Regenerative agriculture

Our Net Zero Roadmap shows that nearly two-thirds of our greenhouse gas emissions come from agriculture, so addressing these is essential for achieving our objectives.  

We are supporting farmers and food producers to be part of this transformation by scaling regenerative agriculture, aiming to improve soil health, sequester carbon, support food security, restore water resources and enable biodiversity. 

Toward more regenerative practices on farms worldwide 

Biodiversity 

We aim to safeguard and increase biodiversity above and below the ground. Plant life can be enhanced with more diversified crops, intercropping or planting cover crops between harvests, while encouraging more abundant microbes, fungi and animal life – including invertebrates, insects and bird life – can contribute to improved soil nutrient cycles, pollination, fertility and productivity.  

Ecosystems that exist in this kind of natural equilibrium can also enhance farmers’ livelihoods and improve their resilience to climate change. In the farms and landscapes, we source from, Nestlé is supporting farmers by providing shade and fruit trees that provide protection for crops.  

Soil health 

To grow the food that we and our pets eat, we need arable land and healthy soil. This vital resource has been degraded by decades of changing land use such as urbanisation and deforestation. It has also suffered from the over-application of herbicides and pesticides and the practice of mono-cropping. 

We are helping to scale up farming practices that help protect soil health and increase soil organic matter by launching regenerative agriculture initiatives through our Farmer Connect program, which works closely with more than 500 000 farmers and 150 000 suppliers as well as local communities.  

Initiatives include crop rotation, mulching, organic fertilisers and minimising tillage. Organically ‘rich’ soils are more productive, maintain the integrity of land against soil erosion, retain more water and potentially store significant amounts of carbon. 

Water security and quality 
 
Protecting the quality of natural waters and improved stewarding of scarce water resources is essential to regeneration. We recognise the need to play our part in helping to protect, restore and renew water sources throughout our agricultural supply chain and production operations, and in the communities where Nestlé has an impact.   

A more strategic approach to irrigation – from sprinkler, to drip and sub-service irrigation – minimises water evaporation compared to surface irrigation. Digital technology is also helping farms understand when land requires water, which can prevent over-use. 

We also aim to reduce chemical farm inputs and optimise organic fertilisation and biological pest control to reduce run-off.  

Diverse cropping systems & livestock integration 

We aim to integrate livestock and optimise grazing in farming systems when feasible and relevant.  
 
Our work includes using silvopasture – where trees are introduced into areas used for livestock grazing – alongside mixed farming of livestock and crops, cover crops to protect soil and improved manure management.  

Expected benefits include protection (for plant and animal life) from sun and wind, organic fertilisation, improved water management and habitats conducive to other species like insects and birdlife. These approaches can also provide additional sources of farm income. 

Collective & landscape actions 

Regenerative agriculture practices can look beyond individual farms to entire landscapes to help protect endangered natural resources by, for example, regulating the use of common land, regional reforestation projects, protection of shared water resources and the creation of green ‘corridors’ aimed at fostering biodiversity. 

The benefits can be felt not just by farmers, but entire communities in terms of welfare, profitability, and reduced emissions. 

A just transition 

Regenerative agriculture puts people at the center, supporting solutions that are right for their regions and crops. We aim enable people in our supply chains to support themselves and their families. Together with respect and promotion of human rights, we are striving to achieve a just transition to regenerative food systems. Nestlé is investing CHF 1.2 billion by 2025 to spark regenerative agriculture across our supply chain. 

Piloting success  

Our Agriculture Framework, guided by agro-ecological principles and practices  is a holistic model that considers healthy, organically rich soil as vital to protecting and restoring land.  

Our strategy begins with pilot studies at farms to validate new technologies and nature-based solutions. As pilots prove successful, we expand into reference farms of ‘agripreneurs’, or entrepreneurial farmers, in different countries and regions, as soils and climate requirements differ. We are also encouraging industry alignment on common frameworks and metrics for regenerative agriculture. 

Our income accelerator program for cocoa farmers and pilot financial support scheme for coffee farmers in Mexico, Côte d’Ivoire and Indonesia are good examples.