BEER lovers across the world can expect better tasting beer thanks to a pilot project to grow more barley in SA using sustainable farming methods.
Following a R1-billion investment in a new malting plant in Gauteng, SABMiller is now working with Western Cape farmers to increase barley production to supply the plant, rather than having to import raw materials. Now half way through a two-year pilot project, the "Better Beer Better Barley" project has achieved a massive 20-fold reduction in water usage for crops, while production has increased.
The pilot includes 26 commercial and more than 100 emerging farmers, who have produced between 30000 and 40000 tons of barley in the first year.
"We won't invest a billion [rand] if we're not getting a return on it," said SAB malting general manager Thinus van Schoor. "And the return comes from not having to import raw materials. This plant is [being] built [to last] for 30 to 40 years, so the agriculture supporting it has to be sustainable for 40 years plus."
The model, which focuses on water reduction as well as the protection and restoration of eco-systems, provides guidelines tailored at training farmers.
"We believe farmers themselves make this process sustainable," he said.
Farmer Richard Krige said the bottom-up approach used by the world's second largest brewer, in which they consult to reach levels of compliance, has made it easier for producers to buy into the model. Krige also said the initiative had affirmed and focussed his attention on areas of his Caledon farm, which need improvement.
"Specifically, what I've seen is the storing of chemicals and the responsible use of chemicals, and the effect it can possibly have on the environment," said Krige.
SAB partnered with the World Wildlife Foundation SA on the project. Head of sustainability partnerships at WWF-SA, Stephen Wetmore, said they had already seen a 20-fold decrease in the use of water while increasing production on farms.
SABMiller, whose brands include Fosters, Grolsch, Miller Brewing Company, Peroni Nastro Azzurro and Pilsner Urquell, sells about 21 billion litres of lager per year. Existing nodes where farming is taking place are in the dry-land areas of Western Cape such as Caledon and Bredesdorp, but SABMiller plans to expand the initiative into the Overberg and Northern Cape soon.
For more stories like this one, be sure to buy the Sowetan newspaper from Mondays to Fridays
Better tasting beer on offer
BEER lovers across the world can expect better tasting beer thanks to a pilot project to grow more barley in SA using sustainable farming methods.
Following a R1-billion investment in a new malting plant in Gauteng, SABMiller is now working with Western Cape farmers to increase barley production to supply the plant, rather than having to import raw materials. Now half way through a two-year pilot project, the "Better Beer Better Barley" project has achieved a massive 20-fold reduction in water usage for crops, while production has increased.
The pilot includes 26 commercial and more than 100 emerging farmers, who have produced between 30000 and 40000 tons of barley in the first year.
"We won't invest a billion [rand] if we're not getting a return on it," said SAB malting general manager Thinus van Schoor. "And the return comes from not having to import raw materials. This plant is [being] built [to last] for 30 to 40 years, so the agriculture supporting it has to be sustainable for 40 years plus."
The model, which focuses on water reduction as well as the protection and restoration of eco-systems, provides guidelines tailored at training farmers.
"We believe farmers themselves make this process sustainable," he said.
Farmer Richard Krige said the bottom-up approach used by the world's second largest brewer, in which they consult to reach levels of compliance, has made it easier for producers to buy into the model. Krige also said the initiative had affirmed and focussed his attention on areas of his Caledon farm, which need improvement.
"Specifically, what I've seen is the storing of chemicals and the responsible use of chemicals, and the effect it can possibly have on the environment," said Krige.
SAB partnered with the World Wildlife Foundation SA on the project. Head of sustainability partnerships at WWF-SA, Stephen Wetmore, said they had already seen a 20-fold decrease in the use of water while increasing production on farms.
SABMiller, whose brands include Fosters, Grolsch, Miller Brewing Company, Peroni Nastro Azzurro and Pilsner Urquell, sells about 21 billion litres of lager per year. Existing nodes where farming is taking place are in the dry-land areas of Western Cape such as Caledon and Bredesdorp, but SABMiller plans to expand the initiative into the Overberg and Northern Cape soon.
For more stories like this one, be sure to buy the Sowetan newspaper from Mondays to Fridays
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