Chiquita has announced new water conservation steps it is taking through land gifting and farm rejuvenation programs.
The initiatives were announced just ahead of World Water Day on March 22, according to a news release.
“The global population is expected to reach 10 billion people in the next 30 years,” Jamie Postell, director of sales for North America for Chiquita, said in the release. “Chiquita is dedicated to finding solutions that ensure the growing population, as well as the food systems needed to feed it, have safe and sustainable water. Chiquita has identified three key Sustainable Development Goals to minimize its environmental footprint and promote water conservation for generations to come.”
Currently, 59% of Chiquita’s farms are rejuvenated, with plans to rejuvenate 76% of farms by 2022, according to the release.
Chiquita’s Sustainability Development Goals, according to the release, include:
- By 2030, improve water quality by reducing pollution, eliminating dumping and minimizing release of hazardous chemicals and materials, cutting by half the proportion of untreated wastewater and substantially increasing recycling and safe reuse globally;.
- By 2030, substantially increase water-use efficiency across all sectors and ensure sustainable withdrawals and supply of freshwater to address water scarcity and reduce the number of people lack of water supply; and
- By 2020, protect and restore water-related ecosystems, including mountains, forests, wetlands, rivers, aquifers and lakes.
In addition to implementing water-saving programs in its own farms, Chiquita also aims to improve the environmental conditions within local communities, according to the release. In 2018, Chiquita helped donate nearly 400 acres of reforested land from the San San Pond Sak wetland reserve to the people of Panama.
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