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56 Agriculture-Supporting Social Innovations

From Fair Trade Cocoa to Alternative Food Networks

— May 17, 2012 — Social Good
Agriculture-based social innovations are increasingly important as the world is becoming increasingly urbanized. As humans, we are becoming alienated (and of course, alienating ourselves) from the material environment -- let alone mentioning farm life.

This isn't simply about a nostalgic longing for going "back to the earth;" this essentially comes down to survival and the ability for communities around the world to support themselves not only when it comes to food but also economic development and health.

Some of these agriculture-based social innovations work toward creating cotton products or coffee beans, but others are more grassroots in their connection the farm. For example, Corbin Hill Road farm is part of a few other examples of social enterprises that aim to offer accessible and healthy produce to those who are left out of mainstream food networks due to either price or location or both.
4.2
Score
Popularity
Activity
Freshness
56
Job-Creating Recycling Programs
Job-Creating Recycling Programs
Bangladesh's 'Waste Concern' is an Eco Social Business with Bite
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55
Tourist-Attracting Sustainable Infrastructure
Tourist-Attracting Sustainable Infrastructure
Corn Cow Inc. Improves New York's Rural Subsistence
<
54
Crowdsourced Ranches
Crowdsourced Ranches
The MyFarm Project is a Real-Life Farmville
<
53
Sustainable Amazonian Drinks
Sustainable Amazonian Drinks
Runa Supports Indigenous Farmers Through Guayusa Tea
<
52
Ugandan-Made Ethical Tees
Ugandan-Made Ethical Tees
'Forgotten Shirts' Supplies Style, Meaningful Work and a Chance to Live
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51
Commodity-Chain-Linking Java
Commodity-Chain-Linking Java
Bourbon Coffee Focuses on Economic Development in Rwanda
<
50
Ethical Cocoa Gadget Helpers
Ethical Cocoa Gadget Helpers
The Divine Chocolate App Shares the Story of the Farmer-Owned Company
<
49
Neighborhood  Energy Farms
Neighborhood Energy Farms
Community Solar Gardens are Sprouting Up Everywhere
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48
Connection-Building Beans
Connection-Building Beans
DOMA Coffee Roasters Create Relationships That Last
<
47
Coffee Connection Sites
Coffee Connection Sites
Coffee CSA Lets You Connect with and Buy from Java Farmers Worldwide
<
46
Labor-Oriented Cacoa Production
Labor-Oriented Cacoa Production
The Dandelion Chocolate Bars Team Focuses on Employment Standards
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45
Fertile Fundraising Fashion
Fertile Fundraising Fashion
The Tohoku Cotton Project Will Revive Japan's Ravaged Prefecture
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44
Local Food Movements
Local Food Movements
SPUD.ca and SPUD.com Stock Your Fridge with Organic Groceries
<
43
BioTrade Butterfly Businesses
BioTrade Butterfly Businesses
'Alas de Colombia' Generates Income Through Sustainable Farming
<
42
Fair Trade Bouquets
Fair Trade Bouquets
One World Flowers Imports from Ecuador and Delivers to Your Door
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41
Smallholder Business Partners
Smallholder Business Partners
Safi Coffee Goes Beyond Fair Trade for the Good of Kenyan Farmers
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40
Social Nutrient Packs
Social Nutrient Packs
'Valid Nutrition' Pastes are Made Locally Where They Are Needed
<
39
Honest Chocolate
Honest Chocolate
Alter Eco Americas Sells Fair Trade Products, Connects Customers and Farmers
<
38
Indian Water-Saving Technology
Indian Water-Saving Technology
GEWP Allows Farmers to Yield More Crops and Create More Jobs
<
37
Community-Focused Palestinian Produce
Community-Focused Palestinian Produce
Zaytoun Imports Organic and Fair Trade Products
<
36
Economically Viable Vehicles
Economically Viable Vehicles
The Project Rwanda 'Coffee-Bike' Offers Farmers Affordable Transports
<
35
Wasted Apple Beverages
Wasted Apple Beverages
Batlow Premium Cider Stems from the Australian Co-Operative
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34
Fair Trade Wine Pouches
Fair Trade Wine Pouches
'Palesa' Symbolizes Strength, Motherhood and Consciousness
<
33
Organic Food Giveaways
Organic Food Giveaways
The NYFoods Egg Change Project Fosters the One-for-One Model
<
32
High End Fair Trade Quality Chocolate
High End Fair Trade Quality Chocolate
<
31
Social Enterprise Beer
Social Enterprise Beer
SABMiller Commits to 'Farming Better Futures' with Impala Lager in Africa
<
30
Peace Perfumes
Peace Perfumes
The Vetiver of Haiti Fragrance by The 7 Virtues Helps Rebuild Communities
<
29
Farmer-Empowered Beekeeping
Farmer-Empowered Beekeeping
'Under The Mango Tree' Services Both Ends of the Honey Market
<
28
Ethical Gastropubs
Ethical Gastropubs
The Duke of Cambridge Serves Organic and Local Foods
<
27
Food Desert Distributors
Food Desert Distributors
The Corbin Hill Road Farm Supplies Fresh Produce to Those in Need
<
26
Fair Trade Bulk Apparel
Fair Trade Bulk Apparel
Epona Clothing Supplies Ethical Tees for Charities, Schools & Businesses
<
25
Fair Trade African Soda
Fair Trade African Soda
Ubuntu Cola is a First for the United Kingdom
<
24
Fairtrade Chic Drinks
Fairtrade Chic Drinks
Lemonaid Beverages and ChariTea Look Cool, Pay Farmers Fairly
<
23
Youthful Entrepreneur Projects
Youthful Entrepreneur Projects
'Social Enterprise Africa' Trains Ethical Changemakers
<
22
Fair Trade Vino
Fair Trade Vino
Fairhills Wines is an Empowerment Project Started in South Africa
<
21
Global Farmers' Markets
Global Farmers' Markets
Liga Masiva Lets You Buy Coffee Straight from the Source
<
20
Community Produce Narratives
Community Produce Narratives
Food Connect Brisbane Invites You to Know More About Your Meal
<
19
Cause-Driven Coffee
Cause-Driven Coffee
Pura Vida Empowers the Poor Through Create Good Foundation
<
18
Fair Trade Shea Butter
Fair Trade Shea Butter
Delapointe's Products are Made by Women in Burkina Faso
<
17
Sustainable Sanitation Systems
Sustainable Sanitation Systems
'San+Co.' is a Social Enterprise Tackling Waste and Electricity
<
16
Culture-Sustaining Hammocks
Culture-Sustaining Hammocks
Yellow Leaf Provides Alternatives to Child Labor and Toxic Farming
<
15
Education-Funding Agriculture
Education-Funding Agriculture
Planting Promise is a Business-Oriented Charity in Sierra Leone
<
14
Fair Trade Cocoa
Fair Trade Cocoa
Divine Chocolate is a Social Business Partly Owned by Its Farmers
<
13
Fair Trade Dried Goods
Fair Trade Dried Goods
Tropical Wholefoods Works with Farmers from All Over the World
<
12
Coffee Ground Mushrooms
Coffee Ground Mushrooms
'Back to the Roots' Turns Waste into Gourmet Ingredients
<
11
Social Sri Lankan Seasonings
Social Sri Lankan Seasonings
The Spicy Gourmet Supports Small Farmers Through Fair Trade
<
10
Smallholder Coffee Farmers
Smallholder Coffee Farmers
Cafedirect Builds Communities Through Social Business
<
9
Co-Op Cacoa
Co-Op Cacoa
Kallari Chocolate Bars Support 850 Families and the Rainforest
<
8
Beads to Fight Poverty
Beads to Fight Poverty
BeadForLife Sells Fair Trade Jewelry and Shea Butter Made in Uganda
<
7
Alternative Food Networks
Alternative Food Networks
The People's Supermarket Focuses on Community Development
<
6
Community-Empowering Food Systems
Community-Empowering Food Systems
DC Central Kitchen is a Social Enterprise with a Long-Term Focus
<
5
Microloan-Giving Tees
Microloan-Giving Tees
The Naked Hippie Invests in Small-Scale Entrepreneurs in the Majority World
<
4
Online Ethical Retailers
Online Ethical Retailers
SERRV Alleviates Poverty by Supporting Artisans from Around the World
<
3
Utopic Eco Villages
Utopic Eco Villages
Costa Rica's Kopali Communities Adheres to the Triple Bottom Line
<
2
Socially Conscious Packaging
Socially Conscious Packaging
Level Ground Trading Re-Sealable Bags Take You Back to the Fields
<
1
Fair Trade Underwear
Fair Trade Underwear
Pants to Poverty is a Hip Social Enterprise That Raises “Underwearness"
<