The Rainforest Alliance has conserved hundreds of thousands of hectares of rainforest from destruction over the past two and a half decades. Yet our mission is more urgent now than ever before. Tropical deforestation produces a significant amount of the world’s greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, which in turn contribute to climate change.
The long-term environmental, social and economic benefits of Rainforest Alliance certification are undeniable. When farms meet the comprehensive criteria of the Sustainable Agriculture Network (SAN) Standard, not only do they protect forests, provide habitat for wildlife and ensure the rights and well-being of workers, their families and their communities -- they often see increases in productivity and receive price premiums.
Smallholder tea farmers in Kenya are organized through the Kenya Tea Development Agency (KTDA), which works with farmers to produce, process and market high quality teas. KTDA promotes better tea production practices in order to help smallholder farmers increase production quantity and achieve certification--with the ultimate goal of strengthening existing tea markets and establishing new ones. Various KTDA farms are pursuing certification by Rainforest Alliance, Fairtrade and UTZ.
The Rainforest Alliance and other NGO members of the Sustainable Agriculture Network (SAN) developed the first certification standard for sustainable agriculture in the early 1990s. Since then, we have trained 600,000 smallholder farmers and plantation managers in best practices and brought certified sustainable products to mainstream markets. SAN technicians are training palm oil producers to reduce the environmental impacts and increase the social benefits on farms and prepare to meet the rigorous SAN standard, which is required for Rainforest Alliance certification.
In an increasingly transparent world, it’s more important than ever to identify and understand the sources of your forest products. The Rainforest Alliance makes it easy. With decades of forestry experience and the latest technology at our disposal, we can guide you every step of the way -- from assessing your supply chain and designing a responsible sourcing plan, to tracking the results of your efforts and helping you communicate them to your customers, suppliers, employees, investors and the public.
