#SustyTalk: Danone’s Yann-Gael Rio on scaling regenerative agriculture

With edie readers working remotely or on furlough, this series of video interviews has been running since spring 2020, keeping you connected to the inspirational business leaders who are continuing to drive sustainability and champion climate action from their own homes.

#SustyTalk is all about keeping edie’s loyal readers connected to sustainable business leaders across the world, whilst reminding us all that sustainability and climate action must go on through the current Covid-19 pandemic and beyond. 

The latest episode sees edie’s senior reporter Sarah George speaking with Danone’s vice-president for agriculture procurement and sustainability, Yann-Gael Rio.

Rio outlines how a context-based approach can help farmers adopt methods that reduce their environmental footprint and help restore soil and nature, with different kinds of support needed for farmers in different locations and producing different crops. He also provides rebuttals to some common myths around regenerative agriculture, exploring how it can deliver benefits for people and planet against the backdrop of megatrends like global temperature increase, changing weather systems and population growth. Danone is notably striving to achieve 100% sourcing from farms using regenerative agriculture. According to its latest annual sustainability report, that portion currently stands around 12%.  

Previous edie #SustyTalks with Danone have featured vice-president for nature and water cycle Eric Soubeiran and UK & Ireland social impact & sustainability manager Rebecca Lovelady.