PURCHASE, N.Y., March 23, 2022 – The PepsiCo Foundation, the philanthropic arm of PepsiCo, and CARE, a global poverty-fighting organization, are expanding the She Feeds the World program after seeing remarkable results beyond what the effort originally imagined in early markets. The $18.2 million partnership funded by the PepsiCo Foundation is CARE’s global framework to improve food security and nutrition of rural households, with a strong emphasis on women small-scale producers. It works directly with women to build their skills in sustainable agriculture practices, market engagement, gender equality, and food and nutrition security, and will expand to Sub-Saharan Africa, Thailand, Vietnam, Turkey, and Colombia in 2022.
With the worldwide program, approximately five million female farmers and their families will receive the training, materials, and support necessary to grow their farming businesses. Recognizing that hunger is a global issue that needs to be solved at the local level, PepsiCo works with community organizations on the ground to provide tailored support and resources necessary for the unique situations of each community.
The investment in agriculture equity is part of a broader effort by PepsiCo and its pep+ (PepsiCo Positive) transformation to advance women and support a more sustainable food system by empowering women in its own agricultural supply chain. She Feeds the World has had an impact far greater than agriculture by leading participants to new business ventures and increased political participation, as well as boosting local economies.
“An investment in women is an investment in a prosperous and sustainable future, which is why we’re addressing gender-based disparities and food insecurity through this initiative,” said Paula Santilli, CEO PepsiCo Latin America. “Amidst global events and uncertainties created by the pandemic, this expansion will allow us to reach more women farmers and their families in regions that rely on economic contributions of the agricultural sector to promote food security.”
Already established in Peru, Egypt, and Uganda, She Feeds the World helps improve female farmers’ agricultural productivity, links them with processing and marketing opportunities, and lifts their voices in community and household decisions. For Hilda Salcedo, 33, an organic strawberry famer in Pachacamac, Peru, participating in technical trainings helped her improve irrigation practices that increased her yields and business profits. Salcedo’s experience in the program also is impacting the livelihood and nutritional access of others in her community. As her yield grew, she was able to hire six additional staff members, and has established herself as a young leader among other farmers in the region. She now has an active voice on water irrigation practices as a member of the Irrigation Board Committee in Peru.
Salcedo’s story is exemplary of many in the She Feeds the World program, which strategically connects multisector partners from agricultural companies to food and beverage companies, and operates in regions where PepsiCo and CARE have expertise in combating high rates of poverty and malnutrition.
“She Feeds the World builds on CARE’s 75 years of experience to include a stronger focus on nutrition, women’s empowerment, market systems, and access to critical inputs like water and land,” said Michelle Nunn, President and CEO of CARE USA. “We use evidence from research and innovation to build strategic partnerships and advocacy approaches that fuel structural changes that scale up women’s access to resources. Data shows if women farmers had the same access to resources that men did, it could significantly increase food security and potentially reduce the number of hungry people in the world by up to 150 million. In too much of the world, the talents of women and girls are left unfulfilled. We all benefit when they are free to use their gifts and abilities to the fullest.”
Advancing pep+
These efforts are part of pep+, the company’s end-to-end transformation that places sustainability and human capital at the center of how the company will strive to create growth and value by operating within planetary boundaries and inspiring positive change for the planet and people. This includes:
- Advancing human rights and diversity, equity and inclusion for all people. As part of its Positive Value Chain ambition, PepsiCo aims to achieve and sustain 50 percent of women in managerial roles by 2025. The key to achieving the goal is supporting employees in building successful and fulfilling careers, while providing support in different stages of their lives and careers.
- Spreading regenerative practices that restore the earth and improve livelihoods of more people in the company’s agricultural supply chain.
- Propagating thriving communities through the PepsiCo Foundation, which is investing nearly $9 million globally in programs that advance women, including sustainable agriculture training, workforce and skills-based training, and improved access to nutritious food and safe water. In 2020, the PepsiCo Foundation surpassed its goal to reach 12.5 million women and girls with economic opportunity by 2025 when it reached 27 million (since 2016).
For more on the PepsiCo Foundation’s and CARE’s She Feeds the World, visit https://www.care.org/our-work/food-and-nutrition/nutrition/she-feeds-the-world/.
About PepsiCo
PepsiCo products are enjoyed by consumers more than one billion times a day in more than 200 countries and territories around the world. PepsiCo generated more than $79 billion in net revenue in 2021, driven by a complementary beverage and convenient foods portfolio that includes Lay’s, Doritos, Cheetos, Gatorade, Pepsi-Cola, Mountain Dew, Quaker, and SodaStream. PepsiCo’s product portfolio includes a wide range of enjoyable foods and beverages, including many iconic brands that generate more than $1 billion each in estimated annual retail sales.
Guiding PepsiCo is our vision to Be the Global Leader in Beverages and Convenient Foods by Winning with PepsiCo Positive (pep+). pep+ is our strategic end-to-end transformation that puts sustainability at the center of how we will create value and growth by operating within planetary boundaries and inspiring positive change for planet and people. For more information, visit www.pepsico.com.
About The PepsiCo Foundation
Established in 1962, The PepsiCo Foundation, the philanthropic arm of PepsiCo, invests in the essential elements of a sustainable food system with a mission to support thriving communities. Working with non-profits and experts around the globe, we're focused on helping communities obtain access to food security, safe water and economic resilience. We strive for tangible impact in the places where we live and work—collaborating with industry peers, local and international organizations, and our employees to affect large-scale change on the issues that matter to us and are of global importance. Learn more at www.pepsico.com/sustainability/philanthropy.
About CARE USA
Founded in 1945 with the creation of the CARE Package®, CARE is a leading humanitarian organization fighting global poverty. CARE places special focus on working alongside women and girls. Equipped with the proper resources women and girls have the power to lift whole families and entire communities out of poverty. In 2020, CARE worked in over 100 countries, including the United States, reaching more than 90 million people (about twice the population of California) through 1,300 projects. To learn more, visit www.care.org.