The specialised certification solution is designed to help farmers and companies build more resilient livelihoods and restore ecosystems across tropical landscapes.
From early next year, certified regenerative products will bear a distinct seal that signifies to consumers that the products have come from farms and companies that are committed to enriching the land and the lives of those who live off it.
The certification will initially only be available for coffee, but the Rainforest Alliance has said that it is committed to expanding to other crops including cocoa, citrus and tea throughout 2026.
The launch comes as challenges such as extreme weather, environmental degradation and growing socioeconomic pressures are threatening the livelihoods of millions of coffee farmers around the world, particularly smallholders who produce over 70% of the world’s coffee.
“Markets need to move beyond a ‘do no harm’ mindset to one that repairs and restores,” commented Santiago Gowland, CEO of the Rainforest Alliance.
“Now is the time to transition to a new model of agriculture—one where every cup of coffee gives back more than it takes from the land and the people who care for it. After years of research and collaboration with farmers and companies, we are proud to introduce a Regenerative Agriculture Certification to help drive this shift."
Regenerative agriculture is emerging as a promising solution to help restore nature’s essential functions while improving livelihoods, with recent studies showing that regenerative farming practices can improve income by up to 30%.
The Rainforest Alliance has integrated these principles into its Regenerative Agriculture Standard, which provides farmers with a clear, science-based certification pathway for measuring progress and outcomes across five impact areas. These are soil health and fertility, climate resilience, biodiversity, water stewardship and livelihoods.
The Regenerative Agriculture Standard is already being implemented across coffee farms in Brazil, Costa Rica, Mexico, and Nicaragua. Meanwhile, companies already sourcing from these farms are gearing up to deliver their first Rainforest Alliance Certified Regenerative coffee products to store shelves in 2026.
