Jacobs Farm del Cabo is making significant progress in its ClimateLab™ efforts, a program focused on building a more inclusive, climate-resilient food system.
“We are focused on helping farmers adapt to existing climate impacts, mitigate our contributions to them and replicate and accelerate the practices that preserve farm productivity and strengthen food system resilience,” says Aaron Brookes, director of sales and marketing.
The first cohort of 60 farms participating in the ClimateLab™ represents up to 1,400 workers and 3,750 acres (1,520 hectares) of land spread across five climate zones in the Baja California peninsula.
The first cohort of 60 farms participating in the program represents up to 1,400 workers and 3,750 acres (1,520 hectares) of land.
The work is focused in the following areas:
- Climate Resilient Soils: More than half of the farms participating in The ClimateLab™ believe their soil quality has degraded in the last 10 years. Through mapping soil types, the team identifies proven solutions to improve their farmers’ ability to sequester carbon, retain nutrients and regenerate the land.
- Climate Risk Alerts: Reliable forecasts for impending high temperatures, hurricanes and flood warnings, as well as guidance on disaster reduction measures, are on the priority list for participating farms. The ClimateLab™ team established a WhatsApp communication channel that serves as an early warning system where all farms are sent disaster risk alerts, as well as recommended practices to proactively protect people, crops and infrastructure.
- Gender Inclusion and Equity: In 85 percent of participating farms, women make up 50 to 90 percent of the workforce. Our initiatives are women-led and focus on inclusion in strategic decision making, maternal and child health, as well as awareness of gender inequities that have historically left women disproportionately vulnerable to the impacts of climate change and how to evolve practices through a gender lens.
- Plastic Waste Reduction: The recent swap from plastic clamshells to Jacobs Farm del Cabo’s new paperboard pack has already reduced the company’s plastic waste by more than half a million pounds this year. Beyond packaging, plastic alternatives for weed reduction are being used and tested, including paper mulch on herb rows, as well as flaming and steaming processes that organically rid rows of seedlings by exposing them to high heat.
The initiatives also focus on awareness of gender inequities.
The program's focus has been in northern Baja, and the goal is to see successful practices implemented across Mexico and California operations. The company will establish areas of focus and a work plan for Northern California farms by early 2022.
“For more than three decades we have supported farmers with sound organic farming practices, food safety resources, capital for establishing crops and experienced agronomists. The magnitude and velocity of climate events has renewed our call to action,” says Brookes.
For more information:
Aaron Brookes
Jacobs Farm/Del Cabo
Tel: +1 (831) 460-3500
aaron.brookes@delcabo.com
www.jacobsfarmdelcabo.com
www.jacobsfarmdelcabo.com/climate-lab