton farming communities, against all BCI production principles and enabling mechanisms. BCI will then provide and/or coordinate resources, based on this scoping work. The achievement of the enabling mechanisms will therefore assume different forms, priorities and scale in different farming contexts.

 

Furthermore, it is fully recognised that most activities undertaken under the Enabling Mechanisms are mutually self-supporting – producer organisation is commonly an important foundation for information dissemination and knowledge sharing, as well as accessing finance on equitable terms; access to finance may enable farmers to take transition risks and invest in their farm in order to realise the practices promoted as a part of knowledge-sharing.

 

1. Knowledge Sharing and Skills Development

BCI farmers need to make informed decisions about their production practices. Part of being able to make informed decisions depends on the level of access farmers have to knowledge, and to training. Providing access to existing and new knowledge often requires direct exchanges with farmers.

BCI will gather information on existing production practices (physical technologies) and enabling mechanisms (social technologies) that meet the global Production Principles, and provide access to this information, enabling exchange, enhancement and aggregation of knowledge.

 

BCI considers producer organisation vital to the ability of farmers to grow Better Cotton. Organisational structures provide a channel and network for information, the means by which to promote and embed systems to change farming practices, the opportunity to gain from efficiencies of scale, and a forum to advocate and defend interests collectively.

 

In several cotton-growing regions, limited access to institutional and transparent finance is an important barrier to farmers adopting better production practices which BCI seeks to promote. Indebtedness both creates and perpetuates unsustainable production. BCI considers that stimulating, coordinating and extending rural lending can create enabling circumstances for farmers to invest in the long-term sustainability of their operations.

Alongside promoting equitable access to responsible lending, BCI equally strives to promote practices that optimise input use and hence reduce the need for credit. BCI also recognises that access to non-credit products, such as crop and health insurance, may be an important factor in enabling the realisation of Better Cotton.