Leveraging agricultural value chains to enhance tropical tree cover and slow deforestation (leaves): Synthesis report

Abstract

Slowing the degradation and clearing of tropical forests and increasing tree cover in agricultural and livestock grazing systems could become a critical part of the global solution to climate change. To realize this potential, improvements in crop and livestock yields must be achieved to reconcile the expansion of forest and tree cover with the growing global demand for food, feed, and fiber from the tropics. The Leveraging Agricultural Value Chains to Enhance Tropical Tree Cover and Slow Deforestation (LEAVES) program, led by the World Bank Group and financed by the Program on Forests (PROFOR) has conducted agricultural commodity case studies involving beef, cocoa, coffee, oil palm, shea butter and soybean to identify key recommendations and lessons that can help the World Bank Group and others realize the potential of reducing deforestation and enhancing tree cover in agricultural landscapes. This Synthesis summarizes the key findings of these case studies. The case studies point to both the positive impacts and the limitations of prevailing international strategies such as REDD+, voluntary certification of sustainablyproduced agricultural and forestry commodities, corporate deforestation pledges, and payment for ecosystems / environmental1 services. Not one of these mechanisms by itself can drive the forest-friendly and tree cover enhancement transformation in tropical production systems that is needed. A new LEAVES paradigm focuses on tropical forest regions and the innovators among governments, farmers, villagers, researchers, nongovernmental organizations (NGOs), and agribusiness companies that are finding local solutions and opportunistically harnessing relevant international strategies and programs. This new paradigm is informed by the following six case studies.