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Don’t forget to renew your Fairtrade Africa membership! Deadline is 15th of August 2012. Details on fees and payment process can be found on our Fairtrade Africa website, or you can contact your regional coordinator.
ALERT!
Fairtrade Africa’s Quarterly Newsletter
Browse through this issue of Fair Post Africa and on almost every page you will find proof of how our work is driven by collaboration. We strongly believe that collective
efforts yield higher, long-term benefits for our producers.
Today, partnerships also help ensure the sustainability of NGOs. As the economic crisis is still holding the world in its grip, the implications on
the operations of non-profit organisations cannot be neglected. While we are facing new realities, new opportunities arise too. We are challenged to question the way we have been working in the past. How can we use our resources more effectively or simplify systems and processes? Increased efficiency is the core of each partnership we engage in. As the world becomes smaller and the problems our producers face grow more complex, collaborations are the solution.
NEPAD, one of Africa’s most influential governmental bodies set up by the African Union to enhance growth in Africa, has made an important step in forming a partnership with Fairtrade Africa. A Memorandum of Unders tand ing was signed by both parties earlier this year.
The collaboration will give Fairtrade Africa more authority when promoting sustainable production on a continental level. Farmers will also benefit on a short term. In the next three years both parties will work together building the capacity of producer organisations and support Fairtrade women farmers.
‘It is a great honour that an organisation like NEPAD recognises us as a central stakeholder in its mission to boost agriculture in Africa,’ says Michael Nkonu, Executive Director at Fairtrade Africa. ‘This partnership will be a major
driver for us and open new doors. Fairtrade Africa aims to attain a more holistic approach to development and this is a leap in the process.’
As a first step, NEPAD already sponsored the Africa Fairtrade Convention in Accra, Ghana, enabling producers from across the continent to present their organisation and exhibit their products at the convention’s expo.
Karibu!
Issue 7 - June 2012
�e new partnership will also supportwomen farmers
The African connection
Michael K. NkonuExecutive Director
Fairtrade Africa
Discover the plans of the new
Fairtrade Africa Board – p. 2
Fairtrade gold moves into
Africa – p. 3
Long-term loans available for
producers – p. 5
Inside this issue:
Membershiprenewal!
Chief Adam Tampuri and Noel Oettle are part of the newly elected Fairtrade Africa Board. They share their views on Fairtrade Africa’s future and how women will change the organisation.
What are the goals of the New Board?Chief Adam (Board Chairman): In the year ahead Fairtrade Africa will have to deliver on the expectations of producers and the market. We will need to improve the way our system functions. In addition, we aspire to work closely with Fairtrade Africa to ensure the continued delivery of services to its members. What are according to you the main qualities of this Board?Noel: The new Board represents the new face of Fairtrade Africa. All of the Board members have deep experience of the Fairtrade system and are
reflects the reality that African women are central to agricultural production. Our Board is now better equipped than before to understand the gender aspects of Fairtrade.
Chief Adam: There is no doubt that the presence of women will influence its approach. This is only the first step in shaping the organisation’s new governance model.
What are Fairtrade’s main challenges in Africa? Chief Adam: Limited market access for Fairtrade products, lack of direct financial support and a need for more resources to sustain activities of the movement - these are some of the main challenges we face and will address.
Noel: The structure of the Fairtrade system is changing, with more responsibility being shifted from Fairtrade International to the Producer Networks. We will need to show our ability to work collaboratively and effectively in this transition, but this Board is well-equipped and qualified for the task.
A one-on-one with the Board
�e new Fairtrade Africa Board – with Chief Adam on the far left, and Noel on the far right
Dennis Rangi and David Leahy are the new independent Board Members of Fairtrade Africa. They bring experience in governance and finance respectively. Dennis is the Executive Director for International Development at CABI and has over 20 years of experience in international development and
business management. David works as a partner at KPMG Africa and is also Director at KPMG Advisory Services, where he is responsible for leading Internal Audits and Risk & Compliance Services in the East Africa region.
Both members will help Fairtrade Africa run honestly and efficiently.
Independent Board Members join Fairtrade Africa
academically qualified. We come from diverse backgrounds, and between us have expertise in all of the main areas of Fairtrade in Africa.
How will the arrival of women on the Board impact its operations? Noel: For the first time the Board
In a few weeks’ time, the biggest global sports event will once again kick off. Hundreds of athletes from across Africa and the rest of the world will compete in the Olympic Games in London.
An estimated 14 million meals will be served at the Games, making it the largest peace-time catering operation in the world! From the outset, sustainability has been embedded in the set-up of the Olympics and Fairtrade will be playing its part. All bananas, tea,
coffee and sugar will be Fairtrade certified, a tremendous achievement by the Fairtrade Foundation. Furthermore, Cadbury is one of the official sponsors of the Olympics so Fairtrade chocolate will be on display as well.
The Olympic Games present a golden opportunity to promote Fairtrade to audiences from across the globe. Fairtrade is determined to make the most of it.
To further facilitate the effective functioning of the Malawi Fair Trade Network, producer members agreed to establish a Secretariat in the city of Blantyre. Activities of the Secretariat – which include advocacy, research and market development – were approved during the Network’s first Annual General Meeting (AGM) in March. Producer members also agreed on a general work plan for the network and set up committees to review the constitution and oversee finances.
Frank Olok is currently the National Coordinator of the Secretariat: ‘I am a VSO volunteer. VSO is an international development organisation that works through volunteers to fight poverty. During my six-month assignment at the network my main task is to lay the foundations for a strong and viable organisation able to effectively serve all Malawi’s Fairtrade producers.’
Frank is well equipped for the position as he has over 20 years of experience in private sector development and held management positions in public and private organisations across the continent.
When his six-month assignment has come to its end, a local counterpart will take over his role as National Coordinator to ensure progress continues.
�e Malawi Fair Trade Network’s next event is a Fairtrade breakfast at the Parliament on 6 June, 2012. Save the date!
For more information on the Malawi Fair Trade Network, contact the Secretariat at [email protected]
Malawi Fairtrade farmers willnow have a stronger voice
Fairtrade to support African gold minersArtisanal and small-scale miners in Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda will soon become the first Fairtrade certified miners in Africa. Fairtrade and Fairmined gold, launched in 2010, is the world’s first independent ethical certification system for responsibly mined gold. Over the past months gold miners from four mining groups in Latin America supplied the UK markets through transparent supply chains. Due to the instant success of Fairtrade and Fairmined gold the project will now be rolled out in Africa.
‘Our goal is to improve the working conditions of 1,100 gold miners over the next three years,’ explains Amos Thiong’o, Fairtrade Africa’s Regional Coordinator for Eastern Africa. ‘We will enhance their technical skills so that they
can mine gold in a fair and responsible manner. If successful, this pilot programme will be extended to the rest of Africa.’
Fairtrade works together with Alliance for Responsible Mining and Solidaridad on the project, which is being funded by a Comic Relief grant.
Gold miners in Peru already are reapingthe Fairtrade benefits
Malawi Fair Trade Networktakes a giant leap
Fairtrade Cadburynow also onKenyan shelves
Fairtrade chocolate in Kenyan stores
After South Africa, Kenya has become the second African market where Cadbury introduced its Fairtrade certified Cadbury Dairy Milk [plain]. The move is a new, important step in Fairtrade Africa’s mission to offer African shoppers a choice to support producers in their own country. Apart from chocolate, Kenyan shoppers can already buy Fairtrade certified coffee in their local super markets.
The launch was supervised by the Fairtrade Marketing Organization Eastern Africa (FMOEA), which is responsible for growing the Fairtrade Movement in Eastern Africa, beginning with Kenya. Fairtrade Africa partnered with nine other organisations to set up FMOEA.
For more information on FMOEA and howyou can get involved, please contact Rachelat [email protected] or call us on+254 (0) 20 272 1930.
Christian Aid Eastern Africa Farmers FederationFairtrade AfricaJunior AchievementOxfam KenyaNational Council of Churches KenyaPartner AfricaShared InterestSolidaridadTraidcraft
FMOEA partners
Revamping Fairtrade’sclimate change site
Fairtrade Africashares its climatesmart tips
Fairtrade Africa decided to give its climate change blog a serious make-over to further improve its support for producers in their fight against the weather elements. The site, which was officially re-launched on 2 May 2012, is to become the official Fairtrade site on all matters relevant to climate change.
We invite you to browse through the site to discover the more user-friendly template and transparent structure. Or read the powerful producer narratives – the full stories or the handy summaries – which give first-hand experiences on the damage climate change is causing in the developing world.
The Fairtrade climate change blog aims to act as a platform for producers to communicate on issues that affect them. It will also keep a finger on the pulse as Fairtrade partners will comment on international environmental developments. The blog is a tool which will help Fairtrade deliver crucial messages to targeted audiences.
In 2011 Fairtrade successfully placed itself on the climate change map. In 2012 we intend to go a step further. Join us and share your experiences on www.fairclimatedeal.net
Send your contributions to [email protected]
Fairtrade Africa participated in a four-day meeting on climate change and development at the UN’s African Headquarters in Nairobi in April. The event provided a forum for knowledge sharing and exchange of ideas on common climate change risks and attracted more than 120 participants from different African countries.
Fairtrade Africa shared lessons on how it supports farmers to adapt to the effects of climate change across Africa. Amos Thiong’o, who represented Fairtrade Africa, highlighted how farmers are using Fairtrade premiums to implement climate change adaptation projects. He also mentioned the involvement of various Fairtrade commercial partners in creating climate smart supply chains.
At the end of the forum, it was agreed that farmers in Africa need to be at the centre of any climate change related projects, not just as beneficiaries, but also as decision makers. This mirrors Fairtrade’s belief of empowering farmers to make their own decision.
Rehabilitating cotton in northern UgandaFor the first time, Fairtrade has certified African cotton farmers outside of West Africa. Acholi Joint Farmers' Association gathers 4,000 farmers in northern Uganda, a region that has suffered greatly by decades of war and political instability. Many farmers are looking for means to rebuild their lives again.
One of the drivers for change has been the Gulu Agricultural Development Company (GADC). The sole commercial cotton ginnery in the district provides Acholi farmers and other producers in the area with much-needed access to international markets.
GADC also empowers the smallholder farmers by providing them with support, training, and agricultural inputs. With the help from the Acumen Fund, an NGO which uses entrepreneurial approaches to solve the problems of poverty, GADC assisted Acholi farmers to comply with Fairtrade standards.
58% of Fairtrade farmers live in Africa.
Did you know that...
Fairtrade is launching a new fund which will meet producers’ demand for long term loans. The Fairtrade Access Fund will launch in Latin America later in the year and expand into Africa and Asia in a second phase.
Today, microfinance is often directed at short-term or pre-harvest loans. With the Fairtrade Access Fund, producers will be able to finance long-term projects like the renewal of their farms or the adoption of new technologies and equipment.
‘In Fairtrade we’ve witnessed how farmers can transform their own lives if they just have the means. The Fairtrade Access Fund will fill a critical gap so producers can drive that change in their communities,’ says Tuulia Syvaenen, Fairtrade International’s Executive Operating Officer.
Fairtrade partners with Grameen Foundation and Incofin Investment Management. The fund aims to raise an initial US$8 million - US$12 million and reach US$25 million by year two. Starbucks Coffee Company has initiated the investment plan with US$1.3 million. Further funding will be sought from development organisations and institutional investors.
The fund will not only offer a range of loan types, but also provide technical assistance to farmer organisations, including a new facility that will allow producers to receive timely information on Fairtrade certification practices, crop management and localised market information via their mobile phones.
The size of Fairtrade organisations varies widely – from 9 to 70,000 producers!
Fairtrade makeslong-term loansa reality
Did you know that...
Notes from the Field
Magrabi Agriculture workers harvesting oranges
small hospital and we have introduced illiteracy classes for adults. Not only our own workers but also the wider communities have access to these projects.
What is currently your biggest challenge as a Fairtrade producer?We would like to see more standards established, especially for strawberries, ice berg lettuce and capsicum. Hired labour companies have a big number of workers so Fairtrade should support our workers further by having standards for all our products.
How has Magrabi Agriculture been affected by the Arab Spring? Like all companies in Egypt, we feel the increase of prices. Our transportation costs went up and insurance for shipment increased. Due to high fuel prices, some workers are even not able to come to work anymore.
History: Established in 1989Product: Fresh fruit (oranges, lemon, lime, grapes, juices), vegetables and flowers Size: 3,500 workersFairtrade certified since: 2006Assistant Technical Director: Karam Elwany
Why did you decide to become Fairtrade certified?Our employees are Magrabi Agriculture’s most important asset. We decided to join Fairtrade to create opportunities for our workers who have been economically disadvantaged by the conventional trading system. We first heard about Fairtrade through the supermarkets and learned more about the system via the Fairtrade website.
How has Fairtrade improved the lives of your workers? Fairtrade has helped us to improve the welfare of our employees in various ways. Through the Fairtrade Premium we have been able to upgrade our clinic into a
MAGRABI AGRICULTURE, EGYPT
After a successful kick-off in 2011, year two of KPMG’s CSR programme will bring new volunteers to Africa and Fairtrade. This year, the main task for the KPMG volunteers will be to develop a financial profiling system that can assist producers in getting access to finance. The group will also help the regional coordinators set up a strategic plan for their offices.
‘Fairtrade and KPMG share the same commitments and will utilise their unique expertise to accelerate development processes in Africa. Fairtrade producers across the continent will benefit from KPMG’s know-how,’ says Wangeci Gitata, Fairtrade Africa’s Partnerships and Fundraising Manager.
Last year, the KPMG volunteers prepared
a training manual in financial skills for producers. A plan is currently being set up to roll these out to producer organisations.
With water scarcity increasingly becoming a major challenge for Fairtrade producers, the Best Practices Platform on Fairtrade Africa’s website displays case studies on how producers have put up projects to conserve water.
Current challenge:What projects have the producers implemented in an effort to conserve water? Have these contributed to an increase in their production? How else have the projects benefited the local community?
Next challenge:The next best practice session will be dedicated to gender equity. Please contact us if you have a story to share.
Contact Veronique at [email protected] or +254 (0) 20 272 1 930.
Kids celebrating the 2012 Fairtrade Fortnight, Fairtrade Foundations’ annual campaign. Many schools across the country take part in the celebrations.
Headquarters:Fairtrade AfricaFifth Avenue Office Suites, 5th Ngong AvenueP.O. Box 3308 – 00200, Nairobi, Kenya
Tel: +254 20 272 1 930Website:www.fairtradeafrica.netSubscribe to our e-newsletter via our website
Any comments or questions can be sent to Veronique Verlinden: [email protected]
Find out what producersdo to harvest water
Spotlight on a Campaign
CASE STUDIES:
KPMG sends new volunteers to support Fairtrade in Africa
The four largest Fairtrade products by value are coffee, bananas, cocoa and flowers.
Did you know that...
Fresh fruit producers in Ghana were trained on how to increase their access to international markets. The Swiss Import Promotion Programme (SIPPO) worked together with the regional Fairtrade Africa office to ensure Fairtrade farmers could participate in the event.
‘Accessing the international market for our fresh produce has been a challenge; however, through our interactions with SIPPO, we are making headway,’ says Winfred Gelli of Elikem Welfare Association. ‘Hopefully our participation in the 2013 Fruit Logistica Fair will open more opportunities for our member farmers.’
The Fruit Logistica Fair is an international fair for fresh produce trade in Berlin, Germany. During the workshop, producers learned how they could participate. Other presentations were on the topics of SME certification and improving competitiveness. Fairtrade Africa explained the Fairtrade system to non-certified participants.
Apart from Fairtrade farmers, the workshop was attended by members of the Swiss Embassy, the Ghana Export Promotion Council and the Federation of Ghana Exporters.
Creating marketaccess in Ghana
