Nestlé has recently opened the Institute of Agricultural Sciences with the aim of facilitating the progress of sustainable food systems through providing agriculture-centered scientific solutions. The company’s Chairman, Paul Bulcke, asserted during the inauguration ceremony that Nestlé has long-established relationships with farmers around the world and that their successful transition towards an eco-friendlier food system rests on working together.
In light of the challenges facing global food systems, Nestlé’s Institute of Agricultural Sciences intends to promote innovative techniques for ensuring sustainable food supplies for the increasing global population while securing the livelihoods of farmers. The Institute’s experts will be focusing on screening and developing solutions in plant science, agricultural systems, and dairy livestock, along with the practices of regenerative agriculture to improve soil health and encourage biodiversity. Moreover, the Institute will work meticulously towards finding novel ways in the dairy industry, particularly regarding feed management and manure reduction, with the potential to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
Jeroen Dijkman, the Head of the Nestlé Institute of Agricultural Sciences, emphasizes that the Institute will use a holistic approach when considering the impact of solutions on several factors such as yields, carbon footprint, food safety, and cost-effectiveness, as well as the potential to upscale. As a unit of the Nestlé Research and Development network, the Institute is interlocked with external partners, including farmers, universities, startups, and industry partners, to evaluate and develop science-based solutions. With Switzerland’s unique innovation ecosystem at the forefront of Nestlé’s priority, the newly installed Institute incorporates an existing plant science research unit in France, farms based in Ecuador, Côte d’Ivoire, and Thailand, and various research farm partnerships.
The agricultural science expertise gained by the Nestlé scientists in the production of cocoa and coffee, through the Nestlé Cocoa Plan and Nescafé Plan, will be strengthened and extended to other crops, including pulses and grains. The Nestlé Institute of Agricultural Sciences will provide an opportunity to help farming communities and protect the planet. Ensuring a sustainable food system is no longer a dream; it is the only way forward for the benefit of all.