Nuts
In the 1970s, communities of farmers in southern Africa exported significant quantities of nuts but as stringent food safety requirements were introduced and as regional insecurity took its toll, trade collapsed. Now, with the Fairtrade initiative, these communities once again have the opportunity to export their crops.
RTFP has financed a three year project with TWIN (Third World Information Network) to develop traceable quality management systems and market the sale of Fairtrade nuts into mainstream UK supermarkets (such as the UK company TESCO). The original target was to secure export contracts for 800mt by the end of 2007 but in spite a severe drought in 2005 which affected production, within the first 18 months, contracts had still been entered into for nearly 1,000 mt.
The first phase of the programme was concluded at the end of 2007 and a second phase will begin in 2008.
The programme has supported growers of groundnuts, cashews and macadamia nuts in Malawi, Kenya, Zambia and Mozambique.Case Study on Judith Harry and Rosemary Kadzitche
A major success story has been the direct access to German, French and UK supermarkets (such as TESCO) for smallholder-produced southern African Fairtrade groundnuts and cashew nuts. A new Fairtrade nut company was established called Liberation Foods CIC, 42% shareholding of which is held by an International Nut Cooperative including two of the major partners in Southern Africa (Ikuru and NASFAM). The development of viable risk management, traceability and quality management systems have been of crucial importance in obtaining contracts for the export market.
Further reading:
www.twin.org.uk/twin-trading
www.FairTradeCertified.org
www.fairtrade.org.uk
www.fairtrade.org.za