Ghana and Côte d'Ivoire committed last fall to ending deforestation in their cocoa supply chains.... Continue Reading
What's at Stake
West and Central Africa have strong rural economies set within some of the world's largest forest expanses. The Congo Basin spans eight countries, contains the world's second largest contiguous forest, and boasts abundant biodiversity and natural resources. It also provides food, water, and shelter to some 75 million people.
Cocoa farmers face economic hardship, climate change
Seventy percent of the world’s cocoa comes from West Africa, where cocoa cultivation is a way of life reaching back for generations. Most of the cocoa throughout the region is grown by smallholder farmers who struggle not only with economic hardship, but also with the effects of climate change—hotter temperatures, unpredictable rainfall, and a shift in growing seasons.
Our Work
Sustainable agriculture and community forestry are powerful strategies for conserving the abundance of natural resources in West and Central Africa. In addition to our work to conserve the forests of the Congo Basin, we partner with farming communities to build climate-resilient, sustainable agriculture landscapes.
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The Future of Farming Begins with Young Farmers in Kenya
Future Farmers begins with a one-acre demo farm in Kagio, Kenya, where everything is an opportunity for experimentation and growth.... Continue Reading
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Cocoa Farmers Help Protect Last Primary Rainforest in Côte d’Ivoire
We're helping farmers increase their incomes and conserve a precious ecosystem.... Continue Reading
All resources for West & Central Africa
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Eliminating Deforestation from Ghana’s Cocoa Supply Chain
Ghana and Côte d'Ivoire committed last fall to ending deforestation in their cocoa supply chains.
New Women-Led Climate Fund to Save Vast Tropical Forests
Impact investment advisor AlphaSource announced today that they have teamed up with conservation NGO the Rainforest Alliance; wildlife and forest protection experts Wildlife Works; and the
Project Profiles
Project Profile: Achieving Conservation and Improving Livelihoods through the Sustainable Management of Community-Based Forest Operations in Cameroon
Thanks to the exceptional richness of its forest ecosystems, Cameroon occupies the fifth rank in Africa in terms of biodiversity.
Although overall deforestation rates in the region are still lower than those in parts of the Amazon and southeast Asia, they have accelerated over the past few years, driven by the establishment of large-scale agricultural and mining operations. With the aid of government agencies, large firms have been seizing swaths of land in forested areas that were traditionally...
Project Profiles
Project Profile: A Regional Focus on Sustainable Timber Management in the Congo Basin
Central Africa contains the second largest expanse of contiguous moist tropical forest of the world. It represents 70 percent of the African continent’s forest cover and constitutes a large portion of Africa’s biodiversity.
In the Congo Basin, forests are home to roughly 30 million people and support livelihoods for over 75 million people from more than 150 ethnic groups. In all of the six countries, forestry is a major economic sector, providing jobs and local subsistence from timber and...
Impact Study
Impact of UTZ Certification on Cocoa Producers in Ghana 2011-2014
UTZ Certified and Solidaridad have been partners in a cocoa programme in Ghana since 2010 with the collaboration of producer groups, licenced buying companies, traders and non-governmental... View more
Case Study
Towards Productive Landscapes: A Landscape Approach to Climate-Smart Agriculture in Ghana
Deforestation in the tropics is a significant cause of global climate change (Murdiyarso, Hergoualc’h and Verchot 2010). Where land conversion is fueled by commodity agriculture, it is imperative to... View more