Strengthening knowledge and capabilities around regenerative agriculture will be at the center of a new multi-year Executive Training and Certification Program launched by Nestlé Pakistan, LUMS Rausing Executive Development Centre (REDC) and the Syed Babar Ali Foundation.
Titled Regenerative Agriculture: Leading the Nestlé Way, the program aims to develop regenerative agriculture leadership in Pakistan and contribute towards resilient food systems, environmental stewardship and agricultural prosperity.
Through two cohorts every year, participants will develop an understanding of regenerative agriculture encompassing soil health, water stewardship, crop nutrition, energy efficiency, emissions reduction and farm economics. The initiative will also encourage innovation and agripreneurship, including the use of precision irrigation techniques.
Jason Avanceña, CEO and Managing Director, Nestlé Pakistan, said: “This program is an opportunity to build shared understanding and develop a network of informed advocates who can champion regenerative agriculture and keep Pakistan competitive with other leading agricultural economies around the world. For Nestlé, it is ultimately about creating shared value across our agricultural value chain.”
Commenting on the initiative, Syed Babar Ali said: “I have always believed that the true value of education lies in what we are able to pass on to the generations that follow us. Agriculture remains central to the country, and the challenges facing it require us to equip a new generation of leaders.”
According to Dr. Tariq M. Jadoon, Provost at LUMS: “This program has been designed to move beyond theory by bringing together scientific understanding, business considerations and field exposure. Through areas such as soil health, water stewardship, climate resilience and farm economics, participants will be able to examine regenerative agriculture as an interconnected system and consider how these principles can be applied and scaled in Pakistan.”
The program will run yearly, with two cohorts planned annually and 25 participants in each session. The duration of the program will be four-day comprising three days of classroom learning at REDC, LUMS, with one day of field-based learning.
Nestlé Pakistan is already advancing regenerative agriculture across its agricultural value chain, with around 150 farmers benefiting from interventions covering approximately 9,330 acres. The company is supporting farmers in adopting practices and technologies focused on soil health, water efficiency and climate resilience. Nestlé aims to source 50% of its key ingredients from farmers adopting regenerative agriculture practices by 2030, as part of its efforts to advance regenerative food systems and its ambition to achieve net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.
