Better Cotton expands efforts to southern Chad through new partnerships

Better Cotton, a non-profit that promotes and teaches better standards in cotton farming, is expanding its efforts to southern Chad.

The organisation has inked partnerships with IDH, a sustainable trade initiative organisation, and Cotontchad, an agribusiness company working with smallholder farmers in the southern region of Chad.

Better Cotton has signed a multi-stakeholder Letter of Intent to participate in the “landscape approach”, which has been developed with local stakeholders in Chad in conjunction with IDH.

They will work together to design and implement a regional development plan following IDH’s Production - Protection - Inclusion (PPI) landscape approach.

The approach aims to “to create positive impacts for farmers and the environment through promoting and supporting sustainable production systems, inclusive land use planning and management, and the protection and regeneration of natural resources”.

CotontChad, with the support of IDH, is currently engaged in the Better Cotton New Country Start Up Process, with the aim of launching a Better Cotton Programme in Chad.

The Better Cotton Standard System (BCSS) is expected to be implemented in the farming activities of thousands of smallholder cotton farmers in southern Chad

“We are very excited to begin this process with IDH and CotontChad,” said Lisa Barratt, Africa operations manager at Better Cotton.

She continued: “Sustainable cotton is more in-demand than ever. Consumers want to know what commitments brands and retailers are making to protect the environment, mitigate climate change effects, and ensure responsible social practice.

“Through this process, we hope to ensure the resilience and longevity of the cotton sector in Chad by opening up new markets and increasing international collaboration whilst having a positive impact at field level.”