Retailer and supplier establish Cultivation Academy to fund and support development of better production techniques
Belgian retailer Delhaize has launched a new initiative that aims to make vegetable production in the country more sustainable.
With help from its supply chain partner Bakker (part of Greenyard Group) and agricultural solutions group Arvesta, it has created the Cultivation Academy, which will apparently use regenerative farming techniques to provide vegetables that are not only tasty and healthy, but also grown with respect for the planet and the soil.
As a result, it said, Belgian consumers will now be able to purchase vegetables with a smaller ecological footprint.
In practical terms, the project is designed to offer growers the guidance and support they need to adopt new methods of vegetable production – for example planting so-called cover crops or using water more efficiently – which promote biodiversity and improved soil health.
It will also compensate growers who introduce new technologies that might initially result in higher costs or lower yields.
“By applying regenerative techniques, we ensure that the vegetables produced by our growers are not only nutritious but also contribute to healthier soil and a more sustainable ecosystem,” says Inge De Paepe, sustainability manager at Delhaize. “This benefits not just today’s consumers, but future generations as well.”
As an inaugural member of the Cultivation Academy, Gilke Croket will host training sessions where fellow growers can see, for example, how natural fertilisers can help store carbon in the soil more effectively.
“We’re given tools to monitor soil health and take direct action ourselves,” she explains. “At every step, we consider the impact on the soil and the plant – because without plants, there are no vegetables.”
She adds: “For me, it’s a true win-win: I manage my land more sustainably while still achieving good yields, and I contribute to more sustainable vegetables on supermarket shelves.”
