Sustainable Tree Crops Programme - STCP

		STCP Update
		Sustainable Tree Crops Program International Cocoa Initiative - May-July 2008 Newsletter Archived Summaries

Since early 1999, the Federation has been a significant contributor to the Sustainable Tree Crops Programme. A common agenda for the development of sustainable cocoa, coffee and cashew tree crop systems in Africa was shaped at the Sustainable Tree Crop Development Forum in Washington D.C., in October 1999. This forum was represented by over 120 participants from the industry, farmer organizations, research institutes, trade organizations, commodity groups, governments and international development agencies that debated an extensive range of issues, encompassing potential technical, policy, institutional and financial constraints to the development of sustainable tree crop systems.

What is the goal of the STCP?

To improve the well-being of smallholder farmers through the development of sustainable tree crop systems that increase productivity, generate income, conserve biodiversity, use natural resources sustainably, and offer stable development prospects and long-term economic incentives.

What are the objectives of the STCP?

To promote public and private sector partnerships to provide an organizational framework and policy environment that is necessary to:

1. Maintain increased productivity of high quality tree crop products, over the long term, with an emphasis on farm rehabilitation and reclamation of deforested land;
   
2. Improve efficiency in the marketing chain, so that it delivers fair prices to farmers and quality products to end users;
3. Make African tree crop products competitive in international markets;
4. Improve the socio-economic situation of farmers;
5. Conserve the natural resource base and biodiversity.

How is the STCP structured?

To address the Program objectives efficiently, a framework with four component areas has been adopted:

1. Grower and Business Support Services
2. Research and Technology Transfer
3. Policy Change and Implementation
4. Market and Information System Development

The Regional Implementation Workshop

A Regional Implementation Workshop was held in May 22 to 26, 2001, in Accra, Ghana.

Workshop Objective

The objective of the regional implementation workshop was to review and validate an integrated action plan for the STCP, that will enable a series of activities in grower and business support services, research and technology transfer, policy, and market system development to be initiated within West and Central Africa.