BASF to join the celebration of the International Year of Fruits and Vegetables

Active contribution in increasing awareness of healthy eating

Nunhem, The Netherlands – The United Nations (UN) has declared 2021 as the International Year of Fruits and Vegetables. The goal is to raise awareness for nutritional and health benefits of consuming more fruits and vegetables as part of a diversified, balanced and healthy diet and lifestyle as well as to direct policy attention to reducing loss and waste of these highly perishable produce items. BASF’s vegetable seed business is actively supporting this initiative with various activities such as the launch of the communication campaign “Vegetables People Love” starting in March 2021.

“When we think of healthy eating, the first food items that often come to mind are fruits and vegetables – colorful, vitamin-, mineral- and fiber-rich, they are vital for the proper functioning of the human body,” says Vicente Navarro, Senior Vice president of BASF’s vegetable seeds business and board member of the International Seed Federation (ISF). “The benefits of consuming fruits and vegetables as part of a nutritious diet are vast: vegetables, both fresh, pre-packed or preserved are not only beneficial to consumers, but also for the food system. The fruit and vegetable sector contribute to increasing biodiversity, generating environmental sustainability, and improving the livelihoods of farmers and employees operating along the value chains.”

400 gram of vegetables and fruits a day

According to the World Health Organization (WHO) in 2017, almost four million deaths worldwide were attributable to not eating enough fruit and vegetables (WHO, 2019). They recommend consuming at least 400 gram each day to reap their health and nutrition benefits. Insufficient intake of fruit and vegetables is estimated to cause around 14 percent of deaths from gastro-intestinal cancer worldwide, about 11 percent of those due to ischemic heart disease, and about 9 percent of those caused by stroke.

The International Year of Fruits and Vegetables 2021 is a unique opportunity to raise awareness of the important role of fruits and vegetables in human nutrition, food security and health, as well as to support the implementation of the UN Sustainable Development Goals. “It is our company’s purpose to make healthy eating enjoyable and sustainable”, says Vicente Navarro. “We are committed to share our experience in vegetable seeds and create awareness for their consumption advantages to society”.

About BASF’s Agricultural Solutions division

With a rapidly growing population, the world is increasingly dependent on our ability to develop and maintain sustainable agriculture and healthy environments. Working with farmers, agricultural professionals, pest management experts and others, it is our role to help make this possible. That’s why we invest in a strong R&D pipeline and broad portfolio, including seeds and traits, chemical and biological crop protection, soil management, plant health, pest control and digital farming. With expert teams in the lab, field, office and in production, we connect innovative thinking and down-to-earth action to create real world ideas that work – for farmers, society and the planet. In 2019, our division generated sales of €7.8 billion. For more information, please visit www.agriculture.basf.com or any of our social media channels.

About BASF

At BASF, we create chemistry for a sustainable future. We combine economic success with environmental protection and social responsibility. More than 117,000 employees in the BASF Group work on contributing to the success of our customers in nearly all sectors and almost every country in the world. Our portfolio is organized into six segments: Chemicals, Materials, Industrial Solutions, Surface Technologies, Nutrition & Care and Agricultural Solutions. BASF generated sales of €59 billion in 2019. BASF shares are traded on the stock exchange in Frankfurt (BAS) and as American Depositary Receipts (BASFY) in the U.S. Further information at www.basf.com.