Africa Sustainable Commodities Initiative

The Africa Sustainable Commodities Initiative (ASCI) is a single set of principles for the responsible production of agricultural commodities in Africa; protecting forests, good governance, and transparency, while ensuring social benefits for farmers, communities, indigenous peoples and their human rights.

ASCI puts producer countries in Africa at the forefront of defining the principles for the sustainable development of cocoa, rubber, palm oil, coffee and other commodities.

The Africa Sustainable Commodities Initiative now has its own micro-site.

From the Africa Palm Oil Initiative to the Africa Sustainable Commodities Initiative

ASCI builds and expands upon principles in the 2016 APOI ‘Marrakesh Declaration for Sustainable Development of the Palm Oil Sector’, as countries have recognised the need to work across multiple commodities to strengthen and scale positive impacts for people, nature and climate. For more information on the Tropical Forest Alliance Africa Palm Oil Initiative see this overview of the programme.

The evolution from the Africa Palm Oil Initiative to the Africa Sustainable Commodities Initiative is explained in this visual flipbook - https://online.fliphtml5.com/pxfaf/klgl/ 

CoP27 in Egypt: Signing the new Declaration

At CoP27 Ministers of the ten West and Central African countries signed the expanded Africa Sustainable Commodities Declaration - moving from the original focus on palm oil to a set of principles that encompass all relevant commodities in the production landscape. The event wias held at the Ghana Pavilion at the UNFCCC CoP27 on Wednesday, November 9th.

Recent Press

Euronews op ed by Abraham Baffoe - EU Deforestation Regulation must address Africa’s needs, too

African Business op ed by Abraham Baffoe - EU Deforestation Regulation Must Not Ignore Needs of African Farmers

Tropical Forest Alliance Perspectives magazine - the Africa Sustainable Commodities Initiative, interviewing Abraham Baffoe (re-published by the World Economic Forum)

African Business interviews His Excellency Godwin Obaseki, Governor of Edo State about investing in palm oil, including APOI and his multi-commodity approach

Africa.com article: Africa’s Commitment To Policy, Process And People To Protect Forests And Livelihoods, by Abraham Baffoe

Africa Europe Foundation: Bridging African and European Trade through Sustainable Agri-food Commodities

Business Insider Q&A with Proforest's Africa director, Abraham Baffoe

BBC Africa interview with Abraham on BBC Money Daily programme

Guardian newspaper (Nigeria) interview with Abraham Baffoe on land use planning for palm and timber

Environews (Democratic Republic of Congo) cover the signing of the new ASCI declaration in Sharm El Sheikh at CoP27

News Ghana covers the signing of the ASCI declaration by Ghana and nine other countries

Guardian newspaper (Nigeria) covers the signing of the ASCI declaration by Nigeria.

Farmers Review covers the signing of the new ASCI declaration for responsible production of all agricultural commodities

AfricaFeeds.com presents facts about the Africa Palm Oil Initiative and highlights from the signatory countries

The Conservation Society of Sierra Leone on the outcomes of CoP27 and importance of ASCI for Sierra Leone

Background on the Africa Palm Oil Initiative

Africa Sustainable Commodities Initiative CoP27 signing - commemorative publication tracking progress and looking to the future

Marrakesh +5 - a publication tracing the history and success of APOI with statements from all ten member countries about key milestones and success, provided at CoP26

Highlights from 2020-21

Highlights from 2019-20

APOI Impact Report