Louis Dreyfus Company (LDC) and The Nature Conservancy (TNC) have unveiled a strategic collaboration aiming to champion regenerative agricultural practices and habitat conservation. The partnership, announced today, sets an ambitious goal to mitigate climate change and enhance biodiversity across key agricultural supply chains.
The joint effort will primarily focus on on-the-ground projects within grains, oilseeds, coffee, and cotton value chains in North and South America. With agriculture contributing to 31% of global greenhouse gas emissions and 88% of native habitat loss linked to agricultural expansion, the collaboration aims to transform food systems towards regenerative practices and deforestation-free production.
Jennifer Morris, CEO of The Nature Conservancy, emphasized the necessity of engaging the full value chain, stating, "A successful transformation of the global food system is imperative to address the climate crisis and halt biodiversity loss."
Michael Gelchie, LDC’s Group CEO, highlighted the significance of a transition to sustainable practices at the farm level, expressing the company's commitment to driving adoption of regenerative agriculture, reducing emissions, conserving ecosystems, and promoting climate resilience in farming communities.
The collaboration builds on LDC’s existing commitment to eliminate deforestation and conversion of native vegetation for agricultural purposes from its supply chains by the end of 2025. David Cleary, TNC’s Director of Global Agriculture, sees the collaboration as an opportunity to leverage the entire sector to accelerate progress in climate change mitigation and biodiversity conservation.
The collaboration encompasses two main pillars: regenerative agriculture and deforestation- & conversion-free (DCF) production. In the initial phase, the collaboration will focus on large-scale, strategic efforts in the US, Canada, Brazil, and Argentina. It includes joint assessments of ongoing regenerative agriculture projects and developing incentive mechanisms for DCF production.
Axelle Bodoy, Head of Regenerative Agriculture at LDC, highlighted the collaboration's commitment to regenerative agriculture, targeting a minimum of 3 million acres and involving around 30,000 farmers by 2030. The initiative seeks to enhance soil health, restore aquifers, promote biodiversity, and mitigate climate change while ensuring increased profitability and resilience for farmers.
With TNC's expertise, the collaboration aims to co-design programs with farmers and other value chain partners, leading the development of more resilient, future-proofed agronomic systems. Pilot projects in other supply chains, such as citrus in Brazil and coffee in various origins, are also in development.
The collaboration between Louis Dreyfus Company and The Nature Conservancy signifies a major step toward sustainable and responsible agricultural practices, setting a precedent for industry-wide transformation in the pursuit of a greener, more resilient future.