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Making Trade Work for the Poor:
Promoting Fair Trade in India (PROFIT)
India- With a particular focus on Orissa, Rajasthan,
Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat (Kutch region), Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra
and Tamil Nadu.
Objectives:
This project will benefit some of the poorest communities
in India. For these communities, employment and income generating
opportunities are limited and those that do exist are often
seasonal, poorly paid and exploitative. Pro-poor micro and
small enterprises can play an important role in providing
employment and income generating opportunities, and reducing
poverty.
Overall Objectives:
To reduce poverty amongst poor and marginalized producers
in India (especially in Orissa, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh,
Gujarat (Kutch region), Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra and Tamil
Nadu) by increasing the ability of pro-poor micro and small
enterprises to benefit from trade.
Specific Objective:
To increase the ability of pro- poor micro and small enterprises
(MSEs) and their producers to benefit equitably from trade.
MSEs face a variety of problems in finding markets for their
products and consequently providing a sustainable income to
the poor producers who depend on them for their income. This
project will help them by:
- Promoting the concept of 'fair trade' within India
- raising awareness and understanding of fair trade
amongst potential consumers (the Indian middle class),
the media, key decision/policy makers, academics etc.
- Developing appropriate fair trade standards for
the Indian context - including monitoring and certification
systems
- Implementing a high profile campaign (with a particular
focus on two Indian cities-Mumbai and Hyderabad) to
promote two selected fair trade product sector.
- Developing the Indian fair trade market in order
to provide market opportunities for more than 40,000
poor and disadvantaged fair trade producers.
- Building the capacity of 30 pro poor MSEs in two
selected product sectors so that they can benefit
from this new market opportunities and to make sure
that fair trade products are available to the consumers.
- Facilitating a distribution and retail network for
the sale of fair trade products(with 'buy in' from
at least 10 retailers in Mumbai and Hyderabad)
- Influencing key decision/policy makers to support
fair trade practices.
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Activities
Activity 1. Project set up, management and administration
An initial planning meeting will be held to develop the detailed
action plan for the project.
Activity 2. Research on fair trade in Europe and India
The research will involve:
· A European consultant to carry out research
into fair trade in Europe.
( European
Union Research Report )
· An Indian consultant to carry out research
into fair trade in India.
( Indian Research
Report's Executive Summary )
Activity 3. National Workshop 1
This workshop has successfully carried out on 13-14 November, 2006 at
Hyderabad.
Activity 5. Independent body for fair trade certification
· To ensure standards available
· Monitoring systems in place
· Feasibility of a fair trade label and choice of labels
for Indian consumers
(label not an outcome of the projects)
Activity 6. Interactive Website
· To share information, knowledge and learning
· To support Interaction between stakeholders within
India
· To share experience and updates of the project.
· To support the campaign in India, and if viable;
· House a virtual, market place.
Activity 7. Distribution and Retail Network for fair trade
products
-motivation of wholesalers and retailers
-organize the market network (wholesalers and retailers) 15
retailers in each city
-focus on Mumbai and Hyderabad
Activity 8. Training , Mentoring, and Support programme
for pro-poor MSEs
-development of tools
-information on fair trade standards
- Guidance to achieve fair trade certifications
- Work with 30 pro-poor MSEs in a more in depth training and
mentoring programme
in two product sector(tea and spices)
- Two workshops for producers in groups of 15 each led by
TX
- Mentoring to help:
• meet the fair trade standard development
in India
• produce products appropriate for the Indian
domestic market
• deal with the logistics of supplying goods
ton the retailers.
Activity 9. Consumer Campaign
The consumer campaign will focus on two cities in particular-
Mumbai and Hyderabad.
The activity is divided into three parts:
• Developing a communication strategy for
consumers
• Developing a campaign using a variety
of channels and approaches
to reach out to the consumers over a
three month period.
• Promoting the fair trade products available
through the fair trade
retail network.
Participation from the Indian media will be a critical component
at this stage of the project.
Activity 10. Fair Trade Festival
- At the end of the consumer campaign a 3 day fair trade
festival will be organized
in Mumbai.
- A 'buyer-seller' meet
- Two half day workshops focusing on fair trade as a concept
and the other focusing
on consumers and their issues.
- Fair trade organizations will be encouraged to put up stalls
that will provide information
about fair trade issues-besides displaying products.
-During the evenings local theatre groups will be invited
to put up street theatre plays,
and puppet shows.
Activity 11. National Workshop 2
This final workshop is aimed at bringing together Indian
and Asian stakeholder groups with the following objectives:
- To share the learning from the Indian initiatives
- To seek feedback on the possibility of similar initiatives
in other countries, or with a focus on a region(e.g.
south Asia, south east Asia)
- To get buy in from the Asia fair trade forum(representing
Asian fair trade organizations)
- To build relationships of support between different
Asian countries for long term commitment to fight
poverty through trade.(a basic vision of all fair
trade organizations)
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