innocent drinks has awarded grants to 18 farming projects across 14 countries as it looks to improve the long-term resilience of its fruit and vegetable supply chains.

The initiatives will receive funding through the drinks brand’s Farmer Innovation Fund, an annual programme worth up to £1m that supports suppliers and growers adopting regenerative and climate-resilient farming practices.

Now in its fifth year, the fund will support projects across four continents and several of innocent’s priority ingredients, including oranges, apples, coconuts, grapes, strawberries and mangoes.

The projects cover areas such as water management, carbon reduction, biodiversity and climate-smart farming.

innocent said ingredients account for more than half of its overall carbon footprint, making changes across its agricultural supply chain a key part of its efforts to reduce Scope Three emissions.

Brazil project targets citrus resilience

One of the selected projects will test a new system for measuring greenhouse gas emissions and carbon removals on a citrus farm in Brazil.

The initiative will combine farm data, soil sampling, remote sensing and carbon modelling to produce more reliable information about the environmental impact of agricultural practices.

The pilot is being carried out on a citrus farm verified to gold level under the SAI Platform’s Farm Sustainability Assessment.

It aims to create a framework that could eventually be rolled out across more suppliers and ingredients, improving the quality of agricultural carbon reporting while supporting growers in adopting climate-smart practices.

3Keel senior consultant Garett Stoll said: “Oranges are a strategically important ingredient, and building resilient citrus supply chains starts with understanding the real impact of actions taken on the farm.

“Through this pilot, we’re testing a rigorous new approach to measuring greenhouse gas emissions and carbon removals, combining farm data, soil sampling and remote sensing to generate credible, science-based insights.”

He added that the long-term ambition was to develop a scalable framework that could strengthen climate reporting and increase confidence in agriculture’s role in reducing emissions.

Coconut farmers supported in the Philippines

The fund will also back a project with Peter Paul Philippine Corporation, an integrated coconut processor working with smaller growers in the Philippines.

Farmers in the Bondoc Peninsula and Pagbilao clusters will receive support to introduce mulching techniques intended to improve soil moisture, fertility and crop yields.

The initiative comes as coconut water continues to move into the mainstream drinks market, increasing the need for a more reliable and climate-resilient supply of raw materials.

Peter Paul Philippine Corporation fair trade officer Clarito Q. Ona said: “Our project helps farmers in the Bondoc Peninsula and Pagbilao clusters with mulching techniques to improve soil moisture, fertility and yield.

“By strengthening resilience at the farm level, we can help farming communities better adapt to the increasing impacts of climate change.”

Five previous recipients receive further backing

Five of the successful applicants have previously received support through the Farmer Innovation Fund.

innocent said the repeat funding reflected its focus on long-term partnerships capable of delivering sustained environmental and agricultural benefits.

Projects were selected through a judging process involving an external advisory board. Applications were assessed against criteria including their alignment with innocent’s commercial and sustainability priorities, scalability and potential carbon impact.

innocent chief executive Nick Canney said: “Being able to bring fruit and veg to more people starts entirely with the people who grow it.

“This year’s winners are taking on some of the biggest challenges facing agriculture today, from climate resilience and water management to carbon reduction and biodiversity.

“We’re delighted to support these innovative projects and look forward to seeing the positive impact they can deliver.”

The drinks business said the programme would help farmers protect natural resources, adapt to changing growing conditions and develop more secure supplies of fruit and vegetables.

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