We believe that pesticide use can be decreased by strengthening and balancing the functions of the agro-ecosystem and aim to achieve a change in mindset that first looks at the environmental and social components of managing pests, and sees external inputs such as pesticides as a last resort.
For the Rainforest Alliance, “regenerative agriculture” comprises a broad set of principles and practices under the umbrella of climate-smart agriculture. Taking an agroecology and integrated system management approach, regenerative agriculture aims to increase biodiversity, enhance ecosystem services, and increase agroecosystem resilience thus leading to resilient livelihoods. This way of farming is based on enhancing the […]
Our 2020 Certification Program—published June 30, 2020, and mandatory for audits beginning July 1, 2021—adopts an “assess-and-address” approach to tackling human rights issues such as forced labor, which will not be tolerated on certified farms or in companies. Rather than imposing a simple prohibition, which often drives the problem underground, the “assess-and-address” approach goes much […]
The Rainforest Alliance envisions a world in which people and nature thrive in harmony. Critical to achieving this is ensuring that the agricultural producers, workers, and communities whose livelihoods are intricately linked to some of the world’s most diverse ecosystems are able to achieve a decent and sustainable livelihood for themselves and their families. For […]
The Rainforest Alliance has made a significant contribution to a more sustainable banana sector in the last 30 years. This paper describes the Rainforest Alliance banana program and its positive impacts. It also touches on the sustainability issues that the organization needs to continue to address and how it envisions doing this. Bananas are at […]
In the past 30 years the voluntary approach to sustainability has seen an increase in more sustainable practices being adopted by producers, traders, companies and governments. The work of the Rainforest Alliance is based on the voluntary commitment to sustainability of our partners throughout the supply chain. However, voluntary measures alone are not enough to […]