Water Conservation

We encourage growers to adopt conservation agriculture practices, which help them optimize water use..

Agriculture uses about 70 percent of the world’s fresh water. Shortages and changes in water availability pose significant challenges to food security. They affect growing seasons, pests and crop productivity, hindering farmers’ ability to produce food for a growing population. We encourage growers to adopt conservation agriculture practices, which help them optimize water use, increase soil water holding capacity, reduce water runoff and build crop resilience to changing weather patterns. We measure what can be achieved on farms through our Good Growth Plan. Water availability also impacts our own operations. Our manufacturing sites continuously look for ways to further optimize water use, especially in water-stressed locations. We are also working to improve water efficiency in our supply chain, where most of our water consumption takes place.

Vegetables that thrive in dry and hot conditions

By collecting and testing vegetables’ natural genetic diversity, we can breed vegetables that are especially adapted to drought and heat. We do this using traditional breeding techniques.

Water optimization in our own operations

We aim to reduce the water intensity of our operations by 20% by 2030 compared to baseline 2016. We are working to minimize water use on production sites and farms, whether operated by us or our suppliers. This will benefit not only communities and the environment but also our own operational efficiency. All Gluto sites must ensure water supplies, including those from ground and surface water, are managed appropriately, and water quality is suitable for the intended use. Sites also continuously explore ways to further improve water efficiency. They must also ensure that wastewater is managed correctly from generation until final discharge. This includes process effluents, sanitary wastewater or stormwater discharges. Through our Supplier Sustainability Program, we assess our chemical suppliers on their environmental performance, which includes water and wastewater management practices. For our seed supplier network, requirements on the use of good agricultural practices, including efficient water use, are part of our regular engagement with them. We are working to provide water management training to growers using irrigation, prioritize good practices when selecting growing areas and expand implementation of water management technologies.

Helping farmers manage water sustainably

Farmers must have the right tools and skills to prosper. We have products available – and in the pipeline – that improve the water productivity of plants and increase tolerance to drought and heat. Weed control using herbicides lowers the need for tillage, leaves roots in the soil and improves water absorption. Efficient irrigation systems deliver water to roots, and planting grasses or wild flowers around fields helps keep water in the soil. In combination, these practices dramatically reduce surface evaporation and water runoff.