INDUSTRY NEWS
Corteva Sustainability Workshop
ABOVE : Anthony Kachenko from Hort Innovations gives an overview of what sustainability means for Australian horticulture at the Corteva Agriscience Sustainability Workshop held in Melbourne recently .
LEFT : Ryan Arnold , a Loxton-based citrus grower , is interviewed about his sustainable practises .
Ella Henson , Industry Development Officer Sustainability
ABA Sustainability Industry Development Officer , Ella Henson , was invited to represent the Australian almond industry at a Sustainability Workshop in Melbourne , hosted by Corteva Agriscience . The event , which ran on May 9-10 , began with a dinner on the Tuesday night , followed by a full-day workshop on Wednesday and concluded with an awards ceremony to celebrate Corteva ’ s 2021-2022 Climate Positive Award Leaders . It was great to see a group of individuals from different sectors with diverse ideas and approaches come together with the common objective of making agriculture more sustainable . As sustainability is such a broad and fast changing topic , there ’ s great value in seeing different perspectives and challenging views and ideas on sustainability . While the approaches and objectives held by other industries may not always be directly relevant to us , there is always something to learn . The workshop covered a variety of topics ranging from making consumer driven decisions , and financing sustainability , to climate positive leaders , cultivating solutions for growers , and advancing sustainable agriculture . There was good representation of horticulture , with presentations from Hort Innovations and a Riverlandbased citrus grower . Key findings for the Australian almond industry were : 1 . ESG and sustainability programs across industries typically prioritise collecting data and setting targets around carbon and water . One driving factor for this is the finite and measurable nature of carbon and water , which makes it easier to set targets . However , carbon and water are not the be-all and end-all , and there is a growing need to consider other aspects of sustainability . One area where we are likely to see greater focus in future is biodiversity . 2 . There is shared value in working collaboratively throughout the supply chain to reduce emissions . For many industries , and especially horticulture , a large proportion of emissions are Scope 3 , indirect emissions that occur in the value chain . For our industry , Scope 3 emissions are likely to result from distribution , transport , and packaging . While addressing Scope 3 emissions
can be challenging and requires collaboration across the entire supply chain , it will be necessary in demonstrating our positive social value in years to come . 3 . The way we engage with consumers is becoming increasingly important . Educating consumers can be challenging . Consumers sometimes have superficial priorities , they can be easily misled and despite wanting to make sustainable choices , they do not always understand how to . Going forward our approach to consumer education will rely on using tangible data to communicate our industry ’ s social value . Regardless of where they are in their sustainability journeys , all industries have a lot to learn , indicating the shared value in working together . All industries face similar challenges , and we are all seeking clarification on how we should be measuring and communicating our sustainability credentials . We need to look for opportunities to learn from other industries , and to collaborate with other industries and lobby for what suits our collective needs . It is in our best interest to work together .
industry . australianalmonds . com . au
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