Great news for marula and baobab fruit harvesters
There's great news for African communities that harvest wild marula and baobab fruit, thanks to the development of new fairtrade standards that have been announced by the Fairtrade Labelling Organizations International (FLO). Phytotrade Africa worked with FLO and Fairtrade for nine months to undertake the fast track FLO certification process for baobab and marula, to ensure that communities could benefit from fairtrade certified products.
We caught up with Marianna Smith, who heads up certification at PhytoTrade and asked for her comments on the outcome of the process.. With a big smile she told us,"PhytoTrade is thrilled with the new direction of fairtrade standards. Wild harvesters are so often the most exploited group in any trade chain. Through FLO Fairtrade standards for wild harvested products from Southern Africa, this is addressed and it serves as a guideline for traders in the North to put an end to exploitation of these harvesters."
The new standards will make a huge difference to wild food harvesters as it sets minimum prices for baobab and marula products. In addition, fairtrade certified buyers will pay a premium on top of market prices for each kilogram of baobab and fruit that will be used for fair-trade products. Marianna explained that these premiums "can be used for improving the livelihoods of the entire community, and not just the harvesters."
We caught up with Marianna Smith, who heads up certification at PhytoTrade and asked for her comments on the outcome of the process.. With a big smile she told us,"PhytoTrade is thrilled with the new direction of fairtrade standards. Wild harvesters are so often the most exploited group in any trade chain. Through FLO Fairtrade standards for wild harvested products from Southern Africa, this is addressed and it serves as a guideline for traders in the North to put an end to exploitation of these harvesters."
The new standards will make a huge difference to wild food harvesters as it sets minimum prices for baobab and marula products. In addition, fairtrade certified buyers will pay a premium on top of market prices for each kilogram of baobab and fruit that will be used for fair-trade products. Marianna explained that these premiums "can be used for improving the livelihoods of the entire community, and not just the harvesters."
posted by WebMasterT at
1:12 PM
2 Comments:
This whole topic of “fair trade” is so important. At the very least, fair trade offers real hope for helping to alleviate poverty for so many people around the globe.
I hope to learn more about fair trade by participating in The Fair Trade Futures Conference being held September 10 to 12 in Quincy, MA. Not only is this the largest fair trade conference in the U.S., I am told it will be the largest Fair Trade event in North American history.
There’s a lot of information at the conference web site, http://fairtradeconference.ning.com/
I plan to attend to find out more about how to advance the fair trade cause right in my hometown. There will be lots of workshops, and something like 50 different fair trade vendors exhibiting.
Does something like this make sense to you?
Thanks for your comment. Fair trade is critical to ensure that communities in developing countries have a chance to develop their products, their communities and to receive fair pay for their hard work. Good luck with the conference.
Post a Comment
<< Home