Without a healthy planet, there can be no thriving avocado industry. That’s why the Mexican avocado industry has aligned its sustainability strategy with the UN 2030 Agenda and the SDGs (sustainable development goals) to conserve local forests and protect the natural resources and habitats depended upon by so many.
The Avocado Institute, and its parent organizations--the Association of Avocado Exporting Producers and Packers of Mexico (APEAM) and Mexican Hass Avocado Importers Association (MHAIA)--have released a video showcasing the Mexican avocado industry’s commitment to protecting the environment and enhancing biodiversity. website here.
The Mexican avocado industry is committed to preserving biodiversity. “We need a healthy planet with lush forests and happy pollinators to continue growing avocados, so it’s vital that sustainability is central to our strategy,” said Ana Ambrosi, director of corporate communications, Avocados From Mexico.
This includes protecting pollinators. Studies show that avocado orchards have more than a 25 percent increase in avocado production when domesticated and wild pollinators are present. In all, 80 percent of the production of avocados in Mexico is due to pollinators.
The avocado industry in Mexico is taking steps to further increase the presence of pollinators, including:
- To ensure bees are present to support avocado pollination, 30 percent of avocado orchards in Michoacán have invested in on-site beehives or work with beekeepers to intentionally increase the presence of pollinators.
- The Mexican avocado industry is working to protect the monarch butterfly. Through MHAIA’s partnership with Forests For Monarchs, it has planted more than 1.2 million trees in/around the biosphere and watersheds of Michoacán.
The Mexican avocado industry also has a program focusing on preserving more than 1.3 million acres of the Avocado Strip, the area in Michoacán where the avocado orchards are located. This includes working to prevent/respond to fires, creating a biological corridor and developing research aimed at the sustainable use of soil and water. The Mexican avocado industry is committed to healthy forests through:
- Supporting extensive reforestation programs, planting nearly 2.9 million trees and reforesting approximately 5,200 acres throughout Michoacán since 2011.
- Establishing agricultural and environmental limits to make sure new avocado harvesting areas don’t negatively impact biodiversity, in partnership with the government of Michoacán.
Part of the Mexican avocado industry’s commitment to being good environmental stewards is making sure their farming practices support sustainability. This means considering the environmental impact on every part of the avocado journey, including the agrochemicals used and water use. The industry is further minimizing its environmental footprint through initiatives like:
- Exclusively using agrochemicals that are plant/flower friendly and only applying them during the times of day when pollinators aren’t active.
- Relying on rainfall and natural, seasonal irrigation for approximately 61 percent of the avocado orchards in Michoacán. Another 36 percent utilize sustainable, high-tech irrigation.
For more information:
Avocado Institute
https://avocadoinstitute.org