PepsiCo UK to Halve Farming Water Use

PepsiCo UK and Ireland will start a web-based crop-management system (i-crop) to reduce water use and carbon emissions from the farming of its core crops by 50% over the next five years.

The company is also conducting trials of low-carbon fertilisers and plans to replace 75% of its current potato stock with varieties that will improve farmers’ yields and decrease waste by 2015.

PepsiCo is the largest buyer of British potatoes, oats and apples.

i-crop has been implemented at 22 farms in the UK and will be rolled out to Europe in 2011.

The company is considering implementing the new system in India, China, Mexico and Australia by 2012.