**Water Efficiency in Rice and Cotton**

Rice and Cotton are two key crops. While rice is the most important staple food for humans, cotton is a key commodity for the textile industry. These two crops consume around 30% of the world irrigation water. Around 250 million smallholders are involved in the cultivation of rice and cotton. Cotton is relevant for food security because of its qualities in crop rotation as well as for income generation capacity. Furthermore, cotton seed oil is the most relevant kitchen oil in cotton regions.

To improve water use efficiency of rice and cotton, firstly by promoting effective water use as well as better agronomic approaches, and by involving the private sector as well as platforms such as the Better Cotton Initiative (BCI), Sustainable Rice Platform (SRP) and Alliance for Water Stewardship (AWS).

45’000 smallholders (15% of women; 85% of men) in four countries: India, Pakistan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyz Republic.

• Rice and cotton farmers adopt more efficient and more effective production methods (push)
• Private sector companies purchase commodities from farmers who produce with more efficient and more sustainable methods (pull)
• Multi-stakeholder water stewardship plans are implemented (water policy)
• Push-Pull approach is scaled up to more farmers and more companies
  

Risultati principali attesi:  

• RAS for 45’000 smallholders
• Secured market access for 70 to 80% of the farmers
  
• Policy influencing at local level
  
• Crowding-in of new companies.

Risultati fasi precedenti:  

• Stakeholder workshops in the four countries organised and joint planning
• Negotiations with private sector companies successfully completed
• Baselines elaborated and ready for use
• Joint elaboration of project document with a strong joint ownership
  

Coop, Reismühle Brunnen, Mars Food, Sustainable Rice Platform (SRP), Better Cotton Initiative (BCI), Alliance for Water Stewardship (AWS), Helvetas Swiss Intercooperation.

• Coordination with SDC programs on efficient water use in the two geographic clusters
• CORIGAP (Closing rice yield gaps in Asia)
• FIBL – Langzeitversuch für biologischen Landbau
• Grow Africa
• GFRAS

Fase 1 01.10.2014 - 31.10.2018   (Completed)