Thriving Communities, Healthy Landscapes
We're helping more than two million farmers embrace more sustainable growing practices that can help build resilience to climate change and boost yields.
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What's at Stake
Across the tropics, farming and forest communities face a daily struggle to cover life’s basic needs. Breaking the cycle of rural poverty—and tackling the ensuing impacts for people and nature—is critical for a more sustainable future for us all.
RURAL POVERTY, DEFORESTATION, AND HUMAN RIGHTS
Rural poverty is at the root of many of our most pressing global challenges, from child labor and poor working conditions to deforestation for agricultural expansion. Economic desperation exacerbates these complex issues, which are deeply embedded in global supply chains. The result is a vicious cycle of environmental destruction and human suffering.
Our Work: Livelihoods
The Rainforest Alliance partners with frontline communities to build thriving rural economies rooted in more sustainable growing practices and forest stewardship. We also promote responsible business practices to ensure that companies recognize and reward sustainability transformation—in the field as well as the boardroom.
Our Work to Improve Rural Livelihoods
To improve rural livelihoods, we foster deep collaboration between farmers, civil society organizations, companies, and governments.
Our Work with the Global Living Wage Coalition
The Rainforest Alliance believes that workers around the world should be paid enough money to provide a decent life for themselves and their families.
Innovative Ways to Enhance Living Income for Cocoa Farmers
At the Rainforest Alliance, we believe in a shared responsibility approach that encourages companies to do their part in ensuring a living income for farmers. This is the basis of our initiatives, the Living Income Module and the Living Income Fund.
All resources for Livelihoods
Amazon Rainforest Could ‘Collapse’ as 2020 Fires Set to Be Most Devastating Yet
Environmentalists are increasingly concerned that fires in the Amazon are growing at an alarming rate – risking the ‘collapse’ of the world’s largest rainforest.
Protecting Against Forced Labor and Other Forms of Modern Slavery in Agricultural Supply Chains Through Rainforest Alliance Certification
Our 2020 Certification Program—published June 30, 2020, and mandatory for audits beginning July 1, 2021—adopts an “assess-and-address” approach to tackling human rights issues such as forced labor, which will not be tolerated on certified farms or in companies. Rather than imposing a simple prohibition, which often drives the problem underground, the “assess-and-address” approach goes much […]
Living Wage Position Paper
The Rainforest Alliance envisions a world in which people and nature thrive in harmony. Critical to achieving this is ensuring that the agricultural producers, workers, and communities whose livelihoods are intricately linked to some of the world’s most diverse ecosystems are able to achieve a decent and sustainable livelihood for themselves and their families. For […]
COVID-19 Fundraiser Update
Our emergency relief grants are helping these communities weather the pandemic.... Continue Reading
Tackling Climate with Gender Equality
An equitable future for women means a livable future for all of us.
Rainforest Alliance Unveils New Certification Standard: ‘We Need New Approaches That Move beyond a Simple Pass-Fail System’
Rainforest Alliance will start rolling out the 2020 Sustainable Agriculture Standard worldwide in September. Food Navigator speaks with the NGO's Director of Standards and Assurance, Ruth Rennie, to find out.