Market Uptake

In the heart of Thailand under Bangkok’s vibrant sky, leaders in the palm oil sector from across the globe gathered at RT2024, the annual conference on sustainable palm oil production. This cornerstone event provides a unique platform for diverse stakeholders from the palm oil sector around the world. Independent smallholders from Latin America were among the attendees sharing their progress, learning from global peers contributing to the future of the sector. Lesly Vera and Maria Goretti Esquivel, Palm Oil Programme Managers at Solidaridad in Peru and Colombia, shared the story of their progress during the event.

A cup of coffee is more than a morning ritual – it transforms lives. Two recent coffee campaigns by Solidaridad Germany have drawn attention to this, advocating for a more sustainable coffee sector. These campaigns are supported by the German Postcode Lottery. 

The Asia Tea Alliance is reshaping the future of the tea sector. At its 2024 annual summit in India, the Alliance trained its focus on sustainable practices, innovative agriculture, and expansion into new markets. The Alliance aims to revitalize the global tea industry, and secure a prosperous future for tea producers and consumers alike.

Solidaridad’s Rachel Wanyoike examines how Kenyan tea farmers are poised for greater success with the government’s commitment to value addition. A new initiative is designed to increase incomes, create jobs, and enhance the global reputation of Kenyan tea. By embracing modern practices and tapping into the growing demand for specialty teas, farmers can significantly elevate their livelihoods.

Numerous stakeholders gathered in India at a recent conference to highlight palm oil’s potential to help the country achieve self-sufficiency in edible oils, with many speakers promoting sustainable palm oil emphasizing the crop’s high yields compared to other oil crops and its economic benefits for farmers.

Small tea growers from Mozambique have won first place in the Emerging Specialty Tea category at the African Specialty Tea Conference and Expo in Kenya. The meeting of tea producers from across Africa was an opportunity for small tea farmers to connect with global markets, and the award highlighted the potential of teas from Mozambique.

Green leaf tea, produced by smallholders, accounts for more than 50 percent of India’s total tea production. Even when grappling with newer challenges like the effects of climate change, they continue to face the quality, safety and livelihood issues that have long plagued the tea sector in India and abroad. SoliTrace, a traceability technology solution, is designed to support these tea growers who are often marginalized in the tea value chain.

With oil palm farming in decline in Nigeria, the Cross River State is sowing the seeds of opportunity. In response to the country’s overreliance on crude oil revenues, this state is looking to develop a roadmap in order to sustainably revitalize its agricultural sector through high-value crops like oil palm, cocoa and coffee.

Solidaridad has partnered with BASF to support coffee growers through their ongoing Kajve initiative. The collaboration aims to continue improving adoption of sustainable farming practices, facilitate knowledge sharing, and foster climate-resilient coffee production through innovative and Nature-based Solutions. Explore the potential impact of these collaborative efforts on the future of coffee production in Mexico.