2022 has been an interesting year, to say the least, for the agri-food chain. Some of the main challenges that producers, distributors and consumers have faced this year have been the energy crisis, price increases and their impact on the organic market. We have also witnessed unprecedented heat waves or droughts in Europe that have reduced yields of many crops and participated in the debate about what the term regenerative means.

CrowdFarming exists to create a fairer and more sustainable chain, and we always knew that this was not a bed of roses. Every year, like this one, new challenges arise, and we evolve and grow with them and together with our community of producers and CrowdFarmers.

In the 2022 impact and sustainability report we tell you everything we have done to get a little closer to our goal of revolutionising the agri-food chain, the fruits that this year has brought, and some of the seeds that we have planted with great enthusiasm!

The fruits of this year:

• We ended the year with 245 producers from 15 countries, of which 180 are organic, 29 are converting to organic, 15 have biodynamic agriculture certifications and none of them apply chemical synthesis pesticides.
• We have made more than 1.5 million shipments to more than 30 European countries: 76% of shipments are made in plastic-free packaging, compared to 73.5% last year. Of those that do contain plastic, 22% are BPA-free. 
• We ended the year 2022 with 267,619 adoptions, the insignia of this agro-social revolution. 74,114 adoptions more than the previous year, trees, land, animals, of which CrowdFarmers have reserved production from one year to the next, contributing to the financial stability of producers and avoiding food waste at the source.
• 7,500 tons have been sold through CrowdFarming, for a value of more than 44 million euros. 78% of the sales are of organic products, and 20.5% of products in conversion to organic. For the remaining 1.5% we make sure that it is a product that does not use synthetic pesticides.
• 84% of the producers affirm that their total income has increased and 89% consider that there has been a positive impact on their work since they sell through CrowdFarming, either through learning new knowledge, offering a better service to the client, implementing improvements in their operations, hiring more staff or new profiles.
• 148 people are working at CrowdFarming in Spain, France, Germany and Italy. 

The seeds we have planted this year:

• We have created links with more than 10 associations for regenerative agriculture to connect direct online sales to the development of regenerative agriculture. There are already 7 producers who sell their organic products through CrowdFarming!
• We welcome CrowdLog: the new CrowdFarming logistics centre that allows Spanish producers to stop worrying about labeling and packaging to increase the sales volume without assuming further financial pressure in their operations. With CrowdLog we also seek to generate a stable source of employment in the area, optimise our operations and reduce food waste.
• More than fifty companies have joined the CrowdFarmers community to buy directly from European producers and have a positive social and environmental impact.
• We send more than 245 tons of organic products to refugees in Ukraine through our CrowdGiving initiative. Through CrowdGiving, CrowdFarmers can collaborate by buying from European producers, CrowdFarming is in charge of managing the shipment, financing logistics costs, and the receiving NGOs – SOS Food Bank in Warsaw, World Central Kitchen and Caritas Leżajsk – are in charge of distribution in the destination country.
• We’ve launched the What the Field?! podcast, a podcast where we talk to experts — including our producers — about everything from field to fork. We have dealt with topics as diverse as the Mediterranean diet, food waste or fires.
• The Green Set: A unique event on sustainability in the middle of an olive grove. A small event in which we wanted guests from different industries to connect in a unique way. We are very happy with the results – conversations, connections, ideas – and we will certainly repeat this in 2023.

This impact and sustainability report is a key milestone for us from year to year. It allows us to reflect on what we have achieved and where we have failed, to continue our mission by getting to know ourselves better and understanding more about the challenges we face, thus improving for the new season. But, above all, our annual impact and sustainability report allows us to fulfil our commitment of trust towards our community of producers and CrowdFarmers.