Waitrose is to establish a new ‘Climate Resilience Programme’ to help farmers and workers within its supply chain better mitigate the impact of climate change and rising living costs.
Over the next few years, the Waitrose Foundation will invest £1m in a series of projects to help support communities local to its suppliers in parts of Africa and South America who are increasingly affected by climate change.
The programme will include providing tools and guidance on how to respond to the impacts of climate change, the implementation of sustainable farming techniques and renewable energy, and helping farmers better share knowledge.
Another programme, targeted at women and young people, will provide financial literacy and digital skills so they’re better able to respond to rising living costs.
“It’s an inconvenient truth but the worst impacts of climate change are being felt in countries not responsible for driving it,” said Marija Rompani, director of sustainability and ethics at the John Lewis Partnership. “Increasing temperatures, shifting weather patterns and more extreme climates are currently threatening food and water security and socioeconomic development in countries we source from, and we need to take more responsibility and greater action.
“This is at the heart of why we’ve established our Climate Resilience Programme – to help support our Waitrose Foundation farmers more thoroughly as they respond to the impacts of climate change.”
The Waitrose Foundation was founded in 2005, and now works with suppliers in 10 countries, including Ghana, Kenya, Senegal, South Africa and Costa Rica.
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