BOGOTÁ, Colombia – Nestlé launched today a new initiative to plant 7.5 million trees in the next five years in Colombia, a reforestation effort that – partnering with the Colombian Coffee Growers Federation (FNC) – supports the company’s target of planting 200 million trees by 2030.
It also is part of Nestlé’s plan to expand regenerative agriculture actions and deploy nature-based solutions to capture greenhouse gases (GHG) and contribute to achieving its goal of zero net emissions by 2050, also contributing to the target set by Colombia’s Ministry of the Environment and Sustainable Development to plant 180 million trees by late 2022.
Nestlé’s planting project, with the support of the FNC, responds to the company’s interest in advancing reforestation in the company’s sourcing areas, which in the case of Colombia are the departments of Antioquia, Risaralda and Valle del Cauca.
Nestlé and the FNC thus ratify their commitment to reducing carbon footprint and improving soil health. With the implementation of this project, a remarkable opportunity begins to improve degraded areas, adapt crops to climate variability and stabilize fragile ecosystems, also shaping ideal agricultural systems for recovering sustainable agriculture in areas of low production potential.
“On behalf of all Colombians, we thank this important investment and the ambitious strategy that aims to restore and conserve our natural resources. Thanks to teamwork, government institutions, the private sector and communities are moving towards meeting the country’s climate goals,” Carlos Correa, the Colombian Minister of the Environment and Sustainable Development, said.
“It is with facts that we have been fulfilling the planting of 180 million trees, the planting of a million corals and the protection of 30% of marine and terrestrial areas in 2022, taking important steps towards reducing by 51% GHG emissions by 2030 and achieving carbon neutrality by 2050, an aspiration set out in the Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC), the roadmap in Colombia’s commitments for the benefit of its biodiversity and the planet’s health,” Correa added.
The president of Nestlé Colombia, Antonio Núñez, said: “To address the current climate emergency and ensure long-term food security, it is essential to take actions to protect and restore forests and natural ecosystems. Planting trees in our sourcing areas is part of our actions to achieve net zero emissions by 2050. This will also help our supply chain and local communities that grow our raw materials to be more resilient, besides supporting the Colombian government in its plan to plant 180 million trees.”
“For the FNC, this program is part of our value strategy, contributing to coffee production systems’ sustainability and resilience to climate variability, since the trees have a buffer effect on temperature changes and damages from extreme rain events, protecting crops and soil, and capturing CO2,” Roberto Vélez, the FNC CEO, said.
This initiative is part of Nestlé’s commitment to reforestation in the company’s sourcing areas. In this way, it continues supporting the renovation of the countryside, in addition to promoting good agricultural practices aligned with regenerative agriculture principles to reduce carbon emissions and improve living conditions.
As part of its Global Reforestation Program, Nestlé will plant 200 million trees by 2030. This is also part of its Forest Positive strategy, which seeks to stop deforestation in its supply chains and help conserve and restore the world’s forests and natural ecosystems while promoting sustainable livelihoods and respect for human rights.
As of December 2021, 97% of its forest risk commodities (palm oil, sugar, soybeans, meat, pulp and paper) were assessed as free from deforestation.
