Harmless Harvest and Its Partners Launch the First Coconut Regenerative Agriculture Initiative

Thailand-based project aims to transform coconut agricultural practices and fight climate change through expansion of regenerative farming practices

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Harmless Harvest

Dec 09, 2020, 09:02 ET

OAKLAND, Calif., Dec. 9, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Harmless Harvest, maker of delicious organic coconut-based products including coconut water, dairy-free coconut yogurt alternatives, and other coconut-based beverages, today announced in partnership with the Danone Ecosystem Fund and the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH, the Regenerative Coconuts Agriculture Project (ReCAP), the first of its kind project in Thailand aimed to create the most sustainable, inclusive, regenerative farming model for the coconut industry and the planet.

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A farm with no green cover is representative of why it's important to introduce regenerative practices in coconut farming. The soil is compacted and eroded. It has lost most of its ability to absorb rain and erosion accelerates with each rainfall.
A farm with no green cover is representative of why it's important to introduce regenerative practices in coconut farming. The soil is compacted and eroded. It has lost most of its ability to absorb rain and erosion accelerates with each rainfall.
This green farm has started the process to convert to regenerative farming by adding cover crops everywhere. It has helped significantly reduce soil erosion during the monsoon season and to increase soil moisture during the dry season. To complete the transition to regenerative, the farmer will add intercrops, mulching, bee hives, etc.
This green farm has started the process to convert to regenerative farming by adding cover crops everywhere. It has helped significantly reduce soil erosion during the monsoon season and to increase soil moisture during the dry season. To complete the transition to regenerative, the farmer will add intercrops, mulching, bee hives, etc.

When Harmless Harvest launched in 2011, there was little international demand for organic young Nam Hom coconuts in Thailand. The brand essentially created the organic coconut water market by launching its iconic coconut water that changed an industry. Today, with demand for coconuts surging, many farmers have turned to chemical-laden monoculture crop farming. In addition, Thailand has been particularly hit hard by climate change, which is impacting crop production. Now, a new era of transformation is needed to combat the effects of climate change and coconut demand. Harmless Harvest, alongside its partners, is poised to lead this charge through the launch of ReCAP. 

"Harmless Harvest's mission is to create remarkable coconut products through sustainable farming practices while having a positive community impact," said Ben Mand, CEO, Harmless Harvest. "We are committed to making ReCAP a successful program for not only the coconut industry but more importantly, for the people and the planet. Most coconut farmers rely on coconuts as their single source of revenue. Relying on a single source of income with significant fluctuations in market conditions and deteriorating climate conditions make this a real challenge for families. Investing in regenerative organic is an investment in their financial resiliency and our planet's future." 

ReCAP will provide farmers with training curriculum on farm management, soil health and more, while also providing best practices to increase biodiversity, and farmer resilience through intercropping, cover crops, bee-keeping and organic inputs. By the completion of the project in 2023, GIZ will share open-sourced training materials based on their findings from the project; these materials will be made available to anyone interested in learning more or even transitioning to regenerative agriculture.

"The collective support of our partners will be decisive for empowering the farming community," said Agung Bimo Listyanu, Danone Ecosystem Fund regional coordinator. "We're excited to train farmers and to advance and enhance regenerative agriculture around the world."

ReCAP builds upon Harvest Harvest's ultimate brand vision, which is a world where the climate impact from coconut farming is net positive. By the end of 2023, Harmless Harvest and its partners intend to increase farmer income by >10%, transition at least 50 percent of their certified acreage to regenerative organic agriculture and establish an entity to support regenerative farming long-term in Thailand. The ultimate goal is to transition to 100% of regenerative farms.

To learn more about the ReCAP project visit https://harmlessharvest.com/our-way/ .

About Harmless Harvest
Harmless Harvest makes delicious organic coconut-based products including coconut water, coconut-based beverages, and coconut-based yogurts. The brand was the first to launch a non-thermally pasteurized coconut water in the US, as well as the first coconut water to be Fair for Life certified. Harmless Harvest is committed to rigorous and independent standards for fair trade and social progress within its supply chain. It operates on an ecosystem-based approach, considering its impact from seed to shelf. True to its name, Harmless Harvest is an ever-evolving brand with the ultimate goal of doing minimal harm while making remarkable products.

About Our Partners
To learn more about the organizations partnering with Harmless Harvest visit http://ecosysteme.danone.com/ & https://www.giz.de/en

SOURCE Harmless Harvest

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