Agriculture

Harvesting palm oil fruits. Palm oil plantation in Sabah (Borneo), Malaysia
© WWF-Canon / Hartmut JUNGIUS

WWF works with agricultural producers, as well as those businesses that use agricultural products in their supply chains, to promote better practices and measurably reduce the most significant impacts of commodity production on the planet’s water, air, soil and biological diversity. Our collaborations with leading companies focus on supply chain assessments, research to improve production practices and the creation of multi-stakeholder initiatives to develop performance based standards. 

WWF is working actively with key companies, financiers, and others in these collaborations to identify global benchmarks and stimulate the improvement of production practices for commodities such as cotton, sugar, soy and palm oil. Through a multi-stakeholder roundtable process, commodity production standards are created based on better management practices with a focus on reducing the key adverse impacts. Roundtable participants represent all aspects of the supply chain from producers and buyers to multi-laterals, non-governmental organizations, and other actors involved with agriculture or aquaculture. Thus far WWF has helped create the following round tables:

• The Better Cotton Initiative
• The Better Sugarcane Initiative
• The Round Table on Responsible Soy
• The Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil

Intensive cultivation of Soybeans etc. using rotary irrigation system, near Brasilia. Upper Tocantins Basin Management, part of one of the WWF Freshwater projects sponsored by HSBC.
© WWF-Canon / Edward PARKER

WWF works at several levels--from the field/producer level up through regional, national and international market and policy arenas in priority areas and on priority commodities. It requires developing strategic partnerships with producers, researchers, rural development experts, other NGO's, donor organizations, buyers, and financial institutions to reduce impacts.

Some existing partners include:

• Multi-lateral agencies: IFC, UN FAO, World Bank, National Aquaculture Centres of Asia and Pacific (NACA) and GEF
• Agricultural producer groups: e.g. palm oil (Malaysia), soy (Paraguay and Brazil), coffee (Tanzania), potatoes (U.S.)
• Research institutions: EARTH University, Auburn University, University of Wisconsin, Woods Hole, FAO and local institutions
• NGO's: Protected Harvest, Rainforest Alliance
• Buyers: Coca-Cola, Cargill, Dole

 Dole

In 2005, Dole defined a new commitment to responsible  agriculture practices. Agricultural activity in the Central American region, along with other factors such as urban sprawl and unsustainable tourism, can create negative impacts on the Mesoamerican Reef. As producers of bananas and pineapples and exporters of fruit products produced by independent growers, Dole partnered with WWF to study, implement and disseminate cost-effective management practices that can significantly reduce impacts on the environment.

Dole wanted to make its agricultural practices more sustainable. WWF provided insight and the ability to implement real change on the ground. In partnership, we are helping preserve the biodiversity of the Mesoamerican Reef and promoting more sustainable agricultural practices throughout Central America. The results include healthier water, healthier communities, and healthier food. 

WWF and Coca-Cola Partnership - Targeting the freshwater crisis

By 2025, around 60% of the world's population will live in regions where water is scarce. This is the reason why action must be taken today, working with the business community to raise awareness that water is a fundamental issue for everyone. Where water reserves exist and demand is more easily satisfied, both the pressure to consume less and awareness of the issue are naturally reduced. Where reserves are diminished, on the other hand, there are new risks for businesses in competition with different categories of consumers. Of the world’s 100 largest economic entities, 63 are countries. The other 37 are companies.

WWF and the Coca-Cola Company have launched an unprecedented partnership to improve the company’s water efficiency and energy usage and to conserve seven of the world’s most important river basins. The multiyear initiative, announced on June 5 2007 at WWF’s annual conference in Beijing, aims to help alleviate the world’s freshwater crisis, which has left more than 1 billion people without access to clean fresh water and 2.6 billion people without access to adequate sanitation—and has resulted in a drastic decline of the world’s freshwater species. In addition to reducing water use in Coca-Cola's operating plants, we are working together to conserve seven of the world's most iconic freshwater basins.  These freshwater resources span more than 20 countries in Asia, the Americas, Africa and Europe:

• The Yangtze River
• The Mekong River
• Southeastern U.S. Rivers and Streams
• The Rio Grande/Rio Bravo River
• The Mesoamerican Reef
• Lake Niassa
• The Danube River

The Coca-Cola Company is a major purchaser of crops such as sugarcane, citrus and coffee -- ingredients used in the company's products, and major users of water.  Though the company does not have direct control over farm practices, its purchasing power can influence the entire industry 

For more information, please contact us at   agricultureinfo@wwfus.org