The Mountain Journal
editor@themountainjournal.co.ke
The Rainforest Alliance has embraced regenerative agriculture certification for coffee designed to provide coffee farmers and companies with a science-based standard to track the impact on soil health and biodiversity.
In this measure, the regenerative agriculture standard will build more resilient livelihoods and restore ecosystems across tropical landscapes.
Senior Director East and Southern Africa, at the Rainforest Alliance Mr Julius Ng’ang’a, said early next year, certified regenerative products with a distinct seal, signifying to consumers that these products are sourced from the farms and companies that are committed to enriching the land and the lives of those who live off it.
“While initially available only for coffee, the organization will continue expanding its certification to other crops including cocoa, citrus, and tea, throughout 2026, “ he said in a press statement.
The announcement comes at a critical time for global agriculture, as extreme weather and ongoing environmental degradation continues to disrupt crop yields, supply reliability, and commodity markets.
These challenges, he said are combined with growing socioeconomic pressures, are threatening the livelihoods of millions of coffee farmers, particularly smallholders who produce over 70 percent of the world’s coffee.
He added that after years of research and collaboration with farmers, regenerative agriculture certification will be introduced to help drive this shif.
The regenerative agriculture standard has been implemented across coffee farms in Brazil, Costa Rica, Mexico, and Nicaragua, and is ready to be marketed under the Rainforest certification next year.
By last year, Ng’anga said the organisation had partnered with nearly 8 million farmers, and over 7,850 companies, with more than 40,000 products under the seal of the Rainforest Alliance.
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