Farmer Supply Chains
Olam’s heritage can be traced back to small-scale supply chains in Africa, originally working with cashew farmers in Nigeria. Today our farmer supply chain incorporates both small-scale farmers within emerging economies and our large scale farmers that supply direct into our processing facilities in America, Argentina and Australia.
Small-scale
The Olam Livelihood Charter forms the foundation of our small-scale sustainability programme by linking farmers to the global markets. Our aim is to move these farmers from subsistence-based agriculture to commercial viability. This is achieved through the Olam Livelihood Charter, a combination of helping farmers become more organised and better financed, structured training in increased yield and product quality as well as ensuring fair prices and guaranteed market access for their produce.
Large-scale
Developing sustainable agriculture in our large-scale contract farming relationships in the developed world focuses primarily on the three key operational pillars of water stewardship, carbon and soil health.
- Water – ‘More crop per drop’ – the majority of farmers are have switched to drip irrigation. Water application is applied automatically based on probe sensors determining moisture levels within the soil
- Carbon – Tractors and machinery have all moved to reduced emissions Tier III engines. The number of field operations has been reduced by developing wider cultivation beds. Increasing production closer to the processing plants to reduce energy
- Fertiliser – Targeted application and significantly reduced due to application as a liquid through drip irrigation facilities
