OVERVIEW

The Better Cotton System is made up of inter-dependent components and the relationships between these components are supported and facilitated through the BCI membership association. Each component and relationship is equally important for the system to effectively deliver BCI’s long term objectives and goals.

The development of the Better Cotton System started in 2005, drawing on a global multi-stakeholder consultative process involving actors from the length of the cotton supply chain and beyond. It is made up of inter-dependent components and the relationships between these components are supported and facilitated through the BCI membership association. Each component and relationship is equally important for the system to effectively deliver BCI’s long term objectives and 2012 goals.

- Production Principles and Criteria to provide a global definition of Better Cotton
- Farmer Support to promote enabling mechanisms at a local and global level, working with experienced implementing partners, and stimulating public-private partnership funds to implement these mechanisms
- Farm Assessment to encourage farmers to continuously improve, through measuring results and seasonal learning cycles
- Supply Chain connecting supply with demand through an identifiable bale of 100% Better Cotton lint
- Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning mechanisms to measure progress and change and to ensure the Better Cotton System has the intended impacts on its direct beneficiaries
- Tools, guidelines and learning forums to facilitate the exchange of best practices and knowledge to encourage the scaling up of collective action