The Avocado Institute Highlights Important Biodiversity Efforts Ahead of Earth Day

The Mexican avocado industry continues its commitment to preserving and enhancing
biodiversity through sustainable development and forest conservation

DALLAS, April 18, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- 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.¹

In celebration of Earth Day, 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 short video that showcases the Mexican avocado's commitment to protect the environment and enhance biodiversity. Consumers can watch the educational video on the Avocado Institute website here.

The Avocado Industry's Green Agenda
The Mexican avocado industry and its farmers are committed to preserving biodiversity, not only because it's good for the planet, but because it's also good for their farms. Sustainability is essential for avocado farmers and their communities to thrive despite the pressures of the changing planet.

"We need a healthy planet with lush forests and happy pollinators to continue growing the freshest avocados in the world, so it's vital that sustainability is central to our strategy," said Ana Ambrosi, Director of Corporate Communications, Avocados From Mexico. "For the Avocado Institute, Earth Day is more than a one-day celebration of sustainability. It's an annual reminder of the importance of prioritizing our environment all year long."

The Buzz on Protecting Pollinators
An important part of preserving and enhancing biodiversity is protecting pollinators. Without the help of bees and other wild pollinators, avocado trees would not have the resources and support they need to grow: Studies show that avocado orchards have more than a 25% increase in avocado production² when domesticated and wild pollinators are present. The Mexican avocado industry knows that to meet the increased consumer demand for avocados, they must support healthy populations of pollinators in our avocado orchards—after all, 80% of the production of avocados in Mexico is due to pollinators. Their work is irreplaceable³.  

The avocado industry in Mexico is taking the below steps to protect and further increase the presence of pollinators:

• To ensure bees are present to support avocados pollination, 30% of avocado orchards in Michoacán have invested in on-site beehives or work with local beekeepers to intentionally increase the presence of these pollinators.⁴
• The Mexican avocado industry is working to protect the monarch butterfly, an important native pollinator in Mexico. Through MHAIA's partnership with Forests For Monarchs it has planted more than 1.2 million trees in and around the biosphere and watersheds of Michoacán to protect the environment and reforest the area close to the monarch reserve. 

Maintaining & Establishing Habitats Through Forest Preservation
As avocados grow on trees, forest preservation is essential in the ongoing viability of the industry. To address this, the Mexican avocado industry has a program that focuses on preserving more than 1.3 million acres of the Avocado Strip⁵, the area in Michoacán where the avocado orchards are located. This includes working to prevent and respond to fires, creating a biological corridor and developing research aimed at the sustainable use of soil and water. In addition to these programs, the Mexican avocado industry is committed to healthy forests through:

• Supporting various extensive reforestation programs, planting nearly 2.9 million trees and reforesting approximately 5,200 acres throughout Michoacán since 2011⁶. 
• Establishing agricultural and environmental limits to make sure new avocado harvesting areas don't negatively impact biodiversity, in partnership with the government of Michoacán.

Responsible Agricultural Stewards
Part of the Mexican avocado industry's commitment to being good environmental stewards is making sure that their farming practices support sustainability. This means considering environmental impact at every part of the avocado journey, including the agrochemicals used, and water use. The Mexican Avocado industry is further minimizing its environmental footprint through initiatives like: 

• Exclusively using agrochemicals that are plant and flower friendly and only applying them during the times of day when bees and other pollinators aren't active.
• Relying on rainfall and natural, seasonal irrigation for approximately 61% of the avocado orchards in Michoacán. Another 36% utilize sustainable, high-tech irrigation such as drip irrigation and micro-sprinkling. Together that means up to 97% of avocado orchards in the region depend primarily on sustainable irrigation practices⁷.

To learn more about the Avocado Institute, visit https://avocadoinstitute.org.

About The Avocado Institute 
The Avocado Institute was created by the parent organizations of AFM, the Association of Avocado Exporting Producers and Packers of Mexico (APEAM) and Mexican Hass Avocado Importers Association (MHAIA) and is the one-stop digital resource provides a deep dive into all facets of the Mexican avocado industry.

¹"The Mexican Avocado Industry's Commitment to Sustainability," Avocado Institute of Mexico, https://avocadoinstitute.org/newsroom/the-mexican-avocado-industrys-commitment-to-sustainability/. Accessed 24 Mar. 2023. 
² Pulido, JAL, et al., Honey-Guacamole: Evaluation of the environmental service of pollination in avocado production in Michoacán, Mexico. University Act. 2021 Jun; 31
³ APEAM, Dr. Hamilton Gomes
⁴ APEAM, Dr. Hamilton Gomes
⁵"Mejores bosques, mejores aguacates," APEAM, https://aguacatesparasiempre.com/post-destacado/mejores-bosques-mejores-aguacates/. Accessed 24 Mar. 2023. 
⁶ Acciones de la APEAM A.C. para el ODS 15 "Vida en los Ecosistemas Terrestres," APEAM, https://aguacatesparasiempre.com/avodatos/acciones-de-la-apeam-a-c-para-el-ods-15-vida-en-los-ecosistemas-terrestres/. Accessed 24 Mar. 2023.
⁷"Green Agenda: Sustainable Avocado Production in Mexico," Avocado Institute of Mexico, https://avocadoinstitute.org/the-green-agenda-a-cycle-of-sustainability/. Accessed 24 Mar. 2023. 

Media Contact:
Ana Ambrosi
[email protected] 

SOURCE Avocado Institute

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