Updates and Announcements

Learning from Aconcagua, Chile, brought to scale

Between 4 and 11 July, the WAVE Partnership held a series of in-person workshops and events in the Aconcagua Valley in Chile, kicking off its three-year strategy for bringing the catchment back into balance.

The NewForesight team, led by Joost Backer and Susanna Kluiver, together with Greenticket, Partners for Water, the Netherlands embassy in Chile, and Nature’s Pride, convened key actors – farmers, buyers, and government representatives – to help advance the Partnership’s goal of bringing the catchment back into balance. Between 4th and 11th July, the WAVE Partnership held a series of in-person events in Chile to kick off the next three years.

Exploring how collective action can drive sustainable production practices worldwide.

Water scarcity and biodiversity loss pose significant threats to global agricultural supply chains. In Chile’s Aconcagua Catchment, increasing water stress and climate change are endangering the future of fruit production. Tackling these challenges requires a collective action approach, bringing together farmers, buyers, governments, and international stakeholders to implement scalable solutions. This approach serves as a case-study in a webinar that took place on April 22, 2025.

Creating an efficient, fair and sustainable value chain is a challenge for many sectors, including the fruits and vegetables sector.

For Nature’s Pride and its sister company Berries Pride, responsible water use is of critical strategic importance to their business and the future of the sector. Therefore, they are making it a priority in their work. Coen van Iwaarden, Senior Advisor on Sustainable Business at Nature’s Pride, explores the work of both companies by explaining how they address water challenges in collaboration with their dedicated growers and clients.

No food can be produced without fresh water.

Given that our fresh water supply is diminishing, we need to carefully manage our scarce supply in order to achieve a future where nobody goes to bed hungry.

European countries import fruits and vegetables from countries such as Chile and Peru where water availability is a concern. ‘As a result, we are basically extending our water demand overseas’, says Simon. ‘This means that efficient water usage over there is also a responsibility for us over here. That is why we support collaborative processes that aim to improve production value chains in countries like Chile and Peru.’