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