Why is traceability important?

Understanding the route Better Cotton takes from field to market enables a clearer view of risks and where to prioritise efforts for continuous improvement. It will build on our existing efforts to build farmers’ capacity to adopt more sustainable practices and promote decent work and will facilitate the inclusion of producers in increasingly regulated international value chains, helping to improve lives and safeguard livelihoods in cotton communities. The sourcing landscape is changing, and we want to make sure these changes are good for those who produce and source Better Cotton.

So what we are doing to make this a reality?

We are currently exploring the best possible options to achieve physically traceable Better Cotton. In the next few months, we will test various traceability solutions and partner with new and existing stakeholders to forge a collective pathway to systemic change. We will also hold workshops and conduct surveys to gather inputs and requirements from our members. To ensure a viable, fit-for-purpose solution, we need to make sure it works for BCI Farmers, and for every actor in the cotton supply chain.

Traceability is a huge investment for BCI, and everyone involved across the supply chain. Funding is needed to develop robust, workable systems, and to help all the relevant actors invest in change. This is particularly important for smaller actors like smallholder farmers and small-scale ginners, who may not have access to the finance and resources to make the changes that are needed. While traceability comes with a cost, it also represents an opportunity to create new and innovative value for BCI Farmers, such as rewarding them for carbon sequestration.