The landscape of East and Southern Africa is a stunning mosaic of diverse terrains and ecosystems. From the vast savannahs of the Serengeti and Maasai Mara to the towering, snow-capped peaks of Mount Kilimanjaro and Mt. Kenya, breathtaking natural beauty abounds. In Southern Africa, the expansive Kalahari Desert, the lush Okavango Delta, and the rugged Drakensberg Mountains are critical to the region’s unparalleled biodiversity.
More frequent extreme weather has profoundly impacted rural farming communities. The region faces severe droughts and unpredictable rainfall patterns, which can devastate crop yields. Not only does this threaten food security and impair farmers’ abilities to make a living, but it also jeopardizes the vital biodiversity hotspots that these communities depend on.
We are working in vulnerable landscapes in East Africa to restore the balance between coffee and tea farming communities and the forests around them. Research shows that supporting the economic health of these communities is crucial to forest conservation.
Agriculture is the main source of income for many in East and Southern Africa, but unsustainable practices harm soil, forests, and biodiversity. Research shows that helping farming communities increase their incomes is crucial to forest conservation. We work in vulnerable landscapes to foster sustainable and regenerative solutions that benefit both people and nature.
Rainforest Alliance certification leads to many benefits for farmers and farm workers: higher wages, safer living and working conditions, better access to education for children, improved health, and more, including paid leave.
In Kenya, workers on certified farms were paid more regularly and received better accommodations, food, and clothing than workers on non-certified farms.1
1. Stathers et al. 2013, Ochieng et al. 2013, Lalitha et al. 2013
Rainforest Alliance certification increased the probability of forest conservation on coffee farms by 19.3 percent.
Studies show that certified coffee and cocoa farms have higher quality ecosystems1 and better habitat connectivity2 than non-certified farms.
1.Takahashi & Todo 2017, Haggar et al. 2017, Fenger et al. 2017, Rueda & Lambin 2013
2.Rueda et al. 2014, Hardt et al. 2015
In East and Southern Africa, we focus on regenerative agriculture to support farmers and protect their livelihoods for future generations. Our efforts also prioritize certification, landscape management, and community-led impact projects.
According to a United Nations report, approximately 12 million people in Kenya live on degraded land and food productivity has fallen behind the rate of population growth. This has resulted in farmland extending up the mountain and encroaching into protected forests.... Continue Reading
In the coffee-producing highlands of Gusii, western Kenya, the Rainforest Alliance is working with smallholder farmers and local supply-chain actors to create healthy and productive farms, restore fragile ecosystems, and boost farmer incomes.... Continue Reading
With the overarching goal of reducing child labor within coffee-farming communities, this project aims to create specific impacts within the partner communities—generating insights for other stakeholders to follow within their own contexts... Continue Reading
Ethiopian coffee farmers take a sustainable approach to growing coffee. Yet, climate change is casting a gloom light on the sector's future.... Continue Reading
Building upon the success of a previous project, the Rwenzori Education, Livelihoods, and Gender Project aims to address the root causes of child labor. With support from Nespresso, the Rainforest Alliance has partnered with Kyagalanyi Coffee Ltd (KCL) to embed child protection into their business practices. The Rainforest Alliance will support the KCL cooperative’s farming households to increase their coffee production and incomes by providing training aligned with our certification standard. In doing so, the project seeks to create a coffee supply chain free from child labor.... Continue Reading
Meet the Baragwi coffee cooperative - a perfect example of the positive impacts Rainforest Alliance Certification can have for coffee farming right now and well into the future. ... Continue Reading
What does successful regenerative agriculture look like? We spoke to two farmers around Mount Kenya to better understand how this method has added to their farms and lives. ... Continue Reading
The Rainforest Alliance in Kenya and Clarmondial announce a collaboration to execute a catalytic pilot investment for the Biosphere Integrity Fund in the Mount Kenya landscape.
According to a United Nations report, approximately 12 million people in Kenya live on degraded land and food productivity has fallen behind the rate of population growth. This has resulted in farmland extending up the mountain and encroaching into protected forests.... Continue Reading
Sponsored by 1000 Landscapes for 1 Billion People, this article highlights how the Rainforest Alliance helps farmers in Mount Kenya transition to regenerative practices, contributing to landscape restoration, biodiversity conservation, climate resilience, and improved livelihoods.