Advancing Water Stewardship and Sustainability in Global Agriculture

Retailers and consumers globally are urging the supply chain to enhance its understanding of water usage and promote sustainable practices. Responding to this imperative, Worldwide Fruit Limited (WFL) has been actively investing in water stewardship initiatives across their global supply base. As part of their Courtauld Commitments, they have been presenting case studies from their strategic farmers growing in water-vulnerable regions since 2021 with the help of South African company, Blue North Sustainability.

The case studies aim to raise awareness of the challenges that South African, Peruvian, Spanish, and New Zealand growers deal with daily. However, the focus is not only on the challenges but also on the lessons learned and the success stories, showcasing where growers are on their journey to using water more sustainably. Beyond water, the case studies investigate current sustainability strategies and plans for future improvements in sustainability.

Over the next few months, WFL will be introducing a crucial new component to the case studies. They will be addressing the social-ethical impact of crop production on the workforce (safe WASH), local communities, and the environment.

Keep an eye out for soon-to-be-published case studies on Agrokasa and Agricola Chapi. Both are avocado growers in the Ica region of Peru, where water resources have been under severe pressure, and providing safe WASH to these communities has been a critical focus. These companies are going above and beyond to implement sustainable and social-ethical practices. They are investing in a modern water treatment plant and enforcing strict policies on safe WASH for their workforce.