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.
Article
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.
All resources for Livelihoods
Rainforest Alliance Impacts Report 2018: Partnership, Learning, and Change
This report provides a comprehensive assessment of the Rainforest Alliance certification program as evidenced by independent research, audit findings for certified farms and groups, and interviews with farmers and leading sustainability researchers. The theme of this Impacts Report – “Partnership, Learning, and Change” – highlights the Rainforest Alliance’s collaborative approach to tackling the most critical […]
The Challenges of Reform in Assam’s Struggling Tea Sector
Tea industry expert Harki Sidhu explains the realities of Assam’s struggling tea estates.... Continue Reading
Toward a Sustainable Cocoa Sector
The SAN/Rainforest Alliance cocoa program has grown rapidly over the past five years, with just under 1 million hectares of cocoa farmland in 15 countries achieving SAN/Rainforest Alliance certification by the end of 2016. SAN/Rainforest Alliance Certified cocoa now composes 13.4 percent of the world’s cocoa supply, with increasing numbers of commitments by large cocoa […]
Raising the Bar on Sustainability Standards
The Sustainable Agriculture Network (SAN) and the Rainforest Alliance announced today a newly revised certification standard, which encompasses existing best practices and recent innovations in sustainable agriculture.
What is Sustainable Forestry?
The only realistic way to conserve forests is to apply sustainable forest management practices.... Continue Reading
Smallholder Palm Oil Financing in Indonesia
Over the summer of 2015, the Rainforest Alliance researched palm oil financing in Indonesia in order to better understand the financing needs of smallholder palm oil producers and to identify opportunities for supporting these producers in accessing short term and long term financing.