Community: The Secret to Stopping Deforestation in Guatemala
The forest concessions of the Maya Biosphere Reserve have boasted a near-zero deforestation rate for 20 years.
Article
What's at Stake
A full third of Mesoamerica is covered in lush forest, which serves as home to scores of Indigenous and local communities, iconic wildlife, archeological wonders, and abundant biodiversity. While agriculture is the backbone of the region’s economy, it also drives deforestation and climate change.
On the front lines of climate change
Prolonged droughts and frequent hurricanes are making it harder for farmers in Mesoamerica to make a living. A lack of access to international buyers and government support compounds the problem, leading some farmers to cut down forests for more cropland, while others migrate elsewhere in search of better opportunities.
Our Impact
Our community forestry work in the Selva Maya is recognized around the world as a stunning success for people and nature. We also work with certified farmers on producing crops like coffee, cocoa, and fruits sustainably.
Our reach in certification
700,000 hectares
Through our certification program, we work to improve the sustainability of 61,443 smallholder farmers, 233 farm groups, and almost 3,000 large farms across 700,000 thousand hectares. Almost half a million workers benefit from these efforts.
Data through 2023.
Protecting forests and building up communities
1 million hectares of forest managed sustainably
We worked with community forestry businesses to improve their conservation practices while achieving US$53 million in sales of forest products from 2013 to 2023. As a result, the communities conserved one million hectares of forest.
Mesoamerica
We always start by listening. We work with farmers and forest communities to develop solutions to their specific challenges—which range from a lack of investment and business skills to poor soils and droughts. Our agricultural certification program supports farmers and workers, while our forest work helps both forests and communities thrive.
It Takes an Alliance: Activating Support for Indigenous Communities in Mexico
We worked with eight indigenous coffee-farming communities in Chiapas to build skills in fire prevention, business skills, and health and nutrition.
These Banana Farms in Costa Rica Are Growing a Brighter Future
Rich biodiversity? Check. Well-treated workers? Check. Prepared for climate events? Check. Costa Rica's banana industry has a long history of worker abuse and environmental destruction—but these certified farms are proving there's a better way.
The Rainforest Alliance's Work in Mexico
We are working to grow Mexico’s domestic market for sustainably produced products.
All resources for Mesoamerica
The Impacts of Technical Assistance on a Community Forest Enterprise: The Case of San Bernardino de Milpillas Chico, Mexico
This case study report describes work undertaken to improve community forest enterprise competitiveness in Mexico as a means to local economic development and forest conservation. Over a three-year period, Rainforest Alliance facilitated increased investment while providing technical assistance in value-added processing fora medium-sized indigenous community forestry operation in the northern state of Durango. As a […]
The Impacts of Training, Technical Assistance and New Market Access for Community Forest Enterprises in the Rio Plátano Biosphere Reserve, Honduras
Covering over two million acres, the Rio Plátano Man and Biosphere Reserve (RPBR) is Honduras’s largest natural forest reserve and an area of global biodiversity importance. Twelve community cooperatives have been granted the right to harvest timber and non-timber forest products in multiple-use zones of the RPBR, but they face substantial technical and financial challenges. […]
The Impacts of Technical Assistance on a Community Forest Enterprise: The Case of San Bernardino de Milpillas Chico, Mexico
This report describes work undertaken to improve community forest enterprise competitiveness in Mexico as a means to local economic development and forest conservation. Over a three-year period, the Rainforest Alliance facilitated increased investment while providing technical assistance in value-added processing for a medium-sized indigenous community forestry operation in the northern state of Durango. As a […]
Sustainable Tourism: Economic Benefits for Many
An economic impact study of five tourism businesses in Granada, Nicaragua, shows that sustainable tourism provides quality employment, promotes gender equity and benefits the local economy.
1999-2001 Kleinhans Fellow: Silvia E. Purata
Conservation and Use of Bursera spp. in the Tropical Dry Forests of Oaxaca: The Role of Markets and Certification in the Management of Non-Timber Forest Products The main objective of this project is to examine the ecological and market dynamics of some non-timber forest products of economic importance from the dry tropical forests of Oaxaca, Mexico. One […]... Continue Reading