Collaborating researchers
Collaborative working between researchers and the supply chain has led to considerable benefits.
Linking Environment and Farming
Waitrose and LEAF working together over the years to deliver more sustainable food and farming.
Waitrose Farm Assessment
The Waitrose Farm Assessment is an initiative started in 2011 to survey all our fresh produce farms.
The Agronomy Group
The Waitrose Agronomy Group is a collaboration of suppliers, Waitrose and academia.
Waste
We estimate that 30% of food production does not reach a human stomach. We are trying to stop that.
The Waitrose Agronomy Group acts as a link between the Agri-science community and players in the UK food supply chain, communicating research requirements based on, among other things, the data from the Waitrose Farm Assessment. We believe this is an accurate and powerful way of responding to growers’ needs.In addition, novel research developments in the broad area of sustainable agriculture are communicated to the supply chain through the website and through Waitrose Innovation Conferences organised on a regular basis. Conferences and our on-line dissemination infrastructure ensure that new research (our own and that undertaken by groups around the world) is given the best possible exposure within the supply chain.To deliver increased sustainability, neither the supply chain or the research community working in isolation can maximise impact and our approach to R and D is therefore designed to maximise interaction with all those who can have a positive impact in this area.The majority of our research is focussed under ‘five pillars’ defined by the Waitrose Agronomy Group Research Strategy:
- Soils
- Water
- Biodiversity
- Inputs
- Waste
The ultimate goal is to produce more good quality food, with the highest level of integrity and the lightest environmental farm footprint.