Deloitte Digital plants a food forest has been saved
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Deloitte Digital plants a food forest
How raising biodiversity, storing carbon and creating healthy soil can be used in order to cultivate sustainable food.
How can you produce food in a sustainable way? With that mindset Deloitte Digital set out to the fields of the Noordoostpolder. In the midst of miles of farmland we aim to increase biodiversity, store carbon and produce food at the same time. For each team member, we will plant at least one tree to contribute to this initiative.
One trillion trees
During the World Economic Forum, the 1st org initiative set the audacious goal of planting a trillion trees by 2030 in order to slow down rising global. To contribute to this amazing initiative, Deloitte Digital and Salesforce partner colleagues stepped out of their offices and into the Dutch polder to plant many trees together. Deforestation for agricultural means is a problem leading to a loss of biodiversity and climate change. Problematically, we need the food that comes from these farmlands, but maybe it is just the way we cultivate our food that is the problem we need to solve.
Food Forest Zonnegoed
A farm that grows food biodynamic food, and actually benefits the climate. That is the vision of Joost van Strien, owner of Zonnegoed. Circular agriculture, a process in which nutrients are returned to the soil, mechanical equipment is not used and the soil becomes overall healthier as a result. For the past 25 years, Joost has been a frontrunner in biological agriculture. The food forest will be a part of the farm, growing many nutritional plants for food such as fruits and nuts. The large amount of carbon stored and different types of trees used contribute to one of the greatest goals: the surrounding area gets a literal breath of fresh air.
Future of agriculture
A food forest might be the best way to produce food without harming the environment. Covering an area of around 8 soccer fields, this forest will not only be home to various trees, plants and flowers, but also to insects, birds and small mammals. The sole role humans have in this forest is to harvest from time to time, and nothing else. The forest is circular, sustaining itself, growing the food without the need of a farmer. Only when the forest is grown, the soil is full of carbon and the trees full of fruit and nuts do humans have to pluck the fruits.
Sustainable Deloitte
At Deloitte, we put emphasis on the sustainable aspect of food. With initiatives like this one we explore the different ways we can work towards to future of food. We do this together with clients who really want to make a difference, like Joost and his lifelong endeavor towards a sustainable farm. We support our partner Salesforce and their goal of planting 100 million trees this decade as part of the one trillion trees initiative. We look at new and innovative perspectives on the future of food, such as our true price coffee bar.
