Descriptions
The Sustainable Farming in Tropical Asian Landscapes (SFITAL) is a five-year research-in-development project designed to connect small-scale producers with global supply chains in an environmentally sustainable, economically viable, and socially responsible way. ICRAF, as the implementing organization, collaborates with multiple stakeholders, including Rainforest Alliance and Mars, Incorporated. Funded by the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), the project targets to drive positive change in the production and management of two widely traded commodities to strengthen the sector’s resilience.
SFITAL promotes sustainable agricultural and agroforestry management across landscapes in Indonesia and the Philippines, focusing on oil palm in Indonesia and cacao in both countries. These high-value commodities support livelihoods and business opportunities but are grown in regions facing challenges such as aging farmers, limited access to technology, market, and finance, water stress, reduced agrobiodiversity, and deforestation.
In Indonesia and the Philippines, Technical Advisory Committees (TAC) have been established to offer strategic guidance, foster synergies with national policies and programs, and develop strategies for impactful policies and outcomes. Members include government representatives, multistakeholder platforms for cocoa and palm oil, industry associations, and experts in sustainable value chains and governance. Indonesia’s TAC is chaired by the Ministry of National Development Planning (Bappenas) and the Ministry of Agriculture, while in the Philippines, it is led by the National Cocoa Industry Council and the Department of Agriculture.
