AFRICA'S NO.1 FOOD, BEVERAGE & MILLING INDUSTRY MAGAZINE

Coffee quality at risk of diminishing due to climate change, new study finds

Nov 2, 2021Nov 2, 2021 Editor

USA – Climate change has been identified as a significant stressor on the quality of coffee by researchers from the Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy at Tufts University and Montana State University. The researchers found that coffee is primarily susceptible to water stress, increased temperatures and larger quantities of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. Coffee’s taste profiles are characterized by the amount of acidity, as well as the overall body and flavor, in a bean. As weather patterns change, crops become stressed, putting at risk the once familiar…

Consumers want their products to be sustainably packaged as concerns about climate change abound

Apr 30, 2021Apr 30, 2021 Editor

GLOBAL – The demand for sustainably packaged products is continuing to rise as consumers become more environmentally aware. According to a recent Global Buying Green Report by Trivium Packaging, two-thirds (67%) of consumers consider it important that the products they buy are in recyclable packaging. The report based on a survey conducted with Boston Consulting Group with 15,000 consumers in Europe, North America and South America further revealed that more than half (54%) take sustainable packaging into consideration when selecting a product. The demand is being mainly driven by younger…

Mondelez contributes towards a better world by investing in ventures tackling sustainability issues

Feb 23, 2021Feb 23, 2021 Editor

US – American multinational confectionery company Mondelez International is contributing towards a better world by investing in ventures tackling climate change issues with innovative and sustainable solutions. The investment is being made through the company’s newly launched Sustainable Futures platform which will incubate, finance and support self-sustaining ventures that address key challenges in the world, including climate change. The maker of Cadbury chocolate brand said that its Sustainable Futures platform aims to invest in social ventures that improve livelihoods and build healthy communities. Additionally, the new program will invest in…

Nestlé redoubles efforts to combat climate change targets zero carbon emissions by 2050

Dec 3, 2020Dec 3, 2020 Editor

SWIZTERLAND – Swiss multinational food and drink processing conglomerate Nestlé has redoubled its efforts to combat climate change, announcing plans to halve its emissions by 2030 and achieve net zero by 2050 – even as the company grows. The ambitious sustainability plan is inline with UN ‘Business Ambition for 1.5°C’ pledge which it is a signatory to. Supporting farmers to advance regenerative agriculture As part of its efforts to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050, Nestlé has committed to supporting farmers and suppliers to advance regenerative agriculture. The company is already…

Retailer Walmart Inc targets zero emissions by 2040 in its global operations

Sep 22, 2020Sep 22, 2020 Editor

USA – Walmart Inc., a multinational retail corporation, has announced that it is targeting zero emissions from its global operations by 2040, a small fraction of its total, in the latest climate-focused step amid heightened calls from investors and activists to reduce carbon footprints. The world’s biggest retailer also plans to secure enough wind, solar and other renewable energy sources to power its facilities with 100 per cent green power by 2035, it said in a statement. It had previously said that it aims to secure half of its power…

Amazon launches US$2bn climate venture investment program

Jun 24, 2020Jun 24, 2020 Editor

USA – Global retail and e-commerce giant, Amazon has launched ‘The Climate Pledge Fund’ to support the development of sustainable technologies and services that will enable the retailer and other companies to meet The Climate Pledge – a commitment to be net zero carbon by 2040. Amazon said that the dedicated venture investment program – with an initial US$2 billion in funding – will back visionary companies whose products and services will facilitate the transition to a zero-carbon economy. Last year, Amazon and Global Optimism co-founded The Climate Pledge, a…

FMO invests US$7.5m in ARAF to support climate smart agriculture

Jan 9, 2020Jan 9, 2020 Editor

AFRICA – Dutch development bank FMO has invested US$7.5m in the Acumen Resilient Agriculture Fund (ARAF) to support the provision of climate resilience solutions to smallholder farmers in East and West Africa. Globally, there are an estimated 500 million smallholder farmers cultivating less than 2 ha of land, many of whom are poor, experience food insecurity, and live in highly precarious conditions. Climate change poses a significant risk to these farmers and threatens to undermine global progress toward poverty alleviation, food security, and sustainable development. Impact investment firm Acumen established…

Germany funds US$22m initiative to boost agriculture sectors’ role in addressing climate change

Dec 16, 2019Dec 16, 2019 Editor

GERMANY – Germany has launched a new €20m (US$22.3m) programme co-led by FAO and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) aimed at accelerating climate change action in developing countries’ agricultural and land use sectors. The initiative will be financed by the German Ministry of Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety through its International Climate Initiative. The programme will support at least 10-12 developing countries in Latin America, Asia and Africa through accelerating and improving planning towards building climate change resilience in the regions. The aims to assist the countries to strengthen…

Britvic announces new carbon emissions reduction targets to help tackle climate change

Dec 14, 2019Dec 14, 2019 Editor

ENGLAND – Britvic, one of the leading branded soft drinks businesses in Europe, has announced ambitious science-based carbon targets, committing to halving carbon emissions from its own operations by 2025. With the support of carbon management and energy performance business Carbon Credentials, Britvic has further set a target to achieve net zero emissions by 2050. According to the soft beverage company, the new targets have been independently verified by the Science Based Target initiatives (SBTi), in line with the latest climate science requirements to prevent a global temperature rise of…

Syngenta to invest US$2 billion on innovative and sustainable agriculture solutions

Oct 24, 2019Oct 24, 2019 Editor

SWITZERLAND – Swiss-based global agribusiness company has pledged to invest US$2 billion over the next five years on finding innovations specifically targeted at delivering a step change in agricultural sustainability. Through the investment, Syngenta plans to help farmers prepare for and tackle the increasing pressure posed by climate change as well as reduce carbon intensity of its operations by 50%. The investment supports a new Syngenta sustainability goal of delivering at least two technological breakthroughs to market each year; reducing agriculture’s contribution to climate change, harness its mitigation capacity and…