Unifrutti South Africa (Pty) Ltd, Blyderiver Farms, is situated in the Greater Kruger to Canyon Biosphere near Hoedspruit in Limpopo, South Africa. Four farms were acquired from the Van den Berg Family in 2004, which now comprise Blyderiver Farms. With 574 hectares of citrus production, including lemons (166ha), grapefruit (108ha), and oranges (301ha), citrus are exported to various international markets through Unifrutti South Africa’s marketing division. Approximately 527 workers are employed during the season at Blyderiver Farms.
The CCC Carbon Calculator is a valuable tool that enables us to assess our performance and identify areas for improvement. At Blyderiver Farms, we recognise the significance of monitoring our carbon emissions and we are constantly exploring opportunities for increased efficiency – Blyderivier Farms
The first phase of Blyderivier Farms’ solar panel project was completed in 2022, and the next phase will involve integrating remote pumps into the system. The farm has almost finished the second major project, which involves collecting runoff water to reduce the reliance on electricity for irrigation by utilising gravity. Blyderivier’s commitment to sustainable practices extends to horticulture, where the plan is to replace alien garden plants with indigenous waterwise alternatives. Another priority is the separation and recycling of household and farm waste, though the farm is facing difficulties finding a reputable recycling company in the region.
Blyderivier Farms’ solar project was completed in 2022 and the CO2 savings from this involve 47.47 ton.
Fertilisers are applied according to recommendations only. The long-term target is to apply only environmentally friendly products.
Blyderiver Farms implements various measures to promote sustainable water use, including accurate and timely irrigation practices aligned with crop irrigation requirements and scheduling and monitoring soil moisture.
The separation of household and farm waste and its recycling is high on the farm’s agenda. Blyderivier shreds orchard waste for use as mulch and diverts unsuitable fruit to juice factories to minimise organic waste.
Organic matter such as crop residues, organic manure and compost are introduced into the soil to enhance the organic matter content.
Farming operations prioritise the protection of natural vegetation and indigenous areas while actively managing and controlling Alien Invasive Plants.
Through this digital recognition platform, we celebrate the Carbon Heroes taking part in the Confronting Climate Change (CCC) Initiative for their considerable effort in calculating and understanding their carbon emissions.
Each Carbon Hero has their own digital QR code that can be displayed on their website and other marketing material, linking directly to their individual profile on the Carbon Heroes website.
The QR code provides a simple and innovative way for customers to learn about each Carbon Hero’s carbon offsetting and other sustainability initiatives, as well as engage with them on social media and other marketing channels.
With the Carbon Heroes QR code we aim to support a global transition towards sustainable development by recognising and celebrating the positive environmental impact of each Carbon Hero. By having a transparent display of their commitment to reducing emissions, Carbon Heroes demonstrate their dedication to a sustainable future, while building trust in their brand.
Find out more about the Carbon Heroes and CCC
Carbon Heroes is a recognition platform built on the ethos of transparency and trust. While only emissions datasets graded by Blue North qualify for the platform, we do not independently verify all the information our Heroes choose to post. By signing up to the platform each Carbon Hero acknowledges that they are responsible for the information they share and that, by sharing their sustainability credentials, their information is in the public domain and open to be scrutinised. We welcome such scrutiny. We have a clear set of guidelines for the use of the platform and the qualification for the various digital labels, and reserve the right to revoke the use of the platform where it is found these guidelines are not being followed and/or the information posted is misaligned with the stated ethos. Thank you for helping us maintain the integrity of the Carbon Heroes platform and our efforts to promote greater transparency and sustainability.
Through this digital recognition platform, we celebrate the Carbon Heroes taking part in the Confronting Climate Change (CCC) Initiative for their considerable effort in calculating and understanding their carbon emissions. You are making a positive contribution to mitigating climate change!
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