OAKLAND, Calif., USA – Fair Trade USA is proud to announce a partnership with Acorn, an initiative of Rabobank, which will expand fair access to the carbon economy for smallholder coffee and cocoa farmers in Africa, Asia, and Latin America. The carbon economy is growing—but too often the farmers who are on the frontlines of climate change are left out of the return on the investments that they have made to build resiliency.
Carbon credits have emerged as a powerful tool to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and hold companies and individuals responsible for their environmental impact. Credits, which are tradable permits that offset carbon footprints, can create additional income for famers and ensure their inclusion in the returns from the carbon economy.
Fair Trade USA has a 26-year record of driving increased income to farmers, workers, and fishers. The standards behind the trusted Fair Trade Certified label ensure fair pay, environmental stewardship, safe working conditions, and much more. Additionally, Community Development Funds are democratically managed by farmers and workers and invested in a range of projects that benefit the community. Many of these investments are made in environmental projects like restoration of degraded land, and expanded agroforestry practices which improve soil carbon storage that will now help generate high-quality, verified carbon credits that now lead to even more income.
Acorn’s farmer-first model guarantees that 80% of carbon credit proceeds go directly to farmers, and that farmers retain full ownership of their data. Their unique Carbon Removal Units (CRUs) focus on agroforestry, so farmers are planting trees to support soil quality and crop yield. By linking agroforestry expansion with equitable carbon credit systems, coffee and cocoa farmers not only keep forests standing, but are actively regenerating landscapes, improving soil health, and creating opportunities for diversified income.
Acorn’s model is focused on carbon removal, which differs from other carbon credits on the market that seek to prevent or reduce emissions. Their CRUs are measurable, traceable, scalable, and nature-based and includes two distinct kinds of carbon removal: offsetting, which allows companies to offset emissions elsewhere, and insetting, which allows traders and roasters to purchase CRUs generated by farmers in their own value chain.
The partnership between Acorn and Fair Trade USA is a step toward climate justice, ensuring that farmers—who bear some of the greatest burdens from climate change—have fair access to economic opportunities in the carbon economy. More information about this partnership can be found on the Fair Trade USA website.
