For more than fifty years, fair trade has been working primarily with the most disadvantaged populations of Southern countries, buying their products under conditions allowing an economic, social and environmental development. It contributes to the movement of social responsibility of their companies and to the awareness-raising of consumers.
To support this kind of trade, the Belgium Technical Cooperation created a programme of fair trade generic promotion called « Fair Trade Centre » (FTC).
Establish a Fair Trade observatory in charge of carrying studies and surveys The Centre also played an unofficial role of « platform » for Belgian shareholders. For instance, it facilitated the debates on the legal recognition of Fair Trade.
The growth of Fair Trade and Sustainable Trade and the rise of the concept “Aid for Trade” have led to the enlargement of the Fair Trade Centre’s mission.
At the one hand, the evolution in thinking about aid, trade and development resulted in an Aid for Trade-strategy, approved by the Belgian Development Cooperation in 2008. At the other hand, the fast growth of Fair Trade and the further development of sustainable trade initiatives like Rainforest Alliance, FSC (certification of sustainable forestry) have potentially a positive impact on the living conditions of producers and their communities.
The enlargement of the mission of the Fair Trade Centre is symbolised in the name change to Trade for Development Centre.
The Trade for Development Centre seeks to:
Increase professionalism of smallholders in developing countries as well as improve their access to markets Disseminate information and increase people’s awareness of the various forms of Fair and Sustainable Trade and Aid for Trade. Set up an exchange platform on issues of Aid for Trade, Fair Trade and Sustainable TradeThe emergence of “Sustainable Trade” and the topic of « Aid for Trade » lead to the extension of Fair Trade Centre’s missions.
Support to producers
Market access is one of the key factors to make of trade a development tool. Therefore, the Trade for Development Centre will support marginalised producers, micro and small companies as well as social economy projects (set up in partners countries of the Belgian Development Cooperation) that are part of fair trade and sustainable trade processes.
Its action will especially consist in financing different activities: market study, creation of new products, improvement of existing products, introduction of quality control systems, development of producers’ capacities to get a sustainable or fair certification, training (in management, marketing…), participation in commercial fairs and « company matching » that directly puts producers and importers in contact.
The Centre will also support projects of direct bilateral cooperation that are part of a network approach of production or marketing. It will give technical recommendations: analysis of the marketing mix (product, price, place, promotion) and analysis of the environment (institutional, competitive…) and the search for opportunities for products on local, regional and international markets will be made easier.
The development of an assessment and an exchange platform
The Trade for Development Centre will consolidate its expertise on fair and sustainable trades and mechanisms of aid for trade by gathering, analysing and producing information. It will be online through the web site - www.befair.be - which is being improved – and the monthly newsletter.
The Centre will actively participate in different exchange platforms between concerned stakeholders, in particular the Belgium platform supporting the private sector « Undertaking for the development ». Several international collaborations will be built up with centres of aid for trade and of support to Southern producers.
Awareness-raising campaigns
Consumers, economic stakeholders and Belgian public authorities will not be left apart. Communication and awareness-raising will encourage them to eat, drink and use fair and sustainable products from developing countries.
