We believe that the solutions to some of the world’s biggest development challenges can be found in some its smallest places. Tiny, potentially problem-solving technologies can be found all around us in symbiosis with each other. Where? In the natural world. 

In the eighth episode of the Natural Plant Protection (NPP) – Podcast, we understand how the power of micro can help more cocoa grow on less land using BANZAI, a bespoke biosolution developed exclusively for use with cocoa crops in West Africa. BANZAI is helping improve the environmental and economic resilience of cocoa communities by supporting new opportunities to farmers.  

Host Dan Sanchez is joined by Hubert Ehouman, Cocoa Lead for UPL’s work across West and Central Africa. With Ghana, Cameroon, Nigeria, and Ivory Coast accounting for 75% of the world’s cocoa production, the need to farm sustainably and with respect for the environment is clashing with the demands of the global cocoa market. Listen to the podcast to find out exactly how UPL is solving this unique challenge! 

To learn more about NPP, visit: www.npp.ag/ 

Series overview:

The UPL Reimagining Sustainability podcast series focuses on the possibilities for climate-positive sustainable agriculture. Through the insight and experience of UPL, farmers on the ground and international stakeholders, we discuss how agriculture is the one industry with the ability to make a truly positive impact on sustainability for the environment, the global food chain and local communities.

About

What do football and farming have in common? It’s more than fields, it’s a commitment and responsibility to sustainability. Amid the FIFA World Cup 2022, we discuss about the partnership between UPL and FIFA – and what it means for Reimagining Sustainability in agriculture. Hear from FIFA’s head of sustainability, Federico Addiechi, and UPL’s Global CEO, Jai Shroff, as they discuss the global sustainability transformations they’re working towards.

Guests

• Federico Addiechi, Head of Sustainability, FIFA 

Federico Addiechi is responsible for sustainability and diversity at FIFA and reports to the Secretary General. At FIFA, he has initiated and implemented programmes to address sustainability issues such as climate protection, waste management, and green stadiums, through measures such as integrating sustainability standards, policies, and reporting frameworks into FIFA’s management system. 

• Jai Shroff, Global CEO, UPL

Jai Shroff is the Group CEO of UPL Limited. He is a well-recognised global leader in the Chemical & Agri-Inputs industry with over 30 years experience in India and internationally. At UPL, Jai has transformed the company into a truly global organisation, providing smart, affordable and sustainable inputs to the global farming community, with a strong focus on innovation, research and excellence - positioning agriculture to Reimagine Sustainability.

Show notes

• FIFA – FIFA President leads Green Card call for sustainable action
• UPL – Advancing agriculture for a sustainable world
• Inside World Football - FIFA grows World Cup 2022 sponsors with UPL deal
• European Seed - UPL Launches ‘Gigaton Carbon Goal’ In Europe
• Krishak Jagat - UPL partners with FIFA for the U-17 Women’s World Cup in India

Series overview:

The UPL Reimagining Sustainability podcast series focuses on the possibilities for climate-positive, sustainable agriculture. Through the insight and experience of UPL, farmers on the ground, and international stakeholders, we discuss how agriculture is the one industry with the ability to make a truly positive impact on sustainability for the environment, the global food chain and local communities.

Episode 2: Hero Farmers

About

Farmers are the heroes the world needs today. They’re working to protect the environment, feed a growing global population, and nurture their own families and communities. We hear from two farmers from South America about incorporating sustainable agricultural practices and the benefit to them, their communities and our planet.

Guests:

Siany Villalobos, GRUPO VISA, Costa Rica, runs a family-owned business that has been growing pineapples, cassava, and rambutan for 33 years, exporting to 23 countries around the world. She is active in her community to ensure that people and the planet are cared for. 

Eduardo Holzapfel, Copefrut SA, Chile, and his team grows cherries, apples, kiwis, blueberries and plums to ensure high quality, high standards, and low environmental impact. Their fruit is exported to 85 countries around the world.

Show notes

•  UPL – Farmers: The heroes we need for a sustainable future
•  United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation (UNFAO) - Small family farmers produce a third of the world’s food
•  The World Bank – Climate Smart Agriculture
•  World Wildlife Fund – Sustainable Agriculture

Series overview:
The UPL Reimagining Sustainability podcast series focuses on the possibilities for climate-positive, sustainable agriculture. We share our experience, talk to farmers on the ground, and collaborate with international stakeholders to discuss how agriculture can make a truly positive impact on the global food chain, local communities and the environment.
Episode 1: Introducing Reimagining Sustainability

About
Agriculture can become a climate-positive industry, making a positive, real-world impact on global sustainability efforts. UPL’s Chief Strategy Officer Toshan Tamhane discusses the meaning behind ‘Reimagining Sustainability’ in agriculture. He outlines how challenges can be overcome, farmers empowered, and meaningful real-world impact achieved.

Guest
Toshan Tamhane, Chief Strategy Officer at UPL, is responsible for driving new business building, digital & analytics initiatives, M&A and proprietary investments. He is leading efforts to launch businesses in sustainability & food systems, initiating partnerships with agri start-ups and driving the analytics/digital transformation agenda. Toshan was also selected as one of India’s ‘40 under 40 leaders’ by the Economic Times.

Show notes
• PNAS - Temperature increase reduces global yields of major crops in four independent estimates
• United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (UN IPCC) - Food Security and Food Production Systems
• UN IPCC – Climate Change and Land
• Climate Change Post - Drought and heatwave crop losses in Europe tripled over the last five decades

We believe that the solutions to some of the world’s biggest development challenges can be found in some its smallest places. Tiny, potentially problem-solving technologies can be found all around us in symbiosis with each other. Where? In the natural world. 

In the seventh episode of the Natural Plant Protection (NPP) – Podcast, we’re matching a technology with a pest, and looking at the massive impact that one of nature’s most destructive creatures is having on crop health and food security across Africa. The Fall Armyworm is a very hungry caterpillar, and accounts for as much as 21 million metric tonnes of maize losses every year, affecting up to 101 million people.

Host Dan Sanchez is joined by Shanni Srivastava, Head of East Africa and Middle East, UPL. Shanni is playing a key role across Africa to protect crops and farmers from the devastating impact from the fall armyworm using some of the most revolutionary technology available. 

To learn more about NPP, visit: https://www.npp-ag.com/

In our latest UPL Insights episode, we hear from the creators behind UPL’s latest revolutionary product: Triskele. 

 Triskele is India’s first triple-mix herbicide, offering vital protection for sugarcane growers across India and beyond. Sugarcanes cover nearly 5 million hectares of India, making fast and safe herbicides essential for increasing grower resilience and a thriving harvest. Sugarcane farmers face 25-50% yield loss due to improper weed management every year, and Triskele aims to minimise these losses through its innovative 3-way combination.

 In this episode of UPL Insights, we will be speaking to Ganesh Rao, a key scientist behind the creation of Triskele, and will speak on the conceptualization behind the product, Anupam Satpathy, the Global Portfolio Manager for Herbicides responsible for managing one of the largest product portfolios with UPL, and Pramod Tiwari, Head of Field Marketing for India. Our speakers highlight the journey since 2014 to bring Triskele to market in India, and the work that remains to be done across the planet to ensure that as many growers are protected. 

Ensuring food security is a critical concern both today and for future generations. In Africa, despite widespread agriculture, communities are vulnerable and at risk of starvation due to pests, disease, and environmental conditions damaging harvests. Today – on #WorldFoodSafetyDay2022 – we’re shining a light on Aflatoxin, the ‘silent killer’ threatening people and plants across Africa, and Aflasafe®, the technology developed by @IITA to fight it. 

Aflasafe® exists as the first all-natural crop protection product designed to combat aflatoxins and reduces levels of aflatoxins found in maize, groundnuts and sorghum by 80% to 100%. It forms a key part of UPL’s input package for maize in Ghana and Mali, helping growers keep their crops and those they feed healthy, with added benefits for the environment too.  

In this episode of UPL Insights, our Head of Partnerships for Sustainability in West & Central Africa Florent Clair speaks with Dr. Jane Kamau, Commercialisation & Agribusiness Manager at IITA, and Titilayo Falade PhD, Associate Scientist at IITA to examine Aflatoxin’s serious threat to food safety and discuss how we’re working together as part of our OpenAg purpose to harness this natural technology to improve both crop and human health.

In our latest UPL Insights podcast, we are delving deep into the field of one of the most important food crops in the world: maize

Maize has become the second most-produced crop globally and is a staple food for an estimated 50% of the population in Sub-Saharan Africa. Its significance across the African continent will continue to grow with demand for maize predicted to triple by 2050, including in Sierra Leone where the population growth rate is one of the highest in the world. Yet, despite having climatic conditions conducive to maize cultivation, Sierra Leone is heavily dependent on maize imports to satisfy local needs.

In order to close this yield gap, UPL partnered with Social Business Development (SBD) to launch a pilot project which aims to eliminate the country’s import reliance and foster a thriving maize sector that meets the needs of millions of people in Sierra Leone.

Whether you’re an industry professional or just looking to learn more about the maize in your pantry, join our host Florent Clair as he speaks with Peter Kargbo, Sierra Leone Country Farm Manager, SBD, and Abdoulaye Kabore, Rice Development Manager for UPL West & Central Africa, about our work with SBD to strengthen the maize value chain and ensure national food security and self-reliance. 

And you can catch up with all of our episodes here: https://bit.ly/3gfkH8U