The Rainforest Alliance’s sustainable landscapes program offers innovative ways for companies to meet their commitments while also having a long-lasting positive impact on farm and forest communities.
Our sustainable landscapes program draws on the Rainforest Alliance’s cross-functional technical expertise and our large partner network. We facilitate communication between local communities, the private sector, and government agencies. We ensure that companies and communities have the tools and support they need to achieve their goals. Together, we help promote sustainable land management and biodiversity conservation.
When you partner with us, you make a direct investment in protecting natural resources and supporting local communities. One example of this is our recent work in Ghana and Côte d’Ivoire. Here, we worked in collaboration with many stakeholders to tackle deforestation in ecologically vulnerable areas.
Case study: Ghana and Côte d’Ivoire
Ghana and Côte d’Ivoire are home to diverse ecosystems and wildlife. However, unsustainable agriculture, forestry, mining, logging, and bushmeat practices have caused irreversible damage to the region’s rich biodiversity. Current reports suggest that 85% of native vegetation has been lost throughout the Guinean forests.
To lessen further deforestation and biodiversity loss, the Rainforest Alliance is building coalitions throughout the region. These partnerships support the use of better farming practices and aid in the conservation of critical habitat.
Our team is fostering the development of Landscape Management Boards (LMBs) in the region. The LMBs are composed of representatives from communities, farmers, the private sector, and formal and traditional authorities. These LMBs serve as a platform for participatory governance. In this way, they allow stakeholders to develop and implement action plans that help cocoa producing households increase and diversify their income. They also incentivize the protection and restoration of surrounding forests. In addition, the Rainforest Alliance-supported LMBs help companies in the region meet their commitments under the Cocoa and Forests Initiative framework for action.
Work with us
Our Sustainable Landscapes program reflects the growing recognition that certification alone is not enough. We need holistic landscape initiatives to achieve long-lasting change at scale.
Working together, we can help you meet your responsible sourcing commitments in a way that supports local communities and the natural environment.
Integrated Landscape Management Program
Download our brochure to learn how the Rainforest Alliance can help your company make meaningful investments that catalyze change.