Ceres/WWF AgWater Challenge Progress Report

The Ceres/WWF AgWater Challenge Progress Report evaluates the efforts of a cohort of global food and beverage companies to address water risks in their agricultural supply chains. It details specific company achievements in sustainable sourcing, water-risk assessments, and regenerative agriculture, while identifying five key lessons for corporate water stewardship, including the necessity of funding transitions for farmers and the importance of holistic, soil-health-focused approaches over single-issue programs.

• The global food and agribusiness sector is a primary driver of water stress, utilizing 70% of the world's freshwater supply, while meat production is identified as one of the most significant global polluters of watersheds.
• Corporate awareness of water risk is increasing, with 91% of 35 evaluated publicly-traded companies citing water or climate change as a risk in financial statements, and 67% now assessing water risks in both their facilities and supply chains, up from 35% in 2015.
• Despite increased risk assessment, significant gaps remain in sustainable sourcing; 37% of analyzed companies lack sustainable-sourcing goals for any key agricultural inputs, and many assessments ignore risks like agricultural runoff and impaired ecosystems.
• AgWater Challenge participants are increasingly adopting regenerative agriculture to improve water retention and quality, with General Mills aiming to advance these practices on 1 million acres of farmland by 2030.
• Companies have found that single-issue sustainability programs are often ineffective; instead, integrating water stewardship into broader 'climate-smart' or regenerative agriculture frameworks creates a stronger business case and is more acceptable to farmers.
• Effective corporate engagement with farmers requires moving away from corporate language and providing direct or indirect financial incentives to offset the costs and risks of transitioning to sustainable production methods.

APA

WWF International (2020). Ceres/WWF AgWater Challenge Progress Report. https://www.worldwildlife.org/documents/1099/phwwjkzwv_AWC_2020Progress_Report.pdf

Chicago

WWF International. Ceres/WWF AgWater Challenge Progress Report. 2020. https://www.worldwildlife.org/documents/1099/phwwjkzwv_AWC_2020Progress_Report.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=WWF International |title=Ceres/WWF AgWater Challenge Progress Report |date=July 2020 |url=https://www.worldwildlife.org/documents/1099/phwwjkzwv_AWC_2020Progress_Report.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{wwfinternational2020cereswwf, author = {{WWF International}}, title = {{Ceres/WWF AgWater Challenge Progress Report}}, institution = {WWF International}, year = {2020}, month = jul, url = {https://www.worldwildlife.org/documents/1099/phwwjkzwv_AWC_2020Progress_Report.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }