Nestlé & World Farmers’ Organisation: Resilient Food Systems

Global food company Nestlé is partnering with the World Farmers’ Organisation (WFO) to help make food supply chains more resilient to climate change.

The companies will advocate for fair and practical solutions to empower farmers, such as regenerative agriculture.

The collaboration is aiming to use both organisations’ influence to support farming communities and promote global food security.

Nestlé’s sustainability goals 

Nestlé has set itself goals around sustainable farming practices, including with its coffee brand Nescafé.

In 2024, the company sourced 32% of its coffee from farmers using regenerative agriculture practices, which surpassed its goal to reach 20% by 2025.

Through Nescafé, Nestlé is supporting coffee farmers in their transition to practices including soil cover, composting and optimised fertilisation. 

These practices help farmers improve  productivity and reduce the costs associated with coffee production.

Prices of arabica and robusta coffee reached a record-high in 2024 as farmers had to deal with adverse weather conditions.

Nescafé’s funding and education is helping construct more resilient supply chains in the coffee industry which allows farmers to mitigate the risks around climate change.

Nestlé has also worked to encourage more young people to become farmers.

With many people moving away from rural areas, Nestlé recognises the importance of teaching young people how agriculture can be modernised.

Smart farming techniques including digital tools and AI-driven practices reimagines the industry as technology-driven.

Nestlé says young people need incentives and the right opportunities to take up farming careers, and it is working to provide education to show how farmers can integrate regenerative agriculture into their practices.

What is the World Farmers’ Organisation?

The World Farmers’ Organisation brings together national organisations across all continents and gives a voice to global farming communities.

Its goal is to influence international decision making with science-based solutions that are guided by the practical knowledge of experienced farmers.

The WFO represents more than one billion farmers from more than 50 countries.

It enables action on climate change and works to advance regenerative and climate-resilient agriculture practices.

A regenerative agriculture partnership

The two organisations will join together to promote awareness of regenerative agriculture and to co-develop viable farming models to inspire the next generation of farmers.

They will focus on implementing techniques including crop rotation, cover cropping and integrating livestock to help improve soil health, promote biodiversity and increase water retention.

Arnold Puech d’Alissac, President of the World Farmers’ Organisation, says: "Farmers are facing the challenges of climate change every day, but they are also driving the solutions. Real change demands holistic approaches and collaboration across the value chain.

“This partnership with Nestlé aims to lead by example, showing how farmers and industry can work together, with trust and respect, to build food systems that are fair, resilient and sustainable for people and the planet."

The partnership is the first of its kind, marking the first time a global food company has joined with a farmers’ association.

Chris Hogg, Global Head of Public Affairs at Nestlé, says: “Nestlé relies on 600,000 farmers globally to ensure a sustainable supply of its raw materials.

"Farmers, who are deeply aware of today's crop production challenges, are highly proficient at adapting and finding ways to work with the planet's natural resources to produce food. By partnering with the WFO, we want to put farmers at the centre and share their insights and concerns to help inform food policies."