This technical brief explores the challenges and opportunities confronting the tropical fruit sector in meeting European Union (EU) regulations on maximum residue levels (MRLs) and pesticide use. The EU's Farm to Fork Strategy aims to cut chemical pesticide use by half by 2030. Within this context, producers targeting the EU market are confronted with the dilemma of reducing pesticide use while tackling climate change-induced pest challenges. The brief gives examples...

While many actors contribute to shaping the enabling environment for avocado and pineapple production and trade, governments in producing countries hold a key role in creating conditions that enable and foster sustainability and resilience. This brief highlights non-exhaustive, generic measures that governments may consider when seeking to address challenges and promote the long-term sustainability of avocado and pineapple value chains. The examples presented serve as a benchmark for discussion and...

Businesses in the global production and export of avocados and pineapples can play an important role in advancing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The tropical fruit sector not only contributes to employment and export revenues but also provides nutritious food. However, if not properly managed, social, environmental and economic risks associated with tropical fruits value chains can have detrimental effects and impede progress towards achieving the SDGs. A proactive approach...

This brief highlights the potential of multistakeholder initiatives to benefit producers and companies by fostering sustainability and resilience within tropical fruit value chains. The tropical fruit sector faces many risks, including pests and diseases becoming resistant to phytosanitary products, hazardous labour practices, deforestation, and vulnerability to external shocks, such as climate change and economic downturns. These risks are too complex for individual actors to effectively address them in isolation. Multistakeholder...

To better understand current and future climate risks and their impact on avocado production and trade, as well as how to prepare for, and deal with these risks, the Responsible Fruits Project, working in partnership with key players in the avocado sector, produced a technical guide on climate change adaptation. The guide was designed for producers and exporters of pineapple and avocado who are interested in learning more about climate...

To better understand current and future climate risks and their impact on pineapple production and trade, as well as how to prepare for, and deal with these risks, the Responsible Fruits Project, working in partnership with key players in the pineapple sector, produced a technical guide on climate change adaptation. The guide was designed for producers and exporters of pineapple and avocado who are interested in learning more about climate...

Strengthening the resilience of avocado value chains is increasingly important as the sector faces multifaceted risks, including climate change, pests and diseases, and economic downturns, among others. By building resilience, avocado companies and associations can ensure the continuity of their operations and businesses. The Responsible Fruits project conducted a detailed study to identify the main challenges and opportunities to strengthen the resilience of the avocado and pineapple industries. This brief...

Strengthening the resilience of avocado value chains is increasingly important as the sector faces multifaceted risks, including climate change, pests and diseases, and economic downturns, among others. By building resilience, avocado companies and associations can ensure the continuity of their operations and businesses. The Responsible Fruits project conducted a detailed study to identify the main challenges and opportunities to strengthen the resilience of the avocado and pineapple industries. This brief...

This technical brief describes a gap analysis tool that enables companies in the avocado and pineapple sectors to compare their policies and the voluntary standards they use with key due diligence recommendations of the OECD-FAO Guidance for Responsible Agricultural Supply Chains. The gap analysis tool was developed by the FAO led Responsible Fruits Project (GCP/GLO/022/GER) that supports companies and producer organizations in developing risk-based due diligence systems to help them become...