Ten Years of Progress
40 Food Companies Share Their Success Stories and Challenges in Achieving Sustainable Agriculture
The Sustainable Agriculture Initiative (SAI) Platform celebrates its 10th Anniversary
of designing a roadmap for the future of sustainable agriculture and sourcing
Evian, France, 03 May 2012 – At the 10th anniversary of the Sustainable Agriculture Initiative Platform, 40 leading global food conglomerates engaged in a fruitful and lively discussion regarding the environmental, economic and social well-being issues of agriculture.
During his opening address, Peter Brabeck-Letmathe, the Chairman of Nestlé, co-founder of SAI Platform stated, “There is no future without sustainable agriculture. By 2050, we have to feed 9.3 billion people. Water is the most critical issue. By 2030, the demand for water is forecast to be 50% higher than today, and withdrawals could exceed natural renewal by over 60%. With more than two-thirds of the world’s water being withdrawn by agriculture, food security is at stake. In order to feed the growing population, we must solve the world’s water crisis.”
The event lasted three days and turned around three axes:
- On May 3, Executives Event featuring high level speakers and interactive discussions
- On May 4, General Assembly featuring special guests such as SAI Platform’s Advisory Council members
- On May 5, Field visit of the Evian farming area, cheese factory, spring and bottling plant