PepsiCo launches bold initiative to assist with major issue for farmers: 'The starting point of everything we do'

PepsiCo India is launching specialized soil testing centers to help address some of the agricultural challenges that Indian farmers are experiencing.

Unpredictable rainfall patterns and poor-quality seeds are some of the mounting agricultural challenges in the country that beckon rising food costs and national food insecurity. 

The testing centers are being launched in some of India's top agricultural states — Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, and West Bengal — per AgroSpectrum India.  

The facilities will provide farmers with essential soil health parameters. This includes nutrient composition and pH levels, empowering farmers to make informed decisions to better care for their soil and land.

No longer will farmers have to wait a whole growing season to learn that their soil health was not in viable conditions to support healthy, growing crops. 

Improving soil health will ultimately lead to healthier crops and an increased crop yield, leading to greater national food security. 

This soil testing initiative is part of PepsiCo's commitment to regenerative agriculture and environmental stewardship. 

According to its website, PepsiCo sources "more than 35 agricultural crops and ingredients," including corn and potatoes, to make its snacks and beverages, such as Lay's potato chips. Taking care of the land and soil will allow the land to better care for us.

PepsiCo is also working closely with farmers in Jaén, Spain, to provide regenerative agricultural tools and training to shift olive farming to more sustainable farming methods. 

While these initiatives are steps in the right direction toward a more sustainable planet and future, PepsiCo and similar large corporations still have a long way to go in correcting their missteps. 

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As recently as April, PepsiCo was hit with a lawsuit for false and deceptive marketing after it falsely claimed that the packaging for Aquafina bottles does not contain Bisphenol-A (BPA), a chemical used in plastic manufacturing that has been linked to infertility, obesity, heart disease, and type 2 diabetes. 

Still, these soil testing centers will be vital in improving the agricultural outcomes for Indian farmers and increasing food security for the country. 

"Soil is the starting point of everything we do in agriculture, and understanding it well is key to growing quality crops sustainably," said Anukool Joshi, director of agriculture for PepsiCo India, per AgroSpectrum India.

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