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

Book (stand-alone)

Responsible business conduct in the pineapple industry: a guide for producers and exporters

16/09/2024

This guide aims to support growers and businesses operating in the global pineapple industry in their efforts to implement responsible business conduct...

Brochure (factsheet; flyer/leaflet; Poster; banner)

Responsible Fruits Project follow-up survey results

23/07/2024

he project “Building responsible global value chains for the sustainable production and trade of tropical fruits” (the Responsible Fruits Project) supports...

Book (stand-alone)

Measuring carbon and water footprints in pineapple value chains

27/08/2024

This technical guide on measuring carbon and water footprints was developed to support resilient and sustainable businesses in pineapple value chains....

Meeting

Resilience and sustainability in tropical fruit value chains (Report from the global meeting of the Responsible Fruits Project)

30/08/2024

FAO organized a global meeting on resilience and sustainability in tropical fruit value chains in May 2024 with the aim to share up-to-date information...

Booklet

Are you ready to lead? Using responsible business conduct to address risks in pineapple businesses

27/09/2024

Responsible business conduct (RBC), implemented through due diligence, can help pineapple producers and businesses improve the sustainability of their...

More publications

Sustainable Tropical Fruits Series

How the avocado and pineapple business shape the fate of Sustainable Development Goals?

02/10/2023

Businesses in the global production and export of avocados and pineapples can play an important role in advancing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The tropical fruit sector not only contributes to employment and export revenues but also provides nutritious food. However, if not properly managed, social, environmental and economic risks associated with tropical fruits value chains can have detrimental effects and impede progress towards achieving the SDGs.

Creating an enabling environment for sustainable avocado and pineapple value chains - Opportunities for producing countries

05/10/2023

While many actors contribute to shaping the enabling environment for avocado and pineapple production and trade, governments in producing countries hold a key role in creating conditions that enable and foster sustainability and resilience.