UK-based supermarket Waitrose has introduced a £500,000 fund to help its network of British farmers reach net zero greenhouse gas emissions.
The initiative is an extension of the retailer’s Farming for Nature strategy and will provide financial support for projects that promote low carbon farming methods among farmers and suppliers.
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Grants from the net zero farm fund will be available to individual British farmers or producers who have a business relationship with Waitrose.
The scheme is set to finance projects that lower carbon emissions from products supplied to Waitrose and enhance farmers’ capacity to withstand climate change impacts.
Waitrose executive director James Bailey said: “We know every farm is unique and we want to ensure that our Waitrose farmers have the support they need to make nature-friendly changes that work for them.
“The fund is about giving farmers access to financial backing to invest in sustainable practices that will benefit their farms in the long run and support a rapid reduction in the carbon footprint of the food we eat.”
The fund will cater to both minor and major investment projects. It builds upon an earlier £1m investment in a programme to make affordable financing available and provide resources to transition towards regenerative and low-carbon agriculture.
John Lewis Partnership ethics and sustainability director Marija Rompani said: “With our commitment to our UK farming supply base reaching net zero by 2035, its key that we work closely with our suppliers and farmers and go on this journey with them, by supporting them to reduce the carbon footprint associated with the products they supply to Waitrose.
The announcement is part of Waitrose’s broader ambition to attain net zero emissions across its UK farms by 2035 and across its entire supply chain by 2050.
