Impact on Ecosystem

Impact on Ecosystem: Investing in rural farming communities

To make stevia a mainstream sweetener, we recognize it is essential to ensure a successful and sustainable future for stevia farmers and their crops. This is why PureCircle has dedicated so much time and energy into expertise, technology and facilities necessary to support independent stevia farming efforts around the world.

Stevia is an attractive crop for rural farming communities, as it is practical to grow and offers an attractive economic return. PureCircle has invested resources in recruiting and training stevia farmers on sustainable farming practices and works directly with local farmers, providing stevia cuttings that are planted and harvested. We have partnered with micro-finance lending banks in Kenya and Paraguay to provide credit access to help farmers jump start their businesses. Credit has been used by farmers for everything from starting their own propagation facilities for their regions, to development of low cost irrigation tools that can dramatically improve crop yields. At current rates, stevia farmers receive much higher revenue than for most other crops and they are able to continue to grow staples such as rice, providing them with an additional source of food and income.

PureCircle further invests in stevia farming communities

PureCircle further invests in stevia farming communities and has partnered with Amigos de las Americas, an international, volunteer based, charitable organization (NGO) that provides leadership and community service opportunities for teenagers and young adults, while concurrently contributing to the well being of hundreds of communities throughout the Americas. Together, we have helped build hundreds of fuel efficient stoves, cultivated dozens of community gardens and planted thousands of trees.