24th January 2024
New grants have been awarded to seven projects through the Bonsucro Impact Fund. These projects address some of the most critical issues facing the sugarcane sector. These projects have been selected through a competitive application process under three calls for proposals focused on: climate change adaptation, water stewardship, and human rights and decent work.
Sugarcane farmer at Valdez Ecuador
The successful projects are:
Climate adaptation
- Building climate-resilient sugarcane agriculture: Empowering smallholder farmers in Pakistan’s challenging soil conditions. SW Sugar Mills, Pakistan – innovation grant
- GeRa Cana: Management and traceability of sugarcane production to rural producers. Solidaridad, Brazil – innovation grant
Water stewardship
- Sowing water, harvesting life. Ingenio San Antonio, Nicaragua – innovation grant
- Water for the future: Promoting the sustainable management of water resources in the Ecuadorian sugar industry. The case of Compañía Azucarera Valdez and its chain of small suppliers. Valdez, Ecuador – innovation grant
- Protecting biodiversity and water resources with ecological corridors. Manuelita S.A., Colombia – impact grant
Human rights and decent work
- Driving decent work and safer working conditions for sugarcane farmers in Eswatini through technology. The Coca-Cola Company, Eswatini – innovation grant
- Protecting workers in a changing climate in Diageo’s rum supply chain. Diageo, Barbados and Dominican Republic – impact grant
These projects reflect the spirit of the Bonsucro Impact Fund through their commitment to collective action, and feature a diverse consortia of actors across the sugarcane supply chain. The involvement of partners across the supply chain will bolster the implementation of these approaches.
See what grantees had to say about being selected:
The new grants reflect how the Bonsucro Impact Fund and Bonsucro’s network is evolving. This round of funding supports initiatives in regions where our footprint is relatively small, for example in Eswatini. It also enables us to back projects focused on sugarcane derivatives like molasses and the rum value chain, as well as strengthening partnerships with our members. We are excited to see how this extended reach can translate into collective impact over the coming years.
All projects went through a competitive two stage process and were selected by the Project Selection Committee – made up of an independent expert Chair, three representatives from the Members’ Council and two Bonsucro secretariat staff. Some of the grantees have expressed their pride at being awarded a grant under the Impact Fund.
Sugar cane workers getting heart rate monitors, working in the fields and taking their rest, as part of the Adelante Project, at the Ingenio San Antonio, or San Antonio Sugar Mill, in Chichigalpa, Nicaragua in February 2020. Credit: Ed Kashi/VII
The Bonsucro Impact Fund awards grants using income from the sale of Bonsucro Credits. All trades are charged a transaction fee, around 50% of which is invested into the Fund which is designed to support members and their partners to progress key areas of strategic importance to Bonsucro and the production of sustainable sugarcane. We have noted in recent months that trades made on the CTP have diversified including trades of ethanol and molasses which in turn is enabling the BIF to support impact projects.
“The Bonsucro Impact Fund and the projects we support have been generating a lot of interest since its launch in 2022. The breadth and variety of the projects we are supporting reflects the innovative nature and strength of the Bonsucro network.
Our aim is to support our grantees to learn and share with each other and our wider network, whilst tackling challenges in the sugarcane sector.”
Sophie O’Loghlen-Vidot, Impact Funding Manager
We will regularly share news from the projects supported by the BIF, so keep an eye on our news page and our social media channels.
For any further information about the Bonsucro Impact Fund, please contact Sophie O’Loghlen-Vidot, our Impact Funding Manager on fund@bonsucro.com.
