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Today, the concept of "sustainability" has gained widespread usage, often being associated with environmental conservation. However, its implications are far-reaching. Regenerative agriculture is a vital component of sustainable agriculture, emphasizing the restoration and enrichment of natural resources in the process of farming. Leading companies in the food industry are currently committed to making a positive impact through their regenerative agriculture initiatives. This article explores the diverse efforts embarked upon by major players in the food industry to foster a healthier planet -
1. General mills
a. Project Malavdhara - General Mills India partnered with BAIF to support 10 villages in Dewas, Madhya Pradesh's Malwa region. Together, they are helping farmers improve soil and water quality on 4,000 acres of land. BAIF Institute is a non-profit organization. BAIF Livelihoods aims to provide sustainable self-employment opportunities for rural families, especially the disadvantaged, to ensure a better quality of life, an enriched environment, and strong values.
2. Danone
a. "Les 2 Pieds Sur Terre" program - Danone Ecosystem has joined forces with Danone Produits Frais France, Les prés rient bios, Idele (French Livestock Institute), and MiiMOSA (a crowdfunding website dedicated to agriculture and food) in order to implement Les 2 Pieds Sur Terre. The program helps farmers boost soil health and cut carbon emissions by 15% by 2025, making them more competitive. By 2020, Danone reduced greenhouse gas emissions by 3.6% per liter of milk collected. Through the project "Les 2 Pieds Sur Terre," farmers get financial and technical support and can raise funds on the MiiMOSA crowdfunding platform.
Danone has created a Danone ecosystem for multiple programs that focus on regenerative agriculture in different countries for example - United States, France, Spain, Mexico, Algeria, Morocco, Egypt and Romania
3. Pepsico
a. Pepsico positive agriculture (pep+) - PepsiCo is advancing regenerative agriculture through key initiatives, including a seven-year partnership with Walmart to promote sustainable practices on over 2 million acres in the U.S. and Canada. They are investing $216 million to support farmer organizations in transforming 3 million acres of U.S. farmland and securing $165 million in USDA grants for sustainable projects. Collaborating with ADM, they aim to reduce carbon intensity on up to 2 million acres, with significant expansion in 2023.
Globally, PepsiCo is helping Thai potato farmers adopt regenerative practices and is part of the World Economic Forum's effort to boost demand for low-emission commodities. At COP28, they advocated for regenerative agriculture and are working on a global framework with the Sustainable Agriculture Initiative to simplify and standardize these practices for farmers worldwide.
4. Starbucks
a. Coffee and Farmer Equity Practices (C.A.F.E. Practices) verification program - It is a verification program that measures farms against economic, social and environmental criteria, all designed to promote transparent, profitable and sustainable growing practices while also protecting the well-being of coffee farmers, their families and their communities.
5. Unilever
a. Unilever's Regenerative agriculture programme- It is launched in 2022 with aim to implement our Regenerative Agriculture Principles, addressing the challenges and unique needs of different crops and landscapes.
6. Nestlé
a. (Regenerative Agriculture Program) - Nestlé has committed to investing $1.3 billion by 2025 to advance regenerative agriculture across its supply chain. In France, Nestlé is collaborating with Earthworm Foundation, Kermap, Inrae, and Agro-transfer to pioneer regenerative techniques like cover crops, crop rotation, and reduced soil tillage. In Brazil, the Nature por NINHO® certification program is incentivizing farmers to embrace regenerative agricultural practices.
Moreover, Nestlé is partnering with Krakow University of Agriculture, Growers Association, Agrosimex, and Syngenta to assist Polish farmers in enhancing soil health and measuring their farms' carbon capture potential.
Remember this: Regenerative agriculture is gaining popularity in the agricultural community. Dr. Rattan Lal, a soil scientist and the winner of the 2020 World Food Prize, has proven that increasing the carbon content of the world’s soil by just 2% could significantly reduce greenhouse gases in the atmosphere to safe levels. Notably, organically managed soils have a 20 to 40% higher water-holding capacity than conventionally managed soils. In some regions, water springs that had dried up several years ago have begun to flow again due to the adoption of new regenerative farming practices.