According to PC-1, the project was due to start in July 2017 but the release of funds was delayed until May 2020. As a result, the project staff could not be hired and field activities were carried out on limited scale. The project offices hired in Punjab and Sindh are intact and being utilized for farmers meetings and technical advisory services. Regular online and consultative meetings are held with BCI management and field team.
The project was revised in July 2020 and resubmitted to MNFS&R for its approval at respective forum. A pre-DDWP meeting was held at 21.09.2020. Project Manager and Provincial Coordinator Punjab participated in the meeting online and clarified different issues / points raised by the Review Committee of Pre-DDWP. A written reply along with Revised Project in the light of observations of Pre-DDWP Review Committee was submitted vide letter No. 1786 dated 16.10.2020.
World Cotton Day was organized on October 7, 2020 to commemorate the importance of cotton crop. Around 500 participants throughout the country (stakeholders, NGOs and farmers) attended the program. Stalls of different companies also exhibited during the program. Cotton Walk was also organized.
Working papers for the DDWP meeting scheduled for 29.10.2020 and 02.02.2021 were also prepared and forward to the MNFS&R.
Six meetings of the Technical Advisory Committee, held fortnightly, were conducted to address day to day progress of cotton crop and crop issues faced by cotton farmers in the context of better cotton production.
In addition, following meetings were held with BCI Pakistan team for consultation on various aspects:

• 08.07.2020: Monthly meeting of the CCRI Multan team with BCI Pakistan team
• 27.08.2020: CCRI Multan Project Implementation Update
• 05.11.2020: Monthly meeting of the CCRI Multan team with BCI Pakistan team
• 05.01.2021: Monthly meeting of the CCRI Multan team with BCI Pakistan team

• Reduce the undesirable impact of cotton production on environment.
• Improve livelihoods and economic development in cotton producing areas.
• Improve flow of Better Cotton throughout the supply chain.
• Ensure the credibility and sustainability of the “Better Cotton”.
• Integrated Pest Management approaches will be advocated through awareness by appropriate methods of “Better Cotton” production, which can minimize the harmful impact of crop protection practices. IPM will help the growers to incur less cost on hazardous pesticides and it will also help in decreasing the environmental pollution and health hazards on human beings and livestock in the country.
• Judicious use of water for cotton will be achieved through improved awareness of farmers and demonstrated optimized use of irrigation water for better cotton production and care for the availability of water.
• Depletion of soil fertility is a major restraint in higher crop production in Pakistan. The inadequate and imbalance use of chemical fertilizers is resulting in stagnant or even low crop yields in Pakistan as compared to other developed countries. High costs and inability to farmers to apply costly fertilizers inputs at critical crop growth stage further limit cotton productivity thus aggravating the economic condition of farmers. In consideration of continuous population increase, health hazards, poor food quality and high-quality requirements for exportable commodities (like cotton) to compete in the global market, due emphasis on increasing soil fertility is a necessity. Through the awareness “Better Cotton” is produced by farmers by taking into account soil health.
• Conservation of natural habitats approach help in “Better Cotton” production by farmers in the farm field. i.e., rats, birds, ants, wasps and other predatory insects is a cotton grower’s natural workforce against pests that attack cotton plants.
• “Better Cotton” is produced by farmers who care for and preserve the quality of the fibrei.e. length, uniformity, strength, fineness and maturity which provide better returns to growers and opens more market opportunities for premium fabrics. These studies enhance cotton fibre quality for a sustainable and competitive Pakistan industry. Awareness about management consideration to preserve fibre quality and moisture management at the gin time and proper storage etc will help in the production of quality fibre in Pakistan. These technologies also help us understand the relationship between cotton fibre properties and textile value chain.
• Awareness will be given to the cotton growers for promotion of decent work in Pakistan, i.e. status of women and wages, child labor, health and safety issues. This will emphasize to overcome considerable challenges in implementing improved working conditions among small holding farmers in Pakistan for production of better cotton.