Terms of Reference: Scaling Regenerative Cotton Systems through Verified, Traceable and Landscape-Aligned Implementation

Ask me Anything Sessions: 

March 16, 2026; 5:00 PM IST: Ask Me Anything: Scaling Regenerative Cotton Systems through Verified, Traceable and Landscape-Aligned Implementation | Meeting-Join | Microsoft Teams

About RPLC 

The Regenerative Production Landscape Collaborative (RPLC) is a multi-stakeholder platform designed to restore ecosystems, enhance farmer livelihoods, and build resilient supply chains through a Public-Private-People Partnership model. Operating across five districts in Madhya Pradesh, RPLC integrates regenerative agriculture, biodiversity restoration, and community-led governance. In the face of intensifying smallholder vulnerability, escalating climate variability, soil degradation, rising input costs, and increasing sustainability expectations from global markets, there is an urgent need to transition cotton production systems toward regenerative, climate-resilient, and nature-positive models. 

RPLC works under a Production–Protection–Inclusion (PPI) framework and integrates:  

• Farm-level regenerative transition  
• Bio-input ecosystem development  
• Landscape-level ecological planning  
• Responsible Business Conduct (RBC)  
• Traceable brand-linked sourcing  

The program aims to shift from fragmented commodity-based interventions to a scalable landscape-level model with resilient agricultural systems that focuses on the below mentioned six pillars: 

• Soil Restoration  
• Water stewardship 
• Bio-diversity restoration and conservation 
• Reduce GHG Emission    
• Strengthen farmer livelihoods and support in transition of towards living income  
• Gender inclusion and  
• Building landscape resilience including economic, social, and environmental resilience 

RPLC has built a strong foundation in regenerative cotton pilots and landscape governance platforms. However, scaling regenerative cotton at landscape level requires structured, high-integrity, and certification-ready field execution. On the basis of these Terms of Reference (“ToR”), IDH—through the Regenerative Production Landscape Collaborative (RPLC)— seeks to engage qualified Implementation Partners (IPs), for an initial period of three years (renewable annually based on performance), to support the transition of cotton farmers from conventional to regenerative agricultural systems in Madhya Pradesh.  

This partnership aims to: 

• Enable commercially viable and resilient regenerative cotton sourcing systems aligned with brands’ raw material quality specifications, volume requirements, commercials, and upstream/downstream supply chain partners 
• Improve farmer livelihood resilience through cost reduction and diversified regenerative farming systems 
• Institutionalize certified, traceable, regenerative cotton production systems at scale 
• Establish robust Internal Control Systems (ICS) aligned with RegenAgri or equivalent verified regenerative standards as confirmed by RPLC/IDH 
• Generate verified MRV data supporting the above mentioned six pillars. 
• Promote bio-input and biochar production ecosystems and reduce dependency of farmers on synthetic inputs such as fertilisers and pesticides.  
• Embed responsible business conduct (RBC) practices and safeguards mechanisms including RBC action plans into governance structures of supply chain partners such as FPOs and Ginners. 
• Strengthen landscape-level governance through engagement with local institutions and community platforms.  

This collaboration is aimed at: 

• Institutionalizing regenerative cotton production systems within smallholder farming communities by building capacity of farmers, FPOs, and local institutions to transition from conventional to regenerative agriculture practices that restore soil health, reduce synthetic input dependency, and improve climate resilience and strengthen community-led landscape stewardship through engagement with local governance institutions. 
• Establishing robust and scalable Internal Control Systems (ICS) aligned with verified standards, ensuring traceable, audit-ready, and compliance-driven regenerative cotton production across assigned geographies. 
• Aligning regenerative production with responsible sourcing commitments, by enabling structured aggregation, digital traceability from farm to gin, and verified impact reporting that supports Scope 3 emissions, biodiversity, and social impact claims of brand partners, while supporting commercially viable and resilient sourcing systems through coordination with value-chain actors and adaptive procurement planning. 
• Strengthening the bio-input and biochar production ecosystem and corresponding inclusive rural entrepreneurship, including promotion of Bio-Input Resource Centres and Biochar units and reduction in synthetic fertiliser and pesticide use. 
• Generating actionable MRV-aligned data and shared insights to demonstrate ecological and socio-economic benefits of regenerative cotton systems, thereby unlocking sustained public-private investment into landscape transformation. 

Together, this partnership seeks mainstreaming of verified, traceable, and climate-resilient regenerative cotton production systems across landscapes in Madhya Pradesh. On the basis of these Terms of Reference (“ToR”), IDH, as the RPLC Secretariat, aims to engage qualified field-level Implementation Partners (hereinafter referred to as the “Regenerative Cotton Implementation Partner”) to design, operationalize, and manage a standardized, certification-ready, and learning-oriented regenerative cotton implementation framework that integrates Monitoring, Reporting, and Verification (MRV) principles across farm-level transition, supply chain traceability, and responsible business conduct systems under the Regenerative Production Landscape Collaborative (RPLC) in Madhya Pradesh. 

The Regenerative Cotton Implementation Partner will be responsible for end-to-end execution of regenerative cotton interventions — including farmer mobilization, capacity building on regenerative agriculture principles towards agronomic transition and adoption of regenerative agriculture practices, Internal Control System management, certification coordination, lint volume, quality, and commercials alignment with brand commitments, MRV-aligned data capture, traceability integration, and social safeguard compliance — ensuring scalable adoption of regenerative practices and delivery of verified, traceable cotton volumes aligned with RPLC’s Production–Protection–Inclusion objectives. 

The purpose of this partnership is to:  

RPLC recognizes that meaningful scaling of regenerative cotton requires: 

• Structured agronomic transition pathways 
• Certification-aligned control systems 
• Digitally traceable farm-to-gin supply chains 
• MRV verified impact measurement 
• Institutional and social compliance safeguards 
• Landscape-level coordination through local governance and community institutions 
• Commercially viable and resilient sourcing mechanisms aligned with value-chain actors 

This assignment requires an Implementation Partner with the capacity to: 

• Operationalize regenerative cotton programs at field scale 
• Manage certification, audit, and compliance processes 
• Coordinate supply chain linkages including engagement with ginners, buyers, and aggregation institutions 
• Support MRV and digital traceability systems 
• Facilitate convergence with local institutions like gram panchayats and district administration to strengthen landscape governance and long-term sustainability 

The Implementation Partner will lead end-to-end field implementation across assigned geographies in Madhya Pradesh with a singular aim: 

• Enabling widespread, verified, and traceable regenerative cotton production and supply supported by resilient landscape systems and commercially viable sourcing models aligned with RPLC landscape objectives and brand sourcing commitments. 

The overall objective of this partnership is to operationalize scalable, verified, and market-aligned regenerative cotton systems across assigned landscapes: 

4.1 Design & Operationalization 

• Establish and manage ICS (up to 3,000 farmers) 
• Define farmer enrollment and compliance protocols 
• Develop seasonal implementation and procurement readiness plans aligned with crop cycles and market timelines 
• Develop farm transition pathways aligned to RegenAgri or equivalent 
• Ensure documentation and audit readiness 

4.2 Build Capacity 

• Train farmers on regenerative agronomic practices including: 
  • Soil organic carbon enhancement 
  • Crop diversification 
  • Bio-input and Biochar usage 
  • Cover cropping 
  • Mulching 
  • Other regenerative agriculture practices 
• Reduced synthetic fertiliser and pesticide dependency 
• Water Stewardship 
• Establish regen demonstration plots (geo spatially tagged) 
• Organise Farmer Field Schools (FFS) to conduct structured Farmer Field Training in groups 
• Build local cadre of agri-extension field staff 
• Promote peer-learning approaches through demonstration plots and farmer-to-farmer knowledge exchange mechanisms 

1. 4.3 Supply Chain & Volume Alignment 

• Align lint production planning with brand commitments 
• Coordinate aggregation, quality compliance, and offtake 
• Support traceability from farm to gin 
• Minimize side-selling risks 
• Facilitate 100% online and verifiable premium payout systems (if applicable) 

1. 4.4 MRV & Data Integration 

• Capture geo-tagged farm-level data 
• Report on: 
  • Area under regenerative transition 
  • Synthetic input reduction 
  • Regenerative agriculture practices adoption (as per the continuous improvement plan) 
  • Bio-input and Biochar adoption 
  • Yield and income change 
  • GHG emissions reduction 
  • Soil and water indicators 
  • Ensure data accuracy through field-level validation and periodic internal data checking,  
  • All farm-level data must be verifiable, timestamped, geo-referenced, and audit-traceable to be captured on a tech platform shared by RPLC/IDH 
  • Designate a dedicated data focal person responsible for platform compliance and reporting quality 
• Support MRV-based baseline, midline, and endline assessment cycles, including independent third-party validation of regenerative, climate, and livelihood outcomes. 

4.5 Responsible Business Conduct (RBC) 

• Responsible Business Conduct for supply chain actors in the value chain is crucial for our brand partners, so we expect the selected partner to collaborate with our expert partners on: 
  • Identifying and mitigating risks related to: 
  • Child labour 
  • Forced labour 
  • Migrant labour vulnerability 
  • Gender inequity 
  • Provide facilitation on awareness sessions of farm laborers and migrant workers.  
• Adopt grievance redress mechanisms for any issues and immediately notify RPLC/IDH of any major non-conformities or social safeguard violations and support corrective action plans within defined timelines. 
• Coordinate and cooperate in ensuring compliance documentation. 

4.6 Bio-Input and Biochar Ecosystem Strengthening 

• Promote the establishment of Bio-Input Resource Centres and Biochar units. 
• Support SHG/individual-led entrepreneurial models. 
• Track synthetic-to-bio input and biochar substitution. 
• Ensure timely seasonal availability and quality assurance of bio-inputs and biochar to support consistent farmer adoption. 
• Monitor economic viability of BRC and Biochar units. 

4.7 Landscape Convergence 

• Actively participate in and contribute to RPLC Compact-level governance platforms to support coordinated landscape planning and implementation. 
• Facilitate strengthening of Gram Panchayat Development Plan (GPDP) processes by integrating ecological and regenerative agriculture priorities, including soil health, water stewardship, biodiversity conservation, and climate resilience into village/Gram Panchayat level micro-plans. 
• Facilitate convergence of relevant government schemes through coordination with Gram Panchayats, block-level departments, and district administration. 
• Support block- and district-level stakeholder engagement to improve alignment among government institutions and partners for effective GPDP implementation. 
• Ensure field interventions contribute to district-level landscape restoration and resilience targets under the RPLC Compact. 

The overall objective of this partnership is to: 

• Scale MRV verified regenerative cotton production across targeted landscapes in Madhya Pradesh 
• Deliver traceable and market-aligned lint volumes aligned with brand sourcing commitments and quality specifications  
• Reduce synthetic input usage (per RPLC targets)  
• Increase bio-input adoption (per RPLC targets)  
• Improve farmer net incomes (per RPLC targets) 
• Generate verified Scope 3 emissions reduction data 
• Strengthen inclusive and responsible supply chains 
• Strengthen landscape governance through GPDP processes by integrating ecological priorities to support long-term regenerative transition. 

• Operational ICS system covering up to 3,000 farmers 
• Verified regenerative cotton farmer registry 
• Annual lint volume alignment plan 
• Adoption tracking reports 
• Synthetic input reduction reports 
• MRV-aligned quarterly reporting 
• Third-party audit support documentation 
• RBC compliance documentation 
• Bio-Input Resource Centre and Biochar performance tracking 
• Consolidated impact and learning report 
• GPDP convergence and landscape governance progress documentation 

7.1 Technical Leadership & Field Execution 

• Lead regenerative cotton field implementation 
• Ensure agronomic, certification and compliance integrity 
• Maintain high-quality and audit-ready documentation 
• Support GPDP-linked ecological planning and local institutional engagement under the RPLC landscape approach. 

7.2 Capacity Building 

• Deliver structured, localized and seasonally aligned farmer training. 
• Strengthen farmer adoption through demonstration and peer-learning approaches 
• Build and mentor local extension and community resource capacity 

1. 7.3 Supply Chain Coordination 

• Facilitate alignment between farmers, FPOs, ginners and Spinner 
• Develop annual lint volume forecasting and alignment plans jointly with RPLC and brand partners 

1. 7.4 MRV & Data Systems 

• Ensure timely and accurate and verifiable reporting 
• Maintain digital traceability systems 
• Undertake periodic data validation to ensure audit-ready and platform-compliant records 

2. 7.5 Adaptive Project Management 

• Employ iterative monitoring and improvement 
• Participate in periodic review, learning, and calibration 
• Ensure continuous improvement and feedback loops 

8.1 Gender and Social Inclusion 

• Ensure participation of women farmers 
• Track gender-disaggregated data 
• Promote inclusive governance models 

8.2 Risk Mitigation & Safeguards 

• Identify agronomic, market, and compliance risks 
• Propose mitigation strategies 
• Ensure community consent and transparency 

9.1 Minimum 3 years’ experience in certified or verified production systems (Organic NPOP/NOP, RegenAgri or equivalent) 

9.2 Experience managing Internal Control Systems (ICS) 

9.3 Experience in cotton value chains preferred 

9.4 Experience working with FPOs, SHGs, Gram Panchayats (preferable) 

9.5 Capacity to deploy multidisciplinary teams (agronomy, certification, digital data, social compliance) 

9.6 Prior experience of working in Madhya Pradesh preferred  

9.7 FCRA and Legal Compliance: Organizations receiving or intending to receive foreign contributions under this assignment must possess a valid FCRA registration or prior approval as per Government of India regulations Or Entity can provide services as an export to our Netherland Based Organisation. 

Activity 

Timeline (Tentative) 

• ToR publication and call for applications  - 9 March 2026 
• AMA (Ask Me Anything) session for interested organizations  - 10 & 11 March 2026 (online) 
• Deadline for submission of proposals - 20 March 2026 
• Review and shortlisting of applicants - 24 March 2026 
• Final selection and communication to selected partner - 27 March 2026 
• Contract signing and inception - 30 March onwards

Interested organizations are requested to submit: 

• A technical proposal outlining their understanding of the assignment, proposed approach, geography of interest (district, block, villages list) 
• A financial proposal with a clear cost structure  
  • Per farmer 
  • Per MT of lint  
  • Team Cost (organogram wise) 
  • Activity Cost  
• Relevant organizational documents (e.g., registration certificate, FCRA certificate, similar project experience) 

Applications will be evaluated based on: 

• Relevance and quality of technical proposal – 40% 
• Cost-effectiveness and financial proposal – 40% 
• Innovation, scalability, and sustainability approach – 20% 

Following the AMA session, all questions and clarifications will be compiled and shared publicly on RPLC’s LinkedIn page and/or IDH’s India webpage to ensure transparency. 

This Terms of Reference sets out a structured, scalable, and verification-ready framework for regenerative cotton implementation aligned to landscape governance and brand-linked sourcing commitments. The implementation partner will be expected to bring not only strengthened field engagement but also a deep commitment to co-creation, equity, and sustainability. Through this assignment, we aim to build replicable models that can inform state, national, and global approaches to nature-positive, climate-resilient, and community-led landscape planning.