Nestlé’s Regenerative Agriculture Journey to Combat Climate Change

Şimdi harekete geçin: launch a 12-month pilot in the highlands by enrolling 25 farmers’ kahve ve pepper plots into regenerative practices this season to observe emissions reductions and yield stability. This concrete step centers on soil health, agroforestry, and water retention, enabling a measurable kaydırma from input-heavy farming to system resilience.

İçinden haddad‘s leadership, the project centers on regenerative practices that are practical for smallholders. Throughout the highlands, the number of farmers enrolled in training increased, with coaching on soil health, agroforestry, and water management. After the first season, release of seed mixes and compost improved soil organic matter and resilience to drought. The solution blends soil, water, and diversification to shield households from climate shocks.

Best practices include planting cover crops during the off-season, compost application, and reduced tillage with diversified rotations. The center of the strategy uses a simple field kit and phone-based coaching to help farmers measure soil organic matter and moisture. In pilot plots, kahve yields rose by 8-12% and pepper plots by 6-11% during the first year, while input use declined by 15-20%. The kaydırma aims to be scalable across other regions and adaptable to season variability, with the ambitious goal to reach 1,000 farms within three years.

By changing inputs and practices, farmers release fewer greenhouse gases per unit of output. In trials across the highlands, soil carbon sequestration reached 0.3-0.6 t CO2e per hectare per year on agroforestry plots, with nitrogen-use efficiency improving as fertilizer timing shifts aligned with crop demand. Throughout the program, farmers know that outcomes depend on continuous training and peer exchange, not one-off actions.

To scale impact, Nestlé publishes clear, field-ready guidelines and a practical 12-page manual covering soil health, water harvesting, shade management, and pest control. For kahve ve pepper, the recommended mix includes 40% compost, 25% green manure, and 35% reduced mineral inputs, tuned by soil tests at the center. A dedicated network of extension workers visits each farm with a cadence that matches farm size and local season calendars.

To sustain momentum, the program maintains a user-friendly dashboard that tracks regenerative adoption, soil health indicators, and resilience during drought and flood cycles. The center of decision-making remains with farmers, co-ops, and local partners, ensuring transparent feedback loops and rapid course corrections as climate signals shift throughout the year.

Practical Pathways for Regenerative Agriculture Across Nestlé’s Supply Chains

Launch a central, metrics-driven program aligned with nestlé’s neutrality targets, anchored in a formal assessment framework and a table of indicators for every chain. We base decisions on environmental data according to pilots with dairys and pepper suppliers, then scale through collaboration with farmers, suppliers, and NGO partners to restore soil health and water stewardship.

Action across chains starts with soil- and health-centered stewardship. In dairys, deploy regenerative grazing, pasture-based feeds, and rotational stocking, reducing synthetic fertilizer use by 25% and cutting emissions by 1,500 tons CO2e in the first cohort of 15 farms, thereby boosting income stability for farmers through premium prices and compensation for ecosystem services.

In pepper, implement cover crops, compost, reduced tillage, and precision nutrient management, including on-farm training, farmer clusters for shared equipment, and monitoring via a simple table of soil-health indicators, with results fed into the framework throughout the supply chain.

For other crops and dairy suppliers, adopt a centralized assessment of climate and nutrition outcomes; track tons of emissions and income returned to farmers; ensure responsible procurement by aligning with environmental, health, and social standards; maintain collaboration with local communities and NGOs; the table will summarize progress and risks, guiding action at scale.

Central to nestlé’s framework is transparency; publish quarterly updates that compare baseline and improvements across dairys and pepper cohorts; share best practices; assign stewardship responsibilities to supply-chain partners; use a dedicated table to summarize soil-carbon gains, water-use efficiency, and income effects, reinforcing neutrality while driving on-the-ground change.

Soil Health and Water Security: Practical steps for cocoa and dairy suppliers

Begin with a soil health and water security plan this season: conduct baseline soil tests at 0–30 cm and 30–60 cm, perform an irrigation audit, and set restoration goals to raise soil organic matter by 0.5–1.0 percentage points within 24 months. Publish results to farmers and keep progress on the table to monitor changes throughout the year.

Focus on cocoa farms: replace monoculture with shade-grown cacao and intercrops, including ground cover and leaf litter to protect soil and conserve moisture. Plant nitrogen-fixing trees and cover crops on 10–20% of the farm area; use compost and reduce synthetic inputs. During dry spells, shade and mulching increase resilience, and the aim is to increase soil organic matter and stabilize yields through an integrated soil health plan.

On dairys, implement rotational grazing and diversify forage, including legumes; protect water through riparian buffers and clean drinking troughs; recycle manure as compost to restore soil structure. Establish simple fencing to guide grazing. The target is to lift soil organic matter, improve pasture health, and reduce the water footprint across production cycles.

Training and leadership come next: a director-level team runs training that focuses on shared goals and practical steps. The program coordinates with projects across branches, bringing together farmers, suppliers, and Nestlé teams to align on field practices and measurement.

Track metrics on a table: soil organic matter changes, water use per kilo of product, infiltration rate, pasture cover, and crop yields. Review quarterly and adjust actions to increase performance across the supply chain, ensuring collaboration continues during all seasons and locations.

Protecting the Source of Life: Biodiversity, habitats, and watershed restoration in Nestlé’s landscapes

Adopt a center-led initiative to protect biodiversity and restore watersheds within Nestlé’s supply basins, aligning with net-zero targets and supporting farmers. This approach integrates good soil health, water stewardship, and habitat protection into procurement decisions, strengthening initiatives ve chains from farm to market and reinforcing resilience across the value system.

Protecting biodiversity requires restoring habitats and establishing corridors for pollinators, aquatic life, and birds. An environmental stewardship mindset drives actions that benefit soil life, water quality, and ecosystem services. Initiatives link field practices to watershed outcomes, reducing pollutant loads and supporting long-term resilience. This approach addresses local water challenges and habitat needs. This approach is well suited to local needs.

Over a decade, Nestlé-supported programs engaged hundreds of farmers and launched dozens of projects across multiple regions. The effort protected hundreds of hectares of riparian buffers, restored miles of stream corridors, and delivered co-benefits for fertility, crop yields, and biodiversity. These ilerlemeler create more robust chains that are better prepared for climate risks and market volatility.

We apply the wasi framework to track watershed health, soil fertility, and species richness, enabling precise reductions in pesticide use and greenhouse gas emissions. Training, field demonstrations, and shared tools help farmers adopt cover crops, buffer zones, and soil-testing regimes. This center of knowledge supports sustainable farming within a network of partners, turning environmental stewardship into tangible benefits for communities and agriculture.

By aligning goals with farmers, companies, and local communities, this initiative advances towards net-zero and builds better, more resilient systems. The same approach underlines a cooperative model: better outcomes for soil fertility, healthier habitats, and water security. With sustained investment, the project scale grows, and initiatives become self-reinforcing across centers and hubs, proving that progress is best when we act birlikte.

Decarbonizing Cocoa: Details of Nestlé’s pair of cocoa initiatives and their rollout

Roll out two cocoa initiatives in parallel, starting with pilots in the highlands and in forest-adjacent groups, guided by a clear roadmap and strong knowledge sharing. According, to the vision for carbon neutrality, Nestlé will apply a proven solution that blends regenerative farming with reforestation, using organic inputs and practical tools for farmers. The approach prioritizes collaboration over silos, better outcomes for smallholders, and sustainable chocolate that strengthens the supply chain.

1. Initiative 1: Regenerative Cocoa Farming Program

   • Focus: Soil health, diverse shade, and crop integration to improve the nutrient cycle and reduce reliance on synthetic inputs.

   • Methods: Cover crops, compost and mulch, reduced tillage, and integrated pest management to lower emissions and build soil organic matter.

   • Tools: Digital farmer training platform, soil-test kits, simple data logs, and farmer field schools to translate knowledge into action.

   • Groups: Targeted smallholder groups and farmer cooperatives to enable scale and peer learning.

   • Roadmap: Phase 1 with 10–15 pilot groups over 12–18 months; Phase 2 expand to 40–60 groups; Phase 3 scale across origin origins within 3 years.

   • Footprint and outcomes: Aim to reduce per-ton emissions by 15–25%, raise soil organic matter by 2–3 percentage points, and improve water-use efficiency in pilot blocks.

2. Initiative 2: Reforestation and Shade-Tree Integration Program

   • Focus: Restore buffers, build agroforestry systems, and strengthen watershed resilience through shade-grown cocoa landscapes.

   • Methods: Native species planting, seedling nurseries, community tree registries, and agroforestry design that preserves cocoa productivity while sequestering carbon.

   • Tools: GIS mapping, tree inventories, and the WASI framework to structure water, agroforestry, system health, and integration activities.

   • Groups: Partner groups, local NGOs, and municipal agencies to coordinate planting and protection efforts.

   • Roadmap: Phase 1 target 2,000 hectares reforested in 2 years; Phase 2 add 4,000 hectares; Phase 3 reach 9,000+ hectares within 5 years.

   • Footprint and outcomes: Anticipate 0.5–0.8 million tons CO2e sequestration by phase 3, reduced erosion and improved water quality, plus biodiversity gains that support long-term cocoa yields.

Knowledge sharing underpins both tracks, with joint training sessions, open playbooks, and collaborative problem-solving with groups across origins. The combined effort provides a scalable solution for decarbonizing cocoa and strengthening the sustainable supply chain, while keeping chocolate quality and farmer livelihoods at the center. Over time, these efforts will be tracked through a transparent dashboard, ensuring continual improvement and alignment with a broader world of regenerative agriculture practices.

Dairy Methane Alliance Departure: Implications for suppliers and alternative methane reduction strategies

Action now: embed a supplier-level methane-reduction plan into procurement terms with verifiable milestones, independent verification, and shared financial incentives to reward progress, ensuring neutrality in scoring and payments.

Implications for suppliers include higher upfront data requirements, investment in on-farm improvements, and tighter collaboration across the branches of the value chain. Most changes revolve around data sharing, robust monitoring, and closer alignment with Nestlé’s proper governance. Including farm-level targets, these steps reduce risk for the industrys players by stabilizing prices and improving resilience during periods of price volatility, while preserving animal health and farmer livelihoods. ist источник shows that transparent measurement drives credible action. nestlés can guide best-practice adoption and prune inefficient practices to avoid wasted capital, creating a well-functioning, low-risk supply network.

Alternative methane reduction strategies should pursue proven options that fit regional realities and crop rotations. Advancements in feed formulation, including optimized forage mixes and selective additives, can lower methane intensity without compromising milk yield. Addressing rumen efficiency through nutrition, grazing management, and strategic pruning of waste supports increasing farm profitability while reducing emissions. By integrating manure management–such as sealed storage and anaerobic digestion–suppliers can generate energy while cutting methane release, bringing benefits to the planet and to local communities. During pilot phases, track health indicators and milk quality to ensure that most farms maintain or improve performance, and scale effective models across the network.

Nestlé’s role, including collaboration with the cocoa and broader crop communities, emphasizes system-level solutions. By supporting diversified cropping on dairy landscapes–cocoa, pepper, and other staples within mixed-farm systems–supply partners can strengthen the nutrient cycle and reduce on-farm risk. This approach contributes to preserving soil health and water quality, while expanding revenue lines for farmers and improving long-term resilience. Within this framework, suppliers can address policy shifts with data-driven decisions, promoting goals that are practical and measurable while advancing industrys standards and market credibility.

To operationalize these ideas, use digital dashboards to monitor methane intensity, feed efficiency, and manure management metrics in real time. A disciplined data program helps reach neutrality in emission accounting and accelerates adoption across many suppliers. It also provides a platform for continuous improvements, including pruning inefficient practices and scaling high-impact actions across branches of the supply chain. This systematic approach strengthens relationships with farmers, reduces risk for the Nestlé network, and supports a more robust project portfolio for the industry as a whole, while contributing to long-term, sustainable growth.

Scaling Regenerative Agriculture in the Next Decade: Financing, farmer training, and scalable governance

Adopt a decade-long scaling plan with three pillars: financing, farmer training, and scalable governance. Create an $1.8B blended fund, anchored by Nestlé’s vision and a companys center of excellence, to accelerate on-farm investments, training, and governance across dairys and supply partners. The fund releases milestones across years 1–2 for planning, years 3–5 for capital deployment, and years 6–10 for expansion and governance. This approach targets productivity gains in the high teens to mid-20s percent and meaningful reductions in emissions along the chain.

Financing design relies on blended capital, risk sharing, and performance payments. The источник of funds includes Nestlé budgets, climate funds, development banks, and government incentives. Disbursements align with milestone metrics: soil carbon increases, water-use efficiency, and reforestation progress. Provide low-interest loans, grants, and guarantees to reduce capital costs for farmers and cooperatives. A pay-for-performance mechanism ties payouts to measured emissions reductions and productivity gains, enabling many farms to improve profitability while lowering emissions in the chain.

Farmer training programs establish regional centers to scale hands-on learning. Modules cover soil health, water stewardship to curb evaporation losses, nutrient management, and grazing planning. Use demonstration plots, peer mentoring, and data-driven feedback to accelerate adoption. Nearly 60–70% of participating dairys adopt regenerative practices within two years, with improved productivity and resilience. Build credits for farmers who hit soil carbon and water-use targets, reinforcing well distributed benefits and profitability.

Scalable governance: implement a three-tier system–local farmer group councils, regional center governance boards, and a central chairman’s office. A lightweight digital platform records milestones, tracks impacts, and shares best practices–fostering stewardship across the chain. The model emphasizes neutrality in policy decisions, reduces risk through shared learning, and accelerates innovation across suppliers and dairys. This structure creates a cycle of continuous improvement and transparent accountability, anchored by a strong center.

Measurement and impacts: Nestlé’s program will publish a dashboard tracking soil organic matter, reforestation acres, water-use intensity, and emission reductions. Target: restore soil health on 400,000 hectares and plant 2 million trees over the decade; monitor evaporation and greenhouse gas release from the supply chain; demonstrate progress toward neutrality across the core chain by year 10. Reforestation, cover cropping, and improved soil stewardship create multiple co-benefits for biodiversity, soil resilience, and farmer incomes, reinforcing the center’s long-term viability and impacts for many communities.

Join the initiative to scale regenerative agriculture: align with Nestlé’s vision, bring in local farmer groups, dairy co-ops, and regional partners; The program offers technical assistance, financial incentives, and governance access; It will deliver better profitability, higher yield stability, and a path toward reduced emissions and improved resilience.