PepsiCo is backing eight innovation projects across nine countries as part of its global agriculture programme, the Positive Agriculture Outcomes (PAO) Accelerator.
Through its continued investment in the programme, PepsiCo seeks to address some of the most urgent challenges facing agriculture and support its pep+ (PepsiCo Positive) agenda forward.
This year's innovation projects will involve farmers in Australia, Colombia, Egypt, India, Iraq, Pakistan, Poland, Romania, and the United Kingdom and aims to build resilience through climate analysis and improved soil health.
The PAO Accelerator offers local farming communities co-investment to accelerate diverse and results-driven Positive Agriculture projects, as well as funding for ag-tech start-ups that offer proven products or technology with the potential to scale, the company added.
"We can't motivate systemic change on our own, and our PAO Accelerator continues to provide a forum for farming communities to bring forth ideas and opportunities, and receive the funding needed to get promising innovation off the ground," said Margaret Henry, vice president of sustainable and regenerative agriculture at PepsiCo.
"With this latest round of projects, we're not only fostering this powerful network of innovators across global farmland but growing closer to achieving a more regenerative future, with farmers' insight at the forefront."
Project Details
In Australia, the project will see grain growers testing and validating soil health management practices to reduce greenhouse gas emissions on farms.
In Colombia, the funding will support increasing potato crop quality and yield by installing sprinkler irrigation systems that will also reduce water use.
In collaboration with 3Keel, a UK-based landscape innovation firm, the project will help connect Europe-based organisations interested in supporting regenerative solutions with local farmland managers who can deliver measurable, sustainable outcomes.
"Investing in pioneering agriculture projects is a key action in combatting the evolving climate crisis and setting farmers around the world, up for long-term success," added Tom Curtis, director of 3Keel Group Ltd.
"Support from PepsiCo's PAO Accelerator will powerfully enable our team to work with local farmers across Europe to further broker the partnerships needed to accelerate climate action on the ground to strengthen agricultural supply chains for the long term."
