Building responsible global value chains for tropical fruits| Markets and Trade | Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations

Responsible Fruits

Concerned about business risk in avocado or pineapple supply chains?

The global production and trade of tropical fruits has grown dramatically while markets are demanding more action on environmental and social issues. Extreme weather, pests and diseases, economic downturns and other shocks have shown that business risks must be addressed to ensure continued success.

Companies are already taking steps to address sustainability risk in their operations.

However, value chains are vulnerable to risks and shocks beyond the control of any single actor. Thus, concerted actions can benefit all industry stakeholders and is why FAO is leading efforts to build responsible global value chains for more inclusive, resilient and sustainable production and trade of tropical fruits.

What is FAO doing?

This effort builds on more than a decade of experience in working with the private sector on tropical fruits. FAO hosts the secretariat and facilitates the World Banana Forum where industry players discuss challenges, seek technical support, and share good practices and innovations for sustainability in the banana sector. FAO led the Responsible Fruits Project (2020 to 2024, with support from the Federal Republic of Germany) working with over 250 stakeholders to make avocado and pineapple value chains more resilient and sustainable. FAO worked with over 30 leading enterprises and industry associations to apply the risk-based due diligence recommendations in the OECD-FAO Guidance for Responsible Agricultural Supply Chains. Now FAO is leading the development of a new project to improve the inclusiveness, resilience and sustainability of tropical fruit value chains (expected to start in the fourth quarter of 2025).

FAO's work:

	helps companies to strengthen or establish risk-based due diligence systems to make their operations more sustainable and resilient to external shocks, such as extreme weather and pandemics;
	provides a confidential environment for peer learning on pre-competitive issues;
	identifies measures and good practices to overcome challenges limiting resilience and sustainability;
	develops demand-driven guides and briefs, including good practices, to address technical challenges identified by industry actors and other stakeholders; and
	analyses the policy environment and incentives in order to identify opportunities to accelerate sustainable investment in supply chains.

Learn more about the activities under "Focus areas" on the right of this page.

What are the benefits of joining the new project?

Through its activities, FAO has reached more than 200 organizations in tropical fruit value chains. All interested producers, companies, trade associations, labour organizations and producer organizations involved in avocado or pineapple value chains may ask to join the project.

Participants in the new project will:

	provide guidance on where the project should focus its resources by identifying priorities and good practices to reduce risk and enhance inclusiveness, resilience and sustainability;
	identify priorities for peer-learning webinars, capacity development events and technical guides;
	learn how others address challenges in pre-competitive issues; and
	have early access to technical and capacity development materials created by the project.

There is no cost  to participate. Confidentiality will be strictly protected.

Latest publications

Webinar #5: Reduction of agrochemical use, sustainable pest and disease management and compliance with MRLs - 2 February 2022

24/03/2022

This was the fifth in a series of technical webinars being organized by FAO’s Responsible Fruits project in response to the priorities and interests...

Making avocado and pineapple supply chains more sustainable and resilient

15/07/2021

Concerned about business risk in avocado or pineapple supply chains? FAO can help. Global production and trade of tropical fruits have grown dramatically....

Booklet

Integrating responsible business conduct in avocado production and export – An introductory guide for trainers

15/10/2024

The FAO technical guide, “Responsible business conduct in the avocado industry: a guide for producers and exporters”, was developed to support export-oriented...

Webinar #3: How the tropical fruits sector can tackle deforestation and contribute to forest positive value chains -21 October 2021

04/03/2022

This was the third in a series of technical webinars being organized by FAO’s Responsible Fruits project in response to the priorities and interests...

Booklet

Integrating responsible business conduct in pineapple production and export – An introductory guide for trainers

15/10/2024

The FAO technical guide, “Responsible business conduct in the pineapple industry: a guide for producers and exporters”, was developed to support export-oriented...

More publications

Sustainable Tropical Fruits Series

Gap analysis tool to strengthen the management of sustainability risks in tropical fruit value chains

27/10/2022

This technical brief describes a gap analysis tool that enables companies in the avocado and pineapple sectors to compare their policies and the voluntary standards they use with key due diligence recommendations of the OECD-FAO Guidance for Responsible Agricultural Supply Chains.

Resilience gaps and opportunities for the pineapple industry

04/07/2023

Strengthening the resilience of avocado value chains is increasingly important as the sector faces multifaceted risks, including climate change, pests and diseases, and economic downturns, among others. By building resilience, avocado companies and associations can ensure the continuity of their operations and businesses.