PepsiCo, Mars and ADM partner on regenerative agriculture project in Poland

PepsiCo, Mars and ADM are collaborating in a new regenerative agriculture initiative working with Polish farmers to boost sustainable practices like rotational agriculture for improved wheat crops and rapeseed cultivation.

The partnership — hailed as having a “holistic, landscape-level approach” — will see 24 farmers using sustainable practices across crop rotations, covering land where crops are grown for big players’ F&B brands like Lay’s and Doritos, as well as pet food lines such as Whiskas and Pedigree.

Moving beyond single crops

The land being cultivated in this project totals 5,454 hectares, 3,359 of which are for Mars’ pet care brands, while 2,160 hectares are designated for PepsiCo’s rapeseed cultivation.

The partners say the regenerative practices include strengthening soil health and water management and enhancing long-term agricultural resilience. 

Rotational agriculture is a farming method that involves planting different crops in succession on the same plot of land. It is geared toward improving the environmental impact of the agricultural supply chain by alternating crops, including cereals, legumes, and cover crop blends, while replenishing nutrients, improving soil structure, and tackling pests and diseases. 

ADM’s role is to support farmers transitioning to regenerative agriculture practices, which also includes better adapting to climate-related stresses on crops. The farmers, who will receive financial benefits for adopting certain practices, will also receive hands-on training and guidance from technical specialists, including Biospheres. 

More collaboration needed to drive change

To accelerate this program and support carbon sequestration efforts, farmers will receive financial incentives based on the dedicated practices they implement, such as conservation tillage and cover cropping.  

“Regenerative agriculture is a vital tool for enhancing soil health, strengthening farm resilience, and reducing agricultural emissions, which can ultimately benefit farmers and their livelihoods,” says Archana Jagannathan, chief sustainability officer at PepsiCo Europe, the Middle East, and Africa. 

“To drive meaningful impact at scale requires collaboration up and down the value chain. PepsiCo has been partnering with Polish farmers for more than 30 years, and this initiative with Mars, ADM, and local farmers takes an integrated, systems-level approach that embeds regenerative practices across different crop rotations and supply chains.”

“It also contributes to our global ambition to implement regenerative, restorative, or protective practices over 10 million acres of land by 2030, and has the potential to generate learnings that can be lifted and scaled beyond a single country or region to help ensure the long-term resilience of the global food system.” 

The project is also expected to help Poland become a benchmark for regenerative agriculture, from which other regions can learn.