Cotton Genomics and Genetics 2025, Vol.16, No.2, 80-94 http://cropscipublisher.com/index.php/cgg 83 some cotton-growing areas in China have begun to use IoT soil moisture sensors and remote sensing monitoring technology to guide cotton fields in real time when and how much water to irrigate, so as to achieve optimal allocation of water resources (Ahmed et al., 2024). Figure 1 Schematic diagram of cotton planting method and drip irrigation belt layout (cm) (Adopted from Wang et al., 2022) 3 Socio-Economic Level 3.1 Farmer training and capacity building Sustainable cotton cultivation not only involves field technology, but also has a close relationship with the well-being of cotton farmers and related labor. Smallholders are the main force of global cotton production, and improving their skills and knowledge is the basis for promoting sustainable agriculture. Cotton farmers in many developing countries have limited education and lack of understanding of new technologies and sustainable concepts. Therefore, various farmer field schools and training programs have emerged to teach cotton farmers advanced cultivation techniques and management experience. For example, the better cotton initiative (BCI), known as the world's largest cotton sustainable development project, has promoted farmer training around the world since the 2010s (Ghori et al., 2021). The training content covers safe use of pesticides, soil improvement, water-saving irrigation, and business management. Practice has shown that systematic training can significantly improve cotton farmers' productivity and income. The impact evaluation of the "Cotton Yield" project under the "African Cotton Manufacturing" initiative in Zambia showed that cotton farmers who received regular training had a 38.1% increase in cotton yield per unit area compared to those who did not receive training (Ngulube, 2021). Training also brings about the dissemination of knowledge and the change of concepts. In project villages in Africa, training has improved farmers' awareness of children's education, gender equality and the hazards of child labor. In projects in India and other countries, training has promoted the formation of mutual assistance networks among farmers, and experienced farmers have passed on knowledge to more peers as field instructors, improving the overall planting level of the community. In addition to technical training, financial and risk management skills have also been gradually incorporated into training courses, such as guiding cotton farmers to conduct simple cost-benefit analysis, encouraging diversified planting to spread risks, and raising their awareness of participating in price insurance and weather insurance. These measures all help to enhance the ability of small farmers to cope with market fluctuations and climate anomalies. 3.2 Labor equity and welfare protection The cotton industry chain involves hundreds of millions of workers, and protecting their legitimate rights and interests and living standards is a natural requirement for sustainable development. In the cotton planting process, there have traditionally been problems such as high seasonal labor intensity, low pay, child labor and forced labor. Some international standards and projects have incorporated labor standards into the certification requirements for sustainable cotton. For example, the BCI standard explicitly prohibits child labor and forced labor and requires safe working conditions; the China cotton sustainable development project (CCSD) standard launched by China in 2021 also emphasizes workers' rights and labor safety, and regards labor equity as an important part of
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