DEFORESTATION AND CLIMATE ACTION

WACOT assists in combating climate change by adopting climate-smart agricultural practices, channeled towards the enhancement of the soil structure such as planting cover crops, crop rotation, mulching, water infiltration and retention to improve soil fertility for better crop production as well as training farmers to adopt the same. We also have a policy on deforestation and combating forest-related risks. We organise training on afforestation and are committed to a no-deforestation policy and to conserving high carbon stock (HCS) forests. The Sustainability team defines what constitutes HCS forests and establishes HCS methodologies and thresholds that take into account regional socio-economic factors. Our operations are located in areas that have been degraded with a relatively low biodiversity value. Every one of our operations is established based on the concession granted by the government and we consider areas that would require protection. In our farms, certain areas are set aside to conserve protected and endangered species. These areas include critical habitats, legally protected areas, natural habitats with high levels of organic carbon including peatlands of any depth and areas of high cultural significance to the local community.