Results from the workshop “Organic and fairtrade value chains in development cooperation: potential, approaches, tools”, 3rd May 2010, Helvetas, Zurich

Individual entry points for follow up

Feasibility check

  • Impact assessment regarding income of farmer’s household (FiBL)
  • Feasibility stage: fairtrade or fair wild? Risk sharing with importer? External funding? (ADAP)

Production system

  • Increase number of sustainable cocoa production systems (Barry Callebaut)
  • Improve farmer training in GAP and ICS (Barry Callebaut)

Value chain set-up

  • Where does NGO facilitation stop? Where does private sector work start? (Pakka)
  • Prepare companies to participate at Biofach at SIPPO stand (ITC)
  • How to link farmers’ groups to the international market (shea)? (Swissaid)
  • Train local consultants to provides services to O + FT initiatives
  • Use local expertise in the country

Market development

  • Increase promotion of FT/organic products; “education of buyers” (Barry Callebaut)
  • Support development of regional organic markets in developing country regions (UNCTAD/IFOAM/FAO)
  • Remove technical barriers to international trade in organic products - ITF/GOMA (UNCTAD/IFOAM/FAO)
  • Linkages between organic agriculture and tourism in Laos; national organic markets (UNCTAD, ITC)
  • Consult ITC’s “Organic Link” for market information (Uni FR)
  • Toolbox for showing SDI / GIS  (Pakka)
  • Coordinate the support in the filed (Max Havelaar)
  • Increase predictability and commitment of buyers (Max Havelaar)

Learning and improving

  • Traders / market players should be more often involved in these discussions! (Pakka)
  • Does O + FT marketing always lead to more (ecological) sustainability?
  • Information management: have a glance at different websites and studies (Interteam)
  • Provide information to the South about activities in EU (Interteam)
  • Increase networking + make use of existing resources and consultancy (mission 21)
  • Further explore gender equity in certified chains – limits & opportunities for addressing gender via standards (KIT)
  • Put links to ITC, SIPPO and UNCTAD on our website (OFTCC)

Standards

  • Harmonize Fairtrade! (Pakka)
  • Explore links to Geographical indications’ certification / registration / promotion (Institute for Intellectual Property Rights)
  • Reduce costs of double certification organics – GlobalGAP (UNCTAD, IFOAM, GlobalGAP, Foodplus)
  • Database on standards “T4SD” (ITC)
  • Promoting a real equivalency approach for organic standards (FiBL)
  • Legal basis for Fairtrade (Pakka)

Research

  • Research needed for organic and fairtrade (BfdW)
  • Linkages between organic agriculture and renewable energy for rural development (e.g. biogas) (UNCTAD, FAO, SNV)
  • Organics and climate change / carbon credit schemes  contact ICT and ohers (KIT)
  • Explore links between organic / carbon & climate change / biodiversity issues (ITC)
  • Demonstrate the cost of change to sustainable agriculture (Pakka)
  • OA & climate change (FiBL)

Finance

  • Get more info about leverage fund (Pronatec)
  • Ask OFTCC for more info about Leverage fund (Uni FR)
  • Guarantee fund for prefinance / premium (Pakka)
  • Financial support to farmer’s groups (grant / credit) – what to fund, how long? (Swissaid)
  • Investment opportunity? Any country, any commodity; debt, equity (responsAbility)

Policy

  • Develop supportive policy environment (developing countries; African Union) (UNCTAD + UNEP)