Leading Peruvian produce multinational Camposol has said it is making progress in measuring and reducing its water footprint, and three additional projects to reduce usage are planned to be carried out this year.

A release from the company said water demand in the world was growing twice as fast as the population, and scientists estimated that, if the present trend continues, two thirds of the world population will live in 'conditions of water stress' in the year 2050.

"Water is the most important input for Camposol’s activities. Therefore, the efficient management of water is a primary objective for the company within its commitment for the protection of the environment, all the more as also the final consumer is increasingly concerned about the origin of food products and the CSR efforts of producers/exporters," Camposol said.

"One of the most important measures that Camposol is taking in this field is the participation, together with a group of leading companies from different sectors, in the project Suizwater Andina whose objective is the measurement and reduction of the water footprint (total quantity of water used to produce a good or service).

"In addition to the sustainable use of water, the company is looking for compensatory solutions to improve the availability and quality of water in the regions of activity of the participating companies."

In a first phase, Camposol is concentrating on the reduction of the water footprint for asparagus. According to statistics published by Suizwater, an average of 2,150 litres of water is necessary to produce one kilogram of asparagus.

Camposol said its water footprint analysis 2013 for asparagus indicated a water consumption of 1,187 litres and although the exact calculation for the year 2014 is still pending, it believes it succeeded in reducing its water footprint.

In 2015 it expects to further minimize the water consumption and compensate it through various projects.

"In particular, Camposol is undertaking three projects aiming at the reduction of water consumption or reuse of water in the production process.

"The projects include improvement measures for the waste water treatment plant, the reuse of groundwater for new agricultural crops, and a reduction of water consumption for cleaning the production plants."

Within the framework of its social responsibility projects, the company said it had also taken several 'compensatory measures', such as the promotion of hygienic practices in the Nuevo Chao community, improvements to bathroom facilities in a school with more than 2,000 pupils, and the modernization of the sanitary infrastructure in the health centre of the same community.

In the future, Camposol has set the goals of including the water footprint measurement as an indicator in the yearly sustainability report, extending the water footprint analysis to other products or operative units, and obtaining a new water footprinting certification called ISO 14046.

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