BCI, IDH unveil 'Better Cotton Innovation Challenge'

Challenge two related to data collection. 'Do you have an idea that could reduce the time and cost of farmer data collection to enable more efficient BCI licensing processes?' it says.

Challenge team is inviting innovators from universities, research and development labs, start-ups, and non-profit organisations to apply. Solutions could incorporate machine learning, satellite-based analytics, image recognition or behavioural nudges.

A prize money of EUR €135,000 will be spilt with up to four winners. Winners will also have the opportunity to pilot test and scale their innovations on the ground with BCI farmers.

“BCI has scaled rapidly over the past decade, and we now work with our partners to provide training, support and capacity building to more than 2.2 million cotton farmers. We are always looking for new ideas and solutions to enable us to keep improving the BCI programme. This is the first time we have launched a global challenge! We encourage anyone who is sitting on an excellent idea, to come forward and submit your application, Cristina Martin Cuadrado, programme manager, BCI, said.

'We have partnered with Dalberg Advisors on the Innovation Challenge to identify solutions which will help us deepen the impact the BCI programme has on cotton farmers and accelerate the adoption of sustainable cotton farming practices globally,'Pramit Chanda, country director, IDH, said.