![]() Keeping trees standing is an important way to slow the progress of climate change.” Harnessing technology to improve sustainabilityĭeveloping new breeds of coconut trees is not the only high-tech agricultural solution Unilever is providing for farmers. “Taken together, farmers can increase their incomes by farming their plots without needing to clear forests. “Unilever also works closely with the farmer community to build a service delivery model, which should help farmers access finance, fertilizers and ensure offtake of their coconut sugar,” explained Clement Jaloux, Unilever’s Procurement Manager, Supplier Development South East Asia. In turn, the farmers commit to applying more responsible agricultural practices to ensure the trees grow well.Ĭlimate change has created new burdens for coconut farmers, so Unilever has partnered with Balit Palma, an institute focused on palm and coconut research in Indonesia, to offer educational services for farmers in good agricultural practices and climate change resilience. Then, the company partners with local suppliers and nurseries to distribute coconut seedlings to farmers, free-of-charge. Short coconut trees: a new approach to boost farmers’ livelihoodsīefore the planting season begins, Unilever establishes a list of farmers interested in partnering with Unilever. ![]() ![]() This new coconut tree, called the Genjah Kuning Bali, also reaches maturity in four years rather than the typical seven.ĭeveloping and releasing this new tree breed is one of the actions Unilever says it has taken to improve the sustainability of the coconut industry since signing the Sustainable Coconut Charter, an initiative to improve incomes and livelihoods of smallholder farmers, enhance supply chain traceability, prevent deforestation and mitigate the climate crisis. In order to improve farmer safety and secure future supply of coconut sugar, Unilever and the Indonesian Coconut Institute are releasing a new breed of coconut trees that only grow to approximately one-third of the height of a typical coconut tree, which should make nectar harvesting a significantly safer activity. Coconut trees are tall, typically around 100 feet high, and to collect the nectar needed for coconut sugar production, farmers must climb to the top of the trees with buckets and knives in order to harvest nectar by hand. Unilever is hoping that its new breed of miniature coconut trees will lead to big improvements for farmers.Ĭoconut trees provide many common ingredients in popular consumer products, most notably coconut sugar.
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