Sustainable Sub Saharan Cotton Initiative (SSCI): Cotton4Impact - Digital information and traceability tool for a transparent cotton supply chain

The IDPP project is implemented by Paul Reinhart and the Paul Reinhart Foundation (grant), in collaboration with local ginneries. Cotton4Impact introduced a novel approach to information flow that supports the production of sustainable cotton. The consortium believes that supporting farming conditions is fundamental for the farmer community to remain competitive in the global market.Cotton4Impact provides a tool that (i) creates a bi-directional communication channel with farmers to improve cotton yield by supporting risk-based decision-making on the right timing and amount of inputs to be applied; and (ii) establishes a standard for compiling up-to-date baseline (primary) data at the farm, cooperative, gin, and merchant level in Sub-Saharan Africa. This data flows through the supply chain to downstream actors (retailers), enabling deeper analysis of their impact on the livelihoods of local communities and supporting their due diligence reporting.The flow of information through this tool aims to improve cotton yields, which ultimately leads to a more resilient net income at the farm level and improved living conditions for farmers and their families. Additionally, greater supply chain transparency increases the likelihood that retailers will commit to supporting community-based projects within their own supply chains that fulfill their compliance requirements.