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About Us
Our Businesses
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Solar irrigation project, Azucarera, Spain
ABF Sugar has set a 2030 commitment to reduce its water footprint by 30% from its 2018 baseline. Each business has set a clear target to reduce water usage as part of its environmental plan in their five-year strategies.
In 2023/24, the division focused its activities in two main areas, improving the accuracy of water measurement and investing in irrigation efficiency so that every drop of water can reach the crop. ABF Sugar increased water abstraction in 2023/24 by 3% compared with the prior year and by 7% against its 2018 baseline. This rise is driven by an increase in irrigation demand mainly due to drought impacting our sugar businesses in Africa. In 2023/24, the division reduced water abstraction per tonne of product by 1%, which indicates an improvement in water-use efficiency, and reused 25% of the total abstracted water before it was returned to the environment.
Total water abstracted & percentage of total water reused
(million m³)
ABF Sugar's primary use of water is for growing crops at its sugar estates in Africa. These businesses have a long-standing focus on optimising water use and investing in improved irrigation systems across their estates. Water management programmes are implemented across their operations in Zambia, Malawi, and Eswatini, which collectively account for 92% of the water abstracted for irrigation.
Every business has an action plan aimed at improving outcomes in three areas: reducing water loss, increasing water productivity and fostering a culture of expertise in more sustainable water use. To reduce water consumption, the businesses focus on reducing bulk water losses, reducing infield water losses and improving irrigation schedules.
To improve water efficiency and get more water to the crop, the businesses are investing in advanced irrigation systems. For example, at the Nakambala estate, they are replacing furrow irrigation with sub-surface drip irrigation alongside Synergistic Surface Irrigation and Drainage (SSID), a new system which combines irrigation methodologies to improve crop yield and soil health.
Water productivity has also been a priority, with a focus on irrigation scheduling, metering and in-field technologies. From the baseline year of 2018 to 2023/24, some African sugar sites have successfully increased cane yields while reducing the amount of water used per tonne of product. To promote a culture of sustainable water management, the businesses have also launched training sessions and workshops on irrigation scheduling.
ABF Sugar’s Spanish business, Azucarera, is leveraging innovative and smart technology with its 80 watering systems. It is collaborating with AIMCRA to reduce irrigation water usage and promote energy efficiency in sugar beet production. Through this collaboration, it offers advice to growers on irrigation to help them cut costs, improve efficiency and reduce carbon emissions.
Water efficiency is also a priority for British Sugar, as most of its growers are based in the beet-growing areas of East Anglia, which face water shortage challenges. The business works closely with growers, external organisations and the National Farmers Union Sugar Board to manage on-site operations and minimise water usage and reduce water pollution throughout the supply chain.
In the UK, all of British Sugar’s current farmers are Red Tractor assured, meaning they are regularly assessed and audited against a set of environmental measures and practices, including limiting excessive water use and prohibiting water pollution. The British Beet Research Organisation (BBRO) also provides guidance on soil health that directly impacts water health. All the growers for British Sugar are required to adhere to DEFRA’s farming rules for water, which were introduced in 2018 to reduce and prevent diffuse water pollution from agricultural sources.
As a founding member of the Sustainable Agriculture Initiative (SAI) platform, British Sugar is also fully engaged on the deployment of the SAI Regenerating Together programme and its efforts regarding water resources.
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A sugar cane irrigation system at the Ubombo estate in Eswatini
Growing high yielding and resilient sugar cane is a major focus for our sugar businesses in Africa and efficient use of water is essential to achieving this goal. We are investing in more precise irrigation systems that maximise efficiency and help sustain the agricultural systems on which our businesses rely.
Specifically, we are currently focused on more efficient irrigation systems at our Nakambala estate and Nanga Farms in Zambia. At Nakambala, we are replacing traditional furrow irrigation with sub-surface drip irrigation and ‘synergistic surface irrigation and drainage’, a new system that will improve crop yield and soil health. We are actively considering further investments in these systems at Nanga Farms. Together with the use of precision agriculture technologies, we can concentrate more on areas of the field where the crop experiences weather stress and adapt our field layouts so that every stick of cane receives the precise amount of water it needs.
The projects are driving better yields while improving water use efficiency and providing greater weather resilience. Over the seven-year period of implementation, the investment at the two estates is approximately $20m. Our focus on water also benefits the communities in which we operate. In Eswatini, we are making significant strides towards reducing local poverty by partnering with the Eswatini Water and Agricultural Development Enterprise, a government agency, to support the Lower Usuthu Smallholder Irrigation Project which is developing 11,500 hectares of smallholder irrigation. Some 2,300 households are expected to benefit directly from the project which is also establishing 28 farmer companies to cultivate cane and other crops, providing greater food security and nutrition for local communities.
Our Ubombo Sugar business has invested significantly to optimise factory capacity to enable the processing of the additional cane that will be produced as a result.
New water treatment facility, Newark, UK
British Sugar treats all of the water it uses on-site before discharging it into the environment. The business complies with all environmental permit requirements, ensuring that all discharged water meets specific treated water standards.
Since 2022, British Sugar has invested over £20m to further improve the quality of water discharged from its sites. This includes the construction of new water treatment plants in Newark and Cantley, as well as the upgrading of existing facilities at other locations.
British Sugar's sites return more water into the catchment area than they consume. However, the business is currently evaluating the possibility of achieving water self-sufficiency at two of its sites, which would reduce the need to extract water from rivers or boreholes.
