Agroamerica´s contribution to the conservation of the environment and the natural resources.

1. Agroamerica’s contribution to the
conservation of the environment
and its natural resources
June 2012

2. What is a Green Economy?
It means sustainability over the long term.
• In the October, 2010 issue of The Harvard Business Review, Peter Senge ‐founder
of the Society for Organizational Learning and a faculty member at MIT Sloan
School of Management said: Companies that have survived for more than 200
years have a commonality in understanding of themselves as a human
community first and a money making machine second. This is what makes them
sustainable.
• A Green Economy is one that results in improved human well-being and social
equity, while significantly reducing environmental risks and ecological scarcities.
In its simplest expression, a green economy can be thought of as one which is
low carbon, resource efficient, and socially inclusive (UNEP, 2010).

3. To produce more with less…
A critical issue at hand
• Accelerating population growth and climate change is causing an increasing scarcity of
finite, natural resources.
• Providing nourishment and food security for a growing world population which is
expected to reach 9 billion in 2050, is a challenge for governments and global
producers1.
• Readily available arable land is also becoming scarce with an expected ¼ of an acre of
cropland per person in 2050 versus the ½ acre we use today2.
• Freshwater reserves are drying out, and the use of fresh water across the globe is
exceeding the natural hydrological rate of recharge3.
The question thus becomes: “How do we produce more and increase
productivity by optimizing the use of available resources and create a
sustainable future for generations to come?”
1. FAO, 2010.
2. Whitty, Julia (May/June, 2010). The last taboo, Mother Jones.
3. WWAP, 2003; Johansson et.al, 2002; UNEP, 2010.

4. AGROAMERICA...
Always one step ahead with our
efforts which contribute to a
sustainable environment and natural
resource conservation.

5. In Agroamerica we protect more
than 50,000 iguanas
• We have one of the largest iguana reserves in
the region of Puerto Barrios, Izabal,
which protects more than 50,000 iguanas and
provides them with the necessary care during
their growth and development. Spiny -tailed
iguanas are protected under The Convention
on International Trade in Endangered Species
of Fauna and Flora (CITES).
• This special reserve is a sanctuary for the
spiny- tailed iguana as well as a tourist site that
educates the public about the preservation of
the species and the surrounding flora and
fauna.
• For more information visit:
http://www.iguanamission.com/

6. Water Efficiency and Recycling Efforts
• We are one of the first companies in the
region to invest in the latest technology for
precision agriculture for over 11,000 hectares
of our plantations, thus reducing water usage
by 20% while maintaining yields, by
implementing the Time Domain
Reflectometry System–TDR- .
• We’ve implemented the use of
environmentally friendly materials for the
protection of bananas. Agribon bags can be
re-used up to 3 times versus plastic bags,
which can only be used once. This results in
a 66% savings of bags per year.
• Teaching the younger generation about the
importance of protecting the environment is
key to our company, thus our private school
for employees’ children has implemented a
plastic recycling project that will generate a
positive change in their communities.

7. Carbon Capture &
Renewable and Clean
Energy
• We capture over 30,000 mT/year of CO2 in a project
registered with the United Nation´s Clean
Development Mechanism -CDM-. We are in the
process of becoming carbon negative within 2 years,
and we have already measured our plantations’
carbon footprint.
• The biogas captured in the CDM project produces 2.5
MW/hour and with the implementation of the
biomass boiler, we generate another 5.0 MW/hour,
for a total of 7.5 MW/hour of clean energy for use in
the extraction plant with the surplus sold to the grid
to provide clean energy to the rural communities in
Central America.
• Over the next three years, our new CDM projects
will generate an additional 22.5 MW/hour.

8. Renewable Energy Investment Project
Agroamerica has invested in a renewable energy project in
Central America with a company focused on the
development, construction, and operation of these
projects in the region.
• With the 102 MW installed, this project will provide the
total energy needed for approximately 400,000 persons and
will replace 70% of energy previously produced from fossil
fuels (mainly bunker).
• It is located in rural communities who are directly benefiting
through the rental of their land for right-of-way and turbine
placement, in addition to indirect benefits like the growth of
local economies.
• This year, the creation of three (3) more renewable energy
projects in Costa Rica, Guatemala, and Nicaragua will
produce almost 120 MW in total.

9. We implement good environmental practices and hold
certifications with global standards that improve the
supply chain and care for the environment.
CERTIFICATION LOGO ALWAYS THE FIRST!
Rainforest Alliance All of our banana farms are certified RAC, and in 2010,
Agroamerica became the first palm oil company in the
world to become Rainforest Alliance certified.
Walmart Ethical Standards We always comply with the requirements of our
& C-TPAT customers.
Global Gap All of our banana farms are certified Global Gap . We are
always minimizing the detrimental environmental impacts
of our operations.
Business Alliance for Secure The first palm oil extraction plant and the first banana
Commerce company certified in the region
U-K KOSHER The first company in Guatemala to be certified
Roundtable on Sustainable In 2010 we became members of RSPO and are now
Palm Oil working on the processes to become the first company
certified in the region.
Walmart is committed to buying only RSPO
certified products from the year 2015 on.

10. Water Conservation and
Reforestation Program
• To conserve water, we maintain a reservoir that covers
an area of ​14 hectares. During the rainy season, we
capture 13 million gallons of rainwater that we use to
irrigate 950 hectares of our plantations throughout
the dry months.
• Reforestation: Thousands of trees have been
planted to improve air quality, groundwater, and to
create a protective barrier against erosion and
flooding.
• We reforested 450 hectares with native plant species
and we have declared these forests as private reserves
in the region. Since 2011, we have been members of
the Private Natural Reserves of Guatemala
Association -ARNPG-. We have more than 1,000
hectares of forest registered as private forest reserves.
This land may not be used for agricultural
production in order to preserve the existing wildlife.

11. Always one step ahead!
Agroamérica is actively involved in events dedicated to
Sustainability and Environmental topics
Agroamerica’s status as the first palm oil
Article published in Climate Action, Agroamerica invited community leaders to
company in the world to receive Rainforest
2011-2012 participate in a CRS National forum about Alliance certification is published in Guía
environmental issues. Verde.
Agroamerica donates plastic vats and
organizes cleaning drives with public Fernando Bolaños, CEO of Agroamerica,
school students in Escuintla. participated in the Global Dialogue of UNEP.

12. With our creative and innovative projects, we will
produce MORE while using LESS.
The greatest benefits within a supply
chain are derived by extending one´s
focus as far as possible upstream
toward the raw materials, downstream
toward the consumer, and then back
again as the product and its wastes are
recycled.

13. Conclusions
• Agroamerica is always one step ahead, designing new and innovative ways to increase production while minimizing
environmental impact, and at the same time, improving supply chain sustainability.
• We have one of the largest iguana reserves in the region which protects more than 50,000 iguanas, an endangered
species. We have also reforested 450 hectares with native plant species and have declared these forests as private
reserves in the region.
• We are one of the first companies in the region to invest in the Time Domain Reflectometry System–TDR- , which is
the latest technology for precision agriculture that reduces water usage by 20% while maintaining yields. Also,
during the rainy season, we capture 13 million gallons of rainwater that we use to irrigate 950 hectares of our
plantations throughout the dry months.
• We’ve implemented recycling programs such as the use of Agribon bags that can be re-used up to 3 times versus
plastic bags, which can only be used once, for a savings of 66% per year; and a plastic recycling project in the
company’s private school to teach the younger generation the importance of recycling.
• We implement good environmental practices and hold certifications such as Global Gap and Rainforest Alliance in all
of our plantations. Nowadays, we have set the goal of becoming carbon negative within 2 years after measuring our
plantations’ carbon footprint.
• Agroamerica has a strong sense of community, recognizes the importance of protecting the environment, and
practices sustainability because we are sure that they are the keys to success now and in the future!

14. Thank you
JUNE 2012