ARISE IIP partners with the Rainforest Alliance for sustainable agriculture value chain development in Africa
ARISE Integrated Industrial Platforms (ARISE IIP), a pan African developer of industrial ecosystems to announce a transformative partnership with the Rainforest Alliance, an international non-profit organization working to restore the balance between people and nature for both to thrive in harmony.
This partnership, led by ARISE IIP’s Environment, Social and Governance (ESG) department is set to drive substantial change within ARISE IIP’s business units across Africa and will lay the foundation for the development of sustainable agriculture value chains for commodities like cashew, pineapple, spices, sesame, soya, and corn.
Key objectives of the partnership include:
- Sustainability framework: Together, ESG at ARISE IIP and the Rainforest Alliance will build a sustainability framework for the agriculture value chain across Africa. This will help ensure that African agricultural systems are more ecologically sound, economically viable, and socially responsible.
- Certification of value chain: The partnership will work towards certifying the entire value chain, across 200k+ farmers, processing facilities, warehouses and directly connecting them to international markets.
- Direct sourcing, tackling deforestation: ARISE IIP and the Rainforest Alliance will work together to develop a traceable ecosystem of direct sourcing and processing avoiding deforestation at origin.
- Focus on triple bottom line: The partnership will focus on the triple bottom line; our goal is to create a low-carbon and climate resilient supply chain, enhance the livelihoods and rights of farmers, protect and enhance habitats and biodiversity, and catalyze local transformation and value addition.
Mr. Gagan Gupta, CEO of ARISE IIP, stated: “We are thrilled to embark on this transformative journey with the Rainforest Alliance. By leveraging our collective expertise, resources, and networks, we aim to create a more sustainable Agri-value chain that will benefit the people, the planet, and businesses across Africa.“
Mr. Santiago Gowland, CEO at the Rainforest Alliance said: “We are delighted to join forces with ARISE and their partners to enhance outcomes for farmers, rural communities, biodiversity, and climate. Through our shared vision and concerted efforts, coupled with the Rainforest Alliance’s 35 years’ expertise in sustainability transformation, we aim to create a more economically viable, ecologically sound, and socially responsible value chain, benefiting Africa and its people“.
