Fair Trade USA Partners With Acorn
Fair Trade USA is partnering with Acorn, an initiative of Rabobank, to expand fair access to the carbon economy for smallholder coffee and cocoa farmers in Africa, Asia, and Latin America.
According to Fair Trade USA, 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. Acorn’s 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 include 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.
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 farmers and ensure their inclusion in the returns from the carbon economy.
Fair Trade USA said its partnership with Acorn 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.
