FARM ASSESSMENT

For BCI, Better Cotton is ‘Better’ to the extent that it entails improvements for farming communities and farm workers, as well as the environment. Farm Assessment is a critical component in the Better Cotton System for achieving these improvements, by creating an enabling and motivating process of understanding, planning, doing, learning and then improving. BCI builds on the premise that farmers already know a lot, can educate and stimulate each other, while helping each other in planning and implementation. This experience allows farmers to collect valuable data which helps to measure their progress over time. 




 

Minimum Production Criteria
Farmers who want to grow and sell Better Cotton need to begin the process of improvement by prioritising activity on selected Production Criteria, and determining how further improvements will be made each year to meet all of the BCI Production Principles. The selected Minimum Production Criteria are determined by the BCI, and serve as the basic meaning of Better Cotton. This is monitored by means of self-assessment and benchmarks. Tools and guidance are provided for carrying out the self-assessment process. The results of the self-assessment process are subject to credibility checks, at random and based on a risk assessment. Self-assessment is linked to BCI’s own monitoring, evaluation and learning through the collection of on-farm results indicators, both baseline and annual.

 

The Minimum Production Criteria form part of the requirements for a farmer to be a BCI Farmer.

A BCI Farmer is a farmer who:

-          participates in the annual self assessment process;

-          has a record keeping system, or is part of a group that does;

-          meets the BCI Minimum Production Criteria and therefore produces Better Cotton; and

-          commits to and demonstrates progress in line with the BCI progress requirements and therefore continues to produce Better Cotton.

 

Progress requirements
The progress that BCI farmers make season-by-season against the Production Principles is as important as meeting the Minimum Production Criteria in delivering improvements and long-term benefits for farmers, cotton farm workers, cotton farming communities and the environment.

 

A minimum level of progress (improvement) is required every year for farmers to continue to sell Better Cotton, while allowing enough flexibility for farmers to address those issues which are considered most important and feasible through the creation of a ‘seasonal improvement plan’.