What We Do
We are convinced that reforestation means more than just planting trees. Our approach strives for an ecologically, socially and also economically sustainable solution that benefits everyone.
The Challenges
Our Approach
1. Build Relationships
Smallholder farmers in the tropics are at the center of our work. They are indispensable for sustainable rainforest conservation. We build long-term relationships with the local communities and identify the individual needs of the people in order to help them in the best possible way through our joint activities.
2. Empower Farmers
In so-called Farmer Field Schools, the experiences and knowledge of smallholder farmers are supplemented with knowledge from expert foresters. In the courses, participants learn basic concepts and techniques of agroforestry and apply them in workshops in the field.
3. Distribute Seedlings
Every year, our nurseries and those of our partners’ raise hundreds of thousands of seedlings that are distributed to smallholder farmers free of charge for the planting season. In order to provide the participants of the programs with the appropriate seedlings for the conditions in their fields, we establish our own test fields to expand our knowledge year after year.
4. Establish Responsible Value Chains
An important part of our holistic approach is the development of sustainable value chains. We link smallholder farmers with the wood processing industry to provide a sustainable source of income to them. We also explore new uses for the planted lightwoods. For instance, we aim to introduce them in the construction sector, where they can replace emission-intensive materials such as concrete.
5. Monitor Impact
Transparent and responsible action is one of the guiding principles of our work. That’s why we developed TREEO – an app that makes it easy for smallholder farmers to independently collect data from their fields. TREEO allows us to track the growth of trees and record the CO2 stored as biomass. With the help of the data, we can continuously optimize our activities and provide advice and support that is tailored to smallholders.
Desired Outcomes
The Sustainable Development Goals are at the core of the United Nation’s political agenda. They are intended to ensure sustainable development worldwide on an economic, social and ecological level. In our reforestation projects, we combine these three aspects in a holistic approach.
Local farmers in Indonesia and Uganda are reforesting degraded lands. Our agroforestry approach generates a short-term income from nuts or vegetables and offers a long-term financial perspective through the cultivated timber. That means the farmers create a sustainable pool of natural resources for their communities and have increased incomes to provide for their families.
Engagement and participation of local communities are the key to fulfilling jobs and shared economic growth. In Indonesia and Uganda, we implement Farmer Field Schools in which local smallholder farmers receive education on how to manage agro-resources. These include the cultivation, harvesting, and sale of timber. This process not only protects natural resources and combats climate change, but also creates meaningful local jobs for the farmers and secures additional jobs in the processing industry due to a sustainable supply of resources.
Responsible consumption and production means minimal processing in cultivation and fabrication. At Fairventures, we champion locally grown timber for construction, as the production of materials such as concrete and plastic emit large amounts of CO2. As a means of forestry protection, CO2 compensation, as well as sustainable production and construction, we study and promote local woods in Uganda and Indonesia that can be quickly grown by local farmers and used in eco-friendly construction. Used in mass timber construction, timber often replaces emission-intensive materials such as steel or concrete. We are continuously working on a sustainable and fair value chain from smallholder farmers across the processing industry to consumers.
One of the fastest ways to stop rising global temperatures is carbon sequestration. Fairventures promotes fast-growing lightwood timber species and mass timber construction of buildings with a triple benefit for carbon sequestration: absorption of CO2 in the growing trees, long-term storage in lasting timber products and buildings and substitution of emission-intensive materials like steel and concrete by timber products. In turn, such projects connect companies, governments, and private persons.
Newest Annual Report
Read our annual report to find out what we have achieved together for the environment, climate and people in Indonesia and Uganda.
Our Partners
Working closely with many great partners around the world makes us more impactful and drives change.
About Us
Good Forests as Climate Solutions: We combine forestry and modern technologies to reforest degraded land in the tropics.
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