The Path to Sustainability: Mexican Avocado Industry’s Commitment

The Mexican avocado industry, represented by MHAIA and APEAM, is united to introduce “The Path to Sustainability,” a strategic initiative aimed at enhancing environmental stewardship in the Avocado Landscape in Mexico. For generations, Mexican avocado growers and packers have contributed to safeguarding the natural environment, laying the foundation for ongoing sustainability efforts with a lasting impact.

With a new strategic vision, the Path to Sustainability, will guide the industry’s ambition and commitment to sustainability and quality, from the orchards in Mexico to the consumers’ tables, while achieving net-zero deforestation, well-being and prosperity in the Avocado Landscape in Mexico. The industry’s new strategic plan consolidates and expands these efforts, ensuring a comprehensive approach to sustainability.

Our Sustainability Strategy: The Path to Sustainability We have developed a comprehensive sustainability strategy, focusing on five interdependent programs:

1. Corporate Governance for Sustainability: Developing a pervasive culture among industry stakeholders, aligned with our goals and creating a robust organizational infrastructure.
2. Sustainable Orchards: Enhancing sustainability from orchard to table through integrated practices.
3. Sustainable Packing Houses: Implementing environmentally friendly measures in packing processes.
4. Sustainable Distribution and Marketing: Ensuring sustainability in every aspect of product distribution and marketing.
5. Restoration of Biodiversity, Forests, and Watersheds: Dedicated to conserving and revitalizing the natural environments where avocados are grown.

Commitments in Priority Areas

Our focus is on the interrelation between Aqua/Water, Biodiversity, Climate, and Deforestation to ensure a sustainable future for avocados:

Aqua/Water: We will protect the availability and quality of water in the Avocado Landscape for future generations.

• By 2026, we will strengthen our water stewardship by promoting and facilitating a sustainable water resource management program throughout the supply chain.
• Over 60% of orchards rely on natural irrigation, with 35% using advanced methods like drip irrigation and microsprinkling.

Biodiversity: Our goal is to protect, conserve and restore diverse plant and animal life and healthy ecosystems in the Avocado Landscape of Mexico.

• This year, the industry will introduce a strategy and action plan to conserve biodiversity and ecological connectivity, protecting and restoring local ecosystems within the Avocado Landscape.

Climate: The industry is committed to supporting a resilient future through environmental stewardship in the Avocado Landscape.

• The Mexican avocado industry aims to reduce impacts on the environment and enhance carbon sequestration, paving the way for net-zero carbon footprint throughout the avocado supply chain by 2035.

Deforestation: We are dedicated to protecting, managing, conserving and restoring forests in the Avocado Landscape to achieve net-zero deforestation.

• Achieving net-zero deforestation by 2035 through collaboration with governmental authorities.
• The Avocado Landscape Restoration and Reforestation Project has planted more than 3.6 million pine trees in the Avocado Landscape, underscoring a strong commitment to forest conservation.

Our commitment is not new; it builds on the efforts of Mexican avocado growers and packers who have been stewards of natural resources for generations. This new framework, with a strategic vision and backed by clear actions, formalizes our ongoing sustainability journey. We emphasize collaboration and transparency, sharing progress through bi-annual sustainability reports.

The Path to Sustainability is both a roadmap and vision for the future, reaffirming our dedication to the environment, our consumers, partners and the avocado-growing communities.