Through the Rainforest Alliance Certification Program, we partner with companies and farms on their journey to move from harmful and degrading practices—like overreliance on pesticides—to sustainable and regenerative ones. By using a continuous improvement approach, we work together to restore the balance between people and nature.
One area in which we’re continually making progress is pest and disease management. As of January 2025, an updated version of the Rainforest Alliance’s Exceptional Use Policy on pesticide use is in effect. This policy, which our organization revisits every six months, aims to support farmers to phase out Highly Hazardous Pesticides (HHPs), considered to be the most toxic pesticides used in agriculture. After extensive analysis, we are renewing the policy with a two- to three-year extension for phasing out some of our prohibited pesticides.
With this extension, we aim to gradually reduce the use of hazardous chemicals while improving the health of ecosystems, workers, and communities near plantations.
Claudia Medrano, senior manager of quality and implementation protocols at the Rainforest Alliance
Continue reading for Medrano’s insights on the state of pest and disease control in the fruits sector and how our pesticide policy fits into our vision of a regenerative future.
What is the Rainforest Alliance doing to promote a future without harmful pesticides?
Throughout the evolution of our Sustainable Agriculture Standard, we have consistently supported farmers to use agrochemicals only when necessary and in a safe, rational way. Our approach integrates regenerative agriculture, climate resilience, and water efficiency, aligning with both European Union policies as well as initiatives like the Ethical Charter Initiative in the United States, which focuses on social aspects. Our standard often sets higher benchmarks than local legislation, in many cases helping farmers adopt best practices before they become regulatory requirements.
Why is there still so much pesticide usage in fruit farming, particularly for bananas?
There is still a lot of pesticide use in banana farming due to several factors. Although farmers are doing their best to transition to less harmful agricultural methods, they face obstacles like:
- Climate conditions: Tropical areas where bananas grow have high humidity and temperatures, creating ideal conditions for pests and diseases.
- Monoculture: Bananas are grown in large monoculture plantations, which facilitates the spread of pests and limits natural biological controls.
- Market demands: Consumers and international markets demand fruits without visible damage, which forces producers to maintain high aesthetic standards.
- Lack of effective alternatives: Although we promote integrated pest management (IPM), in many regions, biological and mechanical practices are either not sufficient or inaccessible.
How are Rainforest Alliance Certified farmers affected by the E.U. ban on HHPs?
The Rainforest Alliance has been a staunch advocate of the E.U. ban on exporting highly hazardous pesticides. Bans like this one can accelerate research into alternative pest and disease control methods and foster a push for developing disease-resistant varieties. They also help to hold European agrochemical companies accountable for exporting the very pesticides they are often not allowed to sell within their own borders—a dangerous double-standard that can put farm workers, their communities, and the environment at risk.
At the same time, bans like these create challenges and frustration for farmers. They know they should be using biological alternatives, but are not necessarily sure how to get there. There is a need for better collaboration with researchers, investors, and development banks to identify practical solutions and provide support for farmers transitioning away from HHPs. Ongoing trials and research projects are promising, but farmers need clear, accessible guidance to successfully adapt.
Hear directly from one of our partners, Adrian Jimenez of Earth University, about pest and disease control on farms and how the Rainforest Alliance can support farmers to phase out harmful pesticides:
Why does the Rainforest Alliance not allow the use of HHPs but then have an Exceptional Use Policy for several of them?
That’s a great question and one we hear often from farmers. We allow exceptions under an Exceptional Use Policy when Rainforest Alliance-approved practices and agrochemicals are unable to sufficiently manage certain pests or diseases, as is the case with certain chemicals like Mancozeb.
These exceptions are necessary to help farmers manage serious pest and disease challenges in monocrop systems, especially where research into alternatives is still ongoing or where alternatives are much more expensive and threaten economic sustainability. While we strive to reduce HHP use, the transition requires time, guidance, and support. We encourage Integrated Pest Management (IPM) practices and are committed to supporting research and pilot projects that aim to find safe and effective solutions.
Why did we determine this policy needed an extension to 2028, and what do we hope to achieve with it?
We extended the policy to 2028 because the shift towards using fewer chemicals and more biological alternatives hasn’t yet produced the solutions farmers need. Without concrete research and economically competitive alternatives, it’s challenging to entirely move away from certain chemicals.
By extending the policy now, we aim to create a more collaborative approach, encouraging local teams to coordinate closely with farmers and provide specific, actionable guidance. This extension allows time to develop a clear plan for finding, field-testing, and adopting sustainable alternatives and practices. This will ultimately reduce reliance on HHPs and lead to a higher adoption of IPM.
This extension allows time to develop a clear plan for finding, field-testing, and adopting sustainable alternatives, ultimately reducing reliance on HHPs.
Claudia Medrano, senior manager of quality and implementation protocols at the Rainforest Alliance
What do banana farmers need to do to get there, and who can help?
Our field team notes that the farms having the most success transitioning away from HHPs have received investments from external donors. Many of the solutions have been found already—for example, there are bacteria or fungi that act as natural enemies to some common diseases—but what is missing is the financial support for a facility to cultivate these natural solutions for farmer use.
What both large- and small-scale farmers need is access to these developments and the ability to try them out gradually alongside neighboring farms. In Guatemala, there are big farms surrounded by a sea of small farms. If the big farm cut their HHP usage by 50 to 60 percent, but the surrounding small-scale farmers continue using them, it won’t be an effective change. We need funders to support the transition away from harmful pesticides for all farmers, creating market incentive and recognition.
Ultimately, the purpose of the Rainforest Alliance’s Exceptional Use Policy extension is to help farmers in their transition. A list of the granted exceptions and their conditions are listed in the policy. Banana producers who need to use a prohibited pesticide from the list must follow a formal process to request an exception.
To do so, farmers must:
- Demonstrate that there are no workable alternatives to manage the specific pest affecting their crop, and that limiting the use of the pesticide in question would prevent the economic viability of the farm.
- Provide evidence of the risk mitigation measures they will take to minimize the environmental and social harm of using this pesticide.
- Develop a transition plan to replace the product in the future. The Rainforest Alliance, through partner support or certification bodies, can help farmers by guiding them to meet the criteria and ensure compliance with the standards.
