As a critical component of regenerative agroforestry, farmers plant a variety of cash and subsistence crops.
RESPONSIBLY SOURCED VANILLA Vanilla, a precious and highly sought-after commodity, undergoes a complicated, risky journey to get into the hands of consumers around the world. Vanilla beans are harvested from the only edible species of orchid in the world. These delicate orchids, which grow like vines up the sides of trees, take years to mature, have an unforgivably short flowering period once a year, and require hand pollination of each flower to produce the valuable beans. An estimated 80% of vanilla beans cultivated for human consumption come from Madagascar, and 85% of Madagascar’s production happens in Sava, a small region in northern Madagascar. Like most of the country, this region is prone to devas- tating hurricanes and flooding, and extended periods of drought and famine. The extreme weather, exacerbated by the effects of climate change, have damaged crops and caused the global cost of vanilla to fluctuate dramatically from year to
year, putting significant strain on farmers and their families. Because the commodity is so valuable, farmers also face constant threats of theft and adulteration in the market. As a company that sources more than half a million pounds of vanilla extract each year, we have a responsibility to consider the impacts of our sourcing practices and do what we can to ease the burdens faced by smallholder farmers in our supply chain. For years, Frontier Co-op has worked with our sourcing partners to improve commu- nity and business resilience. We have funded the building and operation of schools, invested in easier access to safe drinking water, and more.
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