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Environmental Policy

Policy 1

PURPOSE

Imperial Child Rights and Women Empowerment is committed to improving the environmental and social (“E&S”) performance wherever possible. ICRAWE views sustainability as a means to contribute to social, environmental and economic progress. ICRAWE seek to help producers manage their farms using sustainable practices to optimise their productivity so that they continue to see farming as a viable and worthwhile livelihood, and manage agricultural resources responsibly to help assure that future generations can meet their own resource needs. ICRAWE acknowledges that if the climate and health of our environment are not catered for, the future of agriculture would be in jeopardy. By having ambitious environmental standards in place, we can promote the sustainable management of environmental resources and boost resilience to climate change.

2. REFORESTATION/DEFORESTATION ACTIVITIES ICRAWE recognises that deforestation is one of the biggest causes of global warming; agriculture, forestry and other land-usage. ICRAWE is committed to the Science Based Targets Initiative (SBTi) to reach net-zero emissions by 2050. Land use change accounts for a significant portion of our overall greenhouse gas emissions. Committing to eliminating deforestation across our working communities and regions, is aligned with our net-zero goals. ICRAWE is therefore committed to achieve zero deforestation in its chain. It is our policy to support farmers in adopting climate-friendly practices through the implementation of replanting and rehabilitation projects, agroforestry models, and training on Good Environmental Practices (GEP) and Climate-Smart Agriculture.

Policy 2

ICRAWE is focusing on: ICRAWE is focusing on:
(i) promoting agroforestry systems;
(ii) increasing productivity to avoid the need for further encroachment;
(iii) interacting at a community level to raise awareness on climate change;
(iv) presenting potential landscape approaches to avoid deforestation;
(v) partnering with both local and foreign NGOs, government institutions to eliminate farming in protected areas; and
(vi) remediating cases linked with deforestation.
ICRAWE is also committed to forest restoration and will work with our partners to develop initiatives to regenerate degraded forests, as well as exploring technologies and incentive programs to promote reforestation.

3. AGROFORESTRY ACTIVITIES
ICRAWE recognises that agroforestry is key to restoring degraded lands and strengthening the resilience of farming regions. ICRAWE is committed to supporting the promotion, conservation and renewal of different perennials in addition to the primary commodity on farms. ICRAWE also recognises that successful agroforestry approaches have to be developed using the bottom to top approach based on the economic and environmental benefits relevant to the landscape of the farmers.
ICRAWE supports the increased promotion of mixed agroforestry systems that meet farmers’ functional needs and generate diversified income and food for farmers, as well as providing significant ecosystem benefits to the landscape by increasing resilience to climate change and productivity of growing regions.
(i) promoting agroforestry systems;
(ii) increasing productivity to avoid the need for further encroachment;
(iii) interacting at a community level to raise awareness on climate change;
(iv) presenting potential landscape approaches to avoid deforestation;
(v) partnering with both local and foreign NGOs, government institutions to eliminate farming in protected areas; and
(vi) remediating cases linked with deforestation.
ICRAWE is also committed to forest restoration and will work with our partners to develop initiatives to regenerate degraded forests, as well as exploring technologies and incentive programs to promote reforestation.

3. AGROFORESTRY ACTIVITIES ICRAWE recognises that agroforestry is key to restoring degraded lands and strengthening the resilience of farming regions. ICRAWE is committed to supporting the promotion, conservation and renewal of different perennials in addition to the primary commodity on farms. ICRAWE also recognises that successful agroforestry approaches have to be developed using the bottom to top approach based on the economic and environmental benefits relevant to the landscape of the farmers.
ICRAWE supports the increased promotion of mixed agroforestry systems that meet farmers’ functional needs and generate diversified income and food for farmers, as well as providing significant ecosystem benefits to the landscape by increasing resilience to climate change and productivity of growing regions.

Policy 3

(i) monitor waste production to maximise recycling of its process waste and ensuring proper storage and disposal of hazardous and non-hazardous waste;
(ii) make use of natural resources as efficiently as possible, this being an important cornerstone of our environmental policy;
(iii) continue promoting the effective use of resources through ongoing monitoring and training;
(iv) support producers to improve environmental and natural resource management at farm level;
(v) work with producers to improve agricultural and post-harvest practices to limit problems related to pesticides and deforestation.

5. CHEMICAL USE
ICRAWE is committed to avoiding, and when avoiding is not feasible, minimising the release of pollutants and the generation of hazardous waste materials, and ICRAWE strives to use the lowest amount of fumigants or pesticides in all of our operations. ICRAWE strives to use the lowest amount of fumigants or pesticides in all of its operations, complying fully with local regulations. ICRAWE advocates for the use of personal protective equipment (PPE) and its use is mandatory for all employees handling chemicals and pesticides in the case of synthetic pesticides and fertilizers. The proper storage and disposal of chemicals is promoted and/or facilitated to ensure the health and safety of employees, farmers and their families.
Through ICRAWE’s sustainability teams, on-farm integral pest management strategies are promoted as part of the good agricultural practices training schemes. Further training includes covering the risk of exposure to pesticides for children and adults, the safe storage of chemicals and the necessary use of PPE. Individualised training is also provided as requested when inputs are sold, and access to follow up support is provided.

6. PEST MANAGEMENT ICRAWE has set up a targeted Integrated Pest Management program to control the ingress of pests into storage areas and limit the use of harmful fumigants and pesticides in the environment by using a range of integrated pest control strategies.