food Marketing - Technology 2/2024

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Cover Story the Dominican Republic, the additional irrigation for 1 kilogram of avocados requires less than 10 liters, approximated. Where additional irrigation is required, water consumption has been significantly reduced thanks to modern, precise irrigation methods. This also happened at Three Farms in South Africa, for example, which exports around half of its 3,500 tonnes of avocados to Europe. Here, the water is channelled directly into the soil in the right quantity and at the right time using a new drip irrigation system, so that each plant gets exactly what it needs without wasting water. “Drip irrigation does not only reduce water consumption, but also improves crop yields. Thanks to intelligent irrigation systems, the average global water footprint of avocados is much lower than that of other everyday foods, such as beef, chocolate, coffee or butter,“ explains Zac Bard. Smart agriculture Innovative technologies for digital agriculture use agronomic algorithms, sensors and artificial intelligence to monitor plants and to deliver the exact amount of water required. With the help of new agricultural technology, water consumption on smaller farms in Chile has been reduced by 30 % and in Spain by up to 50 %. Intelligent sensors monitor soil moisture and ensure that water is only applied where it is needed. This minimizes waste through evaporation and prevents overwatering. Soil moisture monitoring systems provide precise data in real time and enable well-founded decisions to be made about irrigation systems. Fertigation systems are also frequently used, allowing fertilizer to be applied at the same time as irrigation. The nutrient mixture can be tailored precisely according to the needs of the individual avocado plant and delivered directly to the roots of the trees. In this way, the nutrients can be used more efficiently and excess fertilizer can be avoided. The use of new technologies can reduce water consumption, improve plant health, increase yields and make avocado cultivation more sustainable. Carbon footprint significantly lower than other foods Many consumers are also concerned about the long transport distances. With over 300,000 tonnes, Peru is the largest supplier of avocados to Europe, followed by Colombia, Chile, Kenya and South Africa. “Most of the avocados consumed in Europe are transported by ship from Latin America and Africa. This is more environmentally friendly and produces fewer CO 2 emissions compared to air and road transport. These avocados therefore perform even better than avocados produced in Europe, which are usually transported by car or plane,“ Zac Bard adds. The CO 2 emissions of avocados are significantly lower than those of other everyday foods such as milk, cheese or eggs and are comparable to those of other fruits such as apples. Avocados grow on perennial trees that can absorb up to 20 kg of carbon per year from the atmosphere and produce 2.4 kg of CO 2 equivalents per kilogram. Compared to many other foods, avocados have a smaller ecological footprint overall. Economic impact on the growing countries Avocado production is often associated with negative economic impacts in the countries where they are grown. In various projects supported by the WAO, however, the cultivation of avocados has helped to improve the living conditions of people in the respective regions. In the Olmos Valley in Peru, for example, water intended for the Atlantic Ocean was diverted through the Andes to an automatic irrigation system. This turned a former desert into 24,000 hectares of fertile land for growing fruit and vegetables, including avocados. This project has created over 25,000 jobs in agriculture and many other indirect jobs, securing the livelihoods of many people. Avocado cultivation thus makes an important contribution to the 8 food Marketing & Technology • April 2024
Cover Story economy in many growing countries, where the majority of production still takes place on small farms. In Peru, growth in the agricultural sector has helped to reduce poverty significantly, particularly in rural communities. The example of Three Farms also shows that sustainable avocado cultivation can have a positive impact on local communities. The farm pays competitive wages to its 300 employees and also promotes vocational skills and training. Photo: Three Farms In recent years, the cultivation of avocados has also increased significantly in other countries with suitable climatic conditions, such as Kenya, Ethiopia and Tanzania, where the up-coming avocado industry benefits small local farmers and boosts the local economy. In Chile, the third largest avocado supplier to Europe, the avocado industry has created around 35,000 new jobs and reduced poverty, particularly in rural regions. Here, there are programs to support organic avocado cultivation as well. The cultivation of avocados is becoming more and more environmentally friendly and the ecological CO 2 footprint is already reduced compared to other products. Farmers are continuing to improve production methods. This makes avocados - together with their high nutritional value - to sustainable and healthy alternative to animal products. As Zac Bard says: “Transport distance, retail, packaging or special cultivation methods per kilo are very small compared to their high nutritional value.“ More information: The WAO expects a worldwide increase in avocado consumption in the coming years, especially in Europe and Asia, particularly in India, where the avocado is still a very new fruit. fmt The Author: Sabine Straka, Editorial Team, Food Marketing & Technoloy For more information: www.avocadofruitoflife.com food Marketing & Technology • April 2024
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