People

Our Role in an Interdependent World

What's at Stake

People around the world depend on strong forests for clean air, pure water, food, medicine, a stable climate. Humans have already destroyed or degraded more than half of the world's forests. Those that remain are threatened by the destructive cycle of global inequity, rural poverty, and landscape degradation.

Rural Poverty Drives Deforestation

Around the world, 767 million people live below the international poverty line of US$1.90 per person per day. Economic desperation drives many communities to raze forests for subsistence agriculture, cut down trees for firewood, and sell illegally harvested timber at prices far below its real value, perpetuating a cycle of poverty and environmental destruction.

The Importance of Indigenous Land Rights

An astonishing 29.7 million hectares (73.4 million acres) of forest was lost in 2016—an area roughly the size of New Zealand. Although experts have offered compelling evidence that securing land rights for indigenous forest communities leads to stronger, healthier forests, the majority of these communities still lack the legal rights to their ancestral lands.

Our Work

Our Work: People

The economic security and the wellbeing of farming and forest communities are central to a long-term vision of a rebalanced Earth. That's why we've embedded concrete strategies to support the environmental, economic, and social health of rural communities around the world into our training and certification programs.

Women of the Alimentos Nutri-Naturales S.A. (ANSA) cooperative sorting ramon nuts

Advancing the Human Rights of Rural People

Sustainability certification, complemented by robust training programs, can be a powerful tool.

An Essential Element of Sustainable Development

Gender equity is a rising tide that lifts all boats.

Thriving Communities and Strong Forests Go Hand-in-Hand

We believe that the strength of a forest is inextricably linked to the health of local communities.

Educating Tomorrow's Conservationists

The children of El Porvenir, a community of 200 families just outside Guatemala’s Tikal National Park, are learning about the importance of conserving forests from their dedicated teacher, one of many who have participated in the Rainforest Alliance's education training program, which supports teachers in implementing our conservation and climate-related school curricula.

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Learn more about how we are working to achieve our mission.

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Our Impact

Supporting the economic and social health of rural communities is central to our mission. Our field results, backed by independent studies, demonstrate that sustainable livelihood opportunities can interrupt the destructive cycle of poverty and deforestation—and foster a culture of conservation.

amount earned by indigenous and forest communities

US $1.5 million

earned by our Madre de Dios partner communities

Building a Sustainable Forest Economy

Nearly 15,000 people are directly employed by the Brazil nut industry in the Madre de Dios region of the Peruvian Amazon. We've trained indigenous communities throughout the region in sustainable harvesting and processing methods that enabled them to dramatically increase revenues.

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Increase in net income for certified farms in Côte d'Ivoire

291% increase in net income

on certified farms in Côte d'Ivoire

Boosting Income in Rural Communities

In a study of Rainforest Alliance Certified™ and noncertified control farms, scientists found the average net income for certified farms in Côte d'Ivoire to be US $403, as compared to $113 per hectare on noncertified farms.

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2 additional years

spent in school by children who live on certified farms

Improved Educational Access

In Colombia, a 2013 study found that children on Rainforest Alliance Certified coffee farms stayed in school two years longer than the children of noncertified farmers (completing 13 years of schooling versus 11 years).

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Learn more ways we are achieving real results.

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Get Involved

Join us to help rebalance the earth.

Protect People and the Planet

We’re improving life for community members by advocating for workers' rights, advancing projects that promote gender equity, and expanding access to education.