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 FARM ASSESSMENT BENCHMARKS
The BCI is about continuous improvement of production practices and learning from the results of these improved practices. To capture this key characteristic, the BCI works with a Progress Framework. The first steps of the BCI Progress Framework (Understand, Plan & Do) are assessed by defined benchmarks during the self-assessment process to know whether farmers meet the BCI Minimum Production Criteria and subsequently the Progress Requirements.
Meeting the Minimum Production Criteria (MPC) means that farmers must achieve the DO Benchmark for each of the MPC. To be able to continue to sell Better Cotton after meeting the Minimum Production Criteria, a farmer needs to also make progress. The BCI Progress Requirement is that farmers, after meeting the Minimum Production Criteria, must complete a minimum number of additional benchmarks within the following 3 growing seasons while maintaining compliance to the Minimum Production Criteria. Progress refers to making progress to the next steps within a Production Cri terion, i.e. from Understand to Plan, or from Plan to Do.
Given the different backgrounds and capacity to change between categories of farmers, the Production Principles and Criteria and the self-assessment process differ per category of farmer. Accordingly, there is also a different set of benchmarks for each category of producers (family smallholdings, smallholder employers and large farm
employers). BCI defines Family smallholdings as cotton producers who are not structurally dependent on permanent hired labour, who manage their farm using mainly their own and their family’s labour; Smallholder employers as smallholder farmers who employ a significant number of hired workers, either permanently or for a
specific task; and Large farm employers as those cotton-farming operations which are structurally dependent on permanent hired labour.
The benchmarks for the 3 categories of farmers in English are available to download here.
last update: 28 Jan. 10 |
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DOWNLOADS & LINKS Benchmarks for Family Smallholdings
Benchmarks for Smallholder Employers
Benchmarks Large Farm Employers
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