Pakistan
Implementing partner
BCI works with WWF-Pakistan as an Implementing Partner since 2010. Projects are located in Punjab and Sindh.
Growing season
In Pakistan, cotton is generally sown from March onwards and harvested from September onwards.
Demographics
In 2011-12 44,000 licensed farmers produced 115,000 MT of Better Cotton lint on 145,000 hectares, a scale upover 2010-11 when 12,000 licensed farmers producedthe equivalent of over 21,000 MT of Better Cotton lint on39,000 hectares. Most of the Better Cotton farmers that WWF-Pakistan works with are smallholders. Three large farms were licensed in 2010-11 and 60 in 2011-12.
Yield
Better Cotton farmers’ average yield in 2011-12 was about 800 kg lint cotton per hectare, 8% higher than that of control farmers.
Water
In Pakistan, Better Cotton is cultivated on irrigated land. The data reported by Producer Units indicates that, in 2011-12, Better Cotton producers used about 20 % less water than control farmers.
Pesticide use
In 2011-12, the average volume of pesticides applied byBetter Cotton smallholders was 1.4kg of active ingredientper hectare, 38% less than that of control farmers.
Profitability
Better Cotton farmers’ profitability was 35% higher than that of the control farmers. This may be due to the ability of Better Cotton farmers to reduce their costs on commercial fertilizers, pesticides and water, while maintaining their yield, resulting in greater profitability. As we collect more data in the coming years and can conduct proper impact studies, hopefully this apparent trend will be confirmed.
Fertilizer Use
Better Cotton farmers used 33% less commercial fertilizers than control farmers in 2011-12. At the same time, Better Cotton farmers used much more farmyard manure (FYM) than control farmers which reflects the particular efforts made by WWF-Pakistan to promote the use of organic matter. While the average volume is still low, some measures were promoted to maximize the benefits of manure, such as having it fermented before applying it with irrigation water.
For more information please Download the 2011 Annual report
