Rabobank, EID Parry and WWF
India signed an agreement to collaborate on sustainable production of sugarcane
and work towards reducing business risk in the face of high water and carbon footprint.
The partnership will produce tools that will track and measure two key issues
related to sugarcane production - water use and Green House Gas (GHG)
emissions. It will also advice on efficient management of water along the
supply chain. The three-year project will be carried out across EID Parry’s
sites in southern India, with Rabobank being the facilitator and WWF-India
providing the knowledge input.
The initiative is a strategic
alliance between these three institutions aimed at supporting businesses
towards implementing sustainable practices, thereby reducing the pressure on
natural resources. The project will undertake an assessment of water
availability risk, water footprint sustainability and an estimation of the GHG
footprint and carbon reduction potential in sugarcane cultivation practices.
Recommendations for the improved production systems will be formulated
following these assessments.
The recommendations will be
tested through pilot projects which will eventually be scaled up. The project
will be executed in EID Parry’s select facilities in Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and
Andhra Pradesh, which will provide for testing in conditions with differing
rainfall patterns, irrigation sources and natural water resources.Speaking on
this occasion, Surojit Shome, CEO,
Rabobank India said, “We are very excited to be able to partner with EID Parry,
a long-standing client group along with environmental sustainability experts
like WWF India. This project is an integral part of Rabobank’s broader food
and agribusiness strategy of increasing food availability in an environmentally
sustainable way. We are certain that this project will enhance our client’s
overall performance in a responsible and efficient manner.”
Dr. Sejal Worah, WWF India
said, “This partnership
with EID Parry and Rabobank will help to
develop decision making tool which can be widely used by business and the
finance sector for sustainable water and carbon management thereby reducing
environmental footprint in production systems.”Mr.V.Ramesh, Managing Director,
EID Parry said, “EID Parry is the largest sugar producer in South India and one
of the top five sugar producers in the country. EID Parry has undertaken
considerable efforts to promote sustainability on its own and also through
collaboration with partners. We are very optimistic that this partnership would
enable EID Parry to address two main issues pertinent to Cane cultivation in
the Sugar Industry ie. Water and Carbon Footprint”.
