Otega O
TechInAfrica – COVID-19 pandemic impacted a lot of businesses negatively. So there is a need for funding assistance to help businesses, particularly farmers, get back on track.
One association that is lending a helping hand in this time of great need is Fairtrade Africa, a member of the International Fairtrade movement. The association was set up to promote the lives of farmers and workers via various means, including via trade.
The network had just announced the sum of US$677K, which is approximately 600,000 Euros, as support for Kenyan farmers. The funding was announced by Fairtrade Africa Network and is for certified Fairtrade producers and workers in the region.
The funds will be shared into two parts. One will be the ‘Fairtrade Africa Producer Relief fund’. At the same time, the other will be the ‘Fairtrade Africa Producer Resilience Fund’ and will go into programs centered on livelihood safety and sustenance.
Kenya’s horticultural sector has been having it rough since the COVID-19 pandemic started. Overseas orders have dropped massively, thanks to canceled flights. In 2019, horticulture exports went down 7% to US$1.3 bn (Sh142.72 billion) from the previous US$1.45 (Sh154.7 billion).
About Fairtrade
Fairtrade is an association comprising of three producer Networks. These include in Latin America and the Caribbeans next is Africa and the Middle East and finally, the Asia and Pacific. There are a total of 19 National Fairtrade organizations, including 8 Fairtrade Marketing Organizations promoting and marketing of the Fairtrade Certification Mark in their respective countries.
Fairtrade Africa was born in 2005. The association was established to represent African producer organizations certified against the international Fairtrade standards producing export agro commodities. These include tea, coffee, cocoa, mango, bananas, and cotton. Others include non-traditional products such as rooibos tea and shea butter.
Fairtrade has expanded massively over the years. It now represents over one million producers across 33 countries in the African region.
