1.1 An Integrated Pest Management Programme is adopted that includes the following principles: (i) growing of a healthy crop; and (ii) prevention of build-up of pest populations and of the spread of disease; and (iii) preservation and enhancement of populations of beneficial organisms; and (iv) regular field observations of the crop’s health and key pest and beneficial insects; and (v) management of resistance. How do you conduct your Integrated Pest Management Programme – what kind of strategies/specific practices do you promote in the unit (e.g. crop protection, biological control, pest monitoring, etc.) How farmers decide when to use pesticides? How do they observe /monitor the cotton crop for pests and beneficial insects? Did they use genetically modified seed this season? If yes how did they manage resistance? Do you have any policy, book or guidance about IPM? What type of training has been provided to farmers? IPM Plan Training and awareness raising material for facilitators and farmers/workers Training records 1.2 Only pesticides that are: (i) Registered nationally for the crop being treated; and (ii) Correctly labelled in the national language are used. What pesticides are being used in the PU? Do you have a list of the pesticides nationally registered for using cotton? How do you ensure farmers comply with the criteria? List of pesticides nationally registered for cotton (if available at PU level) 1.3 Pesticides list in Annex A and B of the Stockholm Convention are not used. What pesticides are being used in the PU? Do you know the list of pesticides in the Stockholm convention? How do you ensure farmers do not use these pesticides? Stockholm convention List of pesticides used in the PU (if available at PU level) 1.4 Pesticides are prepared and applied by persons who are: (i) healthy; and (ii) skilled and trained in the application of pesticides; and (iii) 18 or older; and (iv) not pregnant or nursing. Who is allowed to use pesticides (everyone, specific persons?) Is there a policy available in the PU about who can prepare and apply pesticides? Are the workers/farmers that work with pesticides trained? How do you ensure farmers comply with the Training and awareness raising material for facilitators and farmers/workers Training records PU policy
criteria? 2.1 Water management practices are adopted that optimise water use (applicable to both rain fed and irrigated cotton). General What management practices are being implemented? Please give specific examples How do you conserve soil moisture for as long as possible? What type of training is provided to farmers? Rain-fed How do you make optimal use of rainfall in the PU? Irrigated What techniques are being used to maximise the efficiency of irrigation systems used by farmers? What records are being kept on irrigation? Training & awareness raising material for facilitators and farmers Best practices Water use records 4.2 The use and conversion of land to grow cotton conforms with national legislation related to agricultural land use. What are the legal requirements regarding land use/converting native land into farming land in your region? How do you keep up to date with the legal requirements? How do you ensure that cotton is only grown according to legislation? National legislation Training & awareness raising material for facilitators and farmers 5.2 Seed cotton is harvested, managed and stored to minimise trash, contamination and damage. What management practices are being implemented to minimise trash, contamination and damage? Who is being trained on these practices (farmers only, cotton picker, etc.)? Training & awareness raising material for facilitators and farmers/workers Best practices 6.1 Smallholders (including tenants, sharecroppers and other categories) have the right on a voluntary basis to establish and develop organisations Is sharecropping or other forms of land arrangements common in the Producer Unit? In the positive, are they also free to join organisations representing their interests? PU internal policies and procedures
updated? When the information was or will be communicated to BCI? M3 Continuous improvement plan available at PU level and reviewed by PU on annual basis. Could you please share the continuous improvement plan developed at Producer Unit level? When do you review your plan? Are you aware of the continuous improvement plan template for medium farms developed by BCI? Continuous improvement plan or equivalent internal policies and procedures M4 The PU has a protocol in place to identify (family or hired) workers on the farm, and train them on all relevant aspects of Decent Work. How many workers do you have in the unit? Do you have a protocol to identify workers? What training has been provided specifically to workers? Workers protocol List of workers Training & awareness raising material Training records for workers M5 PU operates a system to collect, compile and report accurate data from farmer to PU level, and to BCI How do you ensure results indicators data is reported to BCI? Who is collecting the information and how do you ensure the data is accurate? When do you submit your results indicators to BCI? Data management system Results Indicators report from previous season M6 PU operates a system to ensure that farmers can maintain a farmer field book and learn from it What Farmer Field Book is being used in the Producer Unit? How many farmers have access to it? How it is distributed to farmers? Who is training farmers on how to use it? Farmer Field Book template Distribution records M7 PU operates a system to review progress against its plan to: (i) assess the level of adoption at farmer level of the practices promoted in the training program; and (ii) Identify and address issues/risks When do you review your plan? How do you assess the level of adoption at farmer level? How do you ensure that farmers comply with the minimum requirements of Better Cotton? How do you identify and address issues/risk of Internal assessment report Farmer progress/adoption report Corrective action forms Monitoring report