ofi banners new almond environmental sustainability objectives strengthened by tech and a bee-friendly attitude

07 Jul 2022 --- Global F&B manufacturer Olam Food Ingredients (ofi) has unveiled its 2030 strategy, “Almond trail’’ to reduce its scope 1 and 2 emissions in line with the Paris Accord targets of 1.5˚C reduction. ofi will make use of its R&D collaboration with universities and its knowledge of the bee-orchard tree synergies to further its green plans and sustainability efforts.

The company’s latest plan will affect 50,000 acres of almond orchards in Australia and the US.

“We’ve long invested in (environmentally) sustainable practices across some of our almond farming operations, like state-of-the-art irrigation and bee-friendly habitats. Now, we are seeking to deliver even more transparency and impact by setting public targets and sharing our data and insights,” says Ashok Krishen, CEO of ofi’s nuts platform.

The company explains that the almond trail sets “ambitious targets” for water stewardship, carbon reduction and support for communities and ecosystems.

Hive mind
ofi began its bee-friendly program in 2014; now, the company is aiming to be certified as Bee Friendly in the totality of its orchards by 2030 – as of today, half of ofi’s crops are certified.

“We applaud ofi’s public recognition of the important role bees and other insects play in almond production, and the company’s dedication to creating healthy ecosystems and improving diversity,” underscores Fiona Chambers, CEO of the Wheen Bee Foundation.

ofi's R&D team collaborates with the University of California and NASA, among others, to achieve its green targets. (Credit: ofi)“The certification of 100% of its farms with the Bee Friendly Farming program would set a new standard for the almond industry and other pollinator-reliant sectors across agriculture.” 

The business admits that balancing pest control and bee-friendly communities is a challenge, but the company achieves to create a safe environment for bees by not using certain chemicals. 

“We use different bee foraging crops to provide optimum habitats in orchards, including flowering ‘cover crops’ that bees love, such as phacelia, buckwheat, clover and alfalfa. We limit chemical application to night time or outside the pollination period,” explains ofi.

“ofi has shown great leadership in its commitment to increasing pollinator habitats and foraging crops, and balancing the risks related to pest management with pollinator welfare front of mind, as part of its 2030 goals,” adds Chambers. 

The company’s partnerships with universities, almond boards and other related organizations will ensure “best-practice pollinator management techniques are employed across the supply chain,” she details.

R&D developments 
To achieve its water efficiency-related targets for 2030, such as implementing soil and plant moisture monitoring in 100% of orchards, ofi is collaborating with universities and institutions to bolster its R&D department.

The company collaborates with the University of California, the US Department of Agriculture and NASA to incorporate drones to measure water use and stress in almond orchards.

ofi is also partnering with Ag Metrics Group and the Almond Board of California to assess the impact of low-pressure, high-efficiency buried irrigation to conserve water while maximizing yields.

Utilizing AIThe company’s latest plan will affect 50,000 acres of almond orchards in Australia and the US. (Credit: ofi)
Artificial Intelligence technologies are also being tapped to optimize fertilization and water use through smart data-driven decisions through a collaboration with the University of California Davis. 

“Innovation will be key to achieving these goals by using smart tech to track everything from tree growth to soil health. We’re working with several university partners to explore new research opportunities,” adds Burcu Turkay, global sustainability manager of ofi’s nuts platform.

“Using innovative technologies to track everything from tree growth to soil health helps us to understand and reduce our water footprint,” he underscores.

Edited by Marc Cervera