Remembering the 7th Africa Fairtrade Convention (AFC) 2021
If there's been anything impactful, educative and inspiring this year, it's the AFC 2021. The Annual Convention has demonstrated the incredible resilience, dedication and power that farmers, producers and inventors possess. It was wonderful getting to know so many change makers across the world.
The past 4 days were decked with insight from some of the world's best business professionals, activists, political figures, and social entrepreneurs.
The main objective of this event was to discuss improvement of value chains, trade relations, and conditions which translate to improved livelihoods for farmers and workers in Africa.
A recap of some of the Key takeaways from the extensive and informative session we had in the 7th AFC 2021 focused on the 'Best Practices for Access to Fairtrade Markets':
1. Quality is the main factor allowing producers to penetrate markets in global markets. - Hend Kassab, Quality and Corporate Affairs Director, Daltex Corporation - مجموعة شركات دالتكس, Egypt.
2. Fairtrade should continue efforts to support small organizations to improve quality and techniques so as to improve access to markets. Sigfredo Benitez - General Manager, Cooperativa Los Pinos, El-Salvador.
3. Sustainability is where the back stops with the South African Wine community. We have grown the communities around us by following Fairtrade practices. - @Maryna Calow ,Communications Manager, Wines of South Africa.
4. There is a broad variety of customers and needs. What we need to do is help farmers to access visibility. More visibility means more information and access.
5. Ensuring we can get our farmers and producers back on their feet is key. It is imperative we find ways which we can grow income in the wake of the pandemic as we do not know how long the pandemic will last. - Chris Oluoch.
6.An estimated 2,500,000 Kenyans depend on the floriculture industry, 200,000 of whom are flower farm employees, out of which 70% are women.
7. It is key that the Group certificates are held by the farmers as opposed to the traders to ensure the power remains with the producers. Elena Panichi.
8. Farmers need to prioritize understanding their group's ways of working to ensure every member conforms to the ICS, because non-conformity by part of the group would mean the whole group shall be non-conformant.
9. Due to the reduction in the size of the group, the cost of establishment for group certification might be slightly high, however smaller groups can mobilize. Michel Reynaud.
Exhibitor market
Click here to explore top products and services presented in the event, also join our exhibitor market place: https://afc.hubilo.com/community/#/exhibitor
Meet our speakers
Click here to meet all of them: https://afc.hubilo.com/community/#/speaker
What is AFC?
Africa Fairtrade Convention (AFC) is a Flagship event organized by Fairtrade Africa (FTA). AFC is a gathering of producers, traders, partner organizations, Fairtrade movement, government, policy makers among other stakeholders.
