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In a significant move for global agriculture, PepsiCo recently unveiled the third year of its Positive Agriculture Outcomes (PAO) Accelerator program. This initiative involves backing eight innovative projects in nine countries, demonstrating the company’s commitment to sustainable practices and regenerative agriculture.
Addressing Urgent Challenges:
PepsiCo’s PAO Accelerator is designed to co-invest in Positive Agriculture projects, accelerating their implementation and providing funding to ag-tech start-ups with scalable solutions. This year’s focus includes enhancing climate resilience, soil health, and overall farm sustainability. The selected projects span Australia, Colombia, Egypt, India, Iraq, Pakistan, Poland, Romania, and the United Kingdom.
Diverse Innovations:
Among the 2023 projects is a collaboration with Australian grain growers, aiming to validate soil health management practices to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. In Colombia, funding supports the installation of sprinkler irrigation systems to enhance potato crop quality while reducing water usage. Additionally, a partnership with 3Keel in the UK connects European organizations with local farmland managers to promote regenerative solutions.
Empowering Farmers Worldwide:
Margaret Henry, Vice President of Sustainable and Regenerative Agriculture at PepsiCo, emphasizes the collaborative nature of the PAO Accelerator. She states, “We can’t motivate systemic change on our own,” highlighting the importance of engaging farming communities in the innovation process.
Global Impact and Partnerships:
Tom Curtis, Director of 3Keel Group Ltd., underscores the significance of investing in pioneering agricultural projects to combat the evolving climate crisis. PepsiCo’s PAO Accelerator facilitates partnerships that accelerate climate action, strengthening agricultural supply chains for long-term success.
Realizing Climate-Smart Solutions:
Chris Seymour of Seymour Farms in Canada, a 2022 PAO Accelerator funding recipient, attests to the transformative impact of prioritizing climate-smart innovation. His experience highlights how support from PepsiCo’s initiative led to improved soil health and profitability, even in unpredictable weather conditions.
PepsiCo’s PAO Accelerator exemplifies a commitment to positive agricultural outcomes by fostering innovation, collaboration, and sustainability. As part of the pep+ transformation, the initiative strives to spread regenerative farming practices across 7 million acres by 2030, positively impacting the livelihoods of over 250,000 people in the agricultural supply chain.
