Resilient Ecosystems and Sustainable Transformation of Rural Economies

Côte d’Ivoire and Ghana are the largest producers of cocoa in the world, with millions of families relying on the crop for their livelihoods. Yet cocoa farmers earn, on average, only six percent of the final product’s value in stores, making poverty and food insecurity common. Additionally, women make up a significant part of the cocoa workforce but earn far less than their male counterparts and have less access to land, credit, and inputs. Few farmers in these landscapes engage in sustainable practices, and cocoa production contributes significantly to deforestation and land degradation.

The Rainforest Alliance is implementing the Resilient Ecosystems and Sustainable Transformation of Rural Economies (RESTORE) project to improve livelihoods for cocoa farmers, while increasing tree cover and reducing GHG emissions.