FAIR TRADE ALLIANCE KERALA

Strengthening the Marketing of Fair Trade Products

Fair Trade Alliance Kerala (FTAK)

Field of action: 6 districts in South-West India

Members: +2500 small farmers

For years, the members of the Fair Trade Alliance Kerala (FTAK) have been fighting against indebtedness of farmers and for the safekeeping of the Earth. The diversification of agricultural production was one of their spearheads. The parcels of land belonging to members of the FTAK, from 1 to 5 ha, on the flanks of the Western Ghats, provide soil for all the spices Kerala has always been able to offer the world and combine these with coffee, cocoa, rubber trees, cashew nuts and tea, depending on the altitude.

Of the 3,000 producers in FTAK, six to 700 members depend exclusively on spices for their income. They are, to a large extent, located high in the mountains, in the districts of Wyanad, Idukki and Kottayam.

The secret of the spices lies in the care required to prepare them and especially in the process from drying to packaging for preserving the appearance, texture, taste and, of course, aroma. The close collaboration with Elements, an export company from Kozhikode and INFACT (Information for Action), a local NGO, allowed the Fair Trade Alliance Kerala access to training and know-how so that it can today offer a full range of high-quality products to European consumers.[1]

INFACT focuses on spreading information and initiating participatory processes. Its main activities consist in:

Context

The Indian state of Kerala has been applying a specific development model for years, which has resulted in increased life expectancy, low infant and maternal mortality rates, a favourable gender (male/female) ratio, high literacy, statutory minimum wages, an organized work force, etc. These achievements in Kerala’s social sector have now been overshadowed by stories of farmer indebtedness, falling wages, large scale job losses and the extreme case of a spate of farmer suicides. If Kerala wants to sustain its quality of life, it needs decent prices for its agricultural products, which correspond to the cost of production.

INFACT’s contribution

With its project, INFACT wants to provide a model for the effectiveness of small growers’ fair-trade organizations and to present fair trade as a more human and fairer form of international trade. To achieve this goal, the organization has defined specific objectives as regards information, evaluation, knowledge and market research. First, INFACT is developing updated and user-friendly marketing information software. It is taking part in two trade fairs in Europe to establish new contacts with companies in Europe involved in fair trade. Based on shared experiences, INFACT is developing an action plan for farmers and drawing up a list of existing and potential fair trade buyers. FTAK is analysing its annual demand in a survey. Finally, INFACT is selecting three products that seemed to interest buyers and is then initiating product development and production.