Fairtrade Ambassadors Programme
Building the capacity of producers and workers to speak out for themselves and advocate for more trade justice
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This project is co-funded by the European Union. Timeline of grant: 2022-2023 |
Main project objective:
The Fairtrade Ambassador Program was created with the aim to strengthen producer-led advocacy as well as the system’s capacity to bring the voice of producers to a global level through lobbying, public mobilization events and campaigns.
Target group:
Producer Organisations (POs); Producer Networks (PNs); Fairtrade International; National Fairtrade Organisations (NFOs); Private Sector; Government stakeholders
Project description
The Fairtrade system is committed to promoting the rights of farmers and workers, connecting them with buyers and consumers and advocating for fairer terms of trade with governments around the world. To fulfil this promise, Fairtrade relies on frequent and positive public exposure in the media and other platforms and a strong presence at an array of global fora and events. Until now, public representatives have mostly been Fairtrade staff; usually management representatives across our system. Only occasionally Fairtrade producers and/or workers acted as spokespeople.
One of the objectives of the Fairtrade EC FPA project is to ‘reinforce the capacity of Fairtrade to effectively represent producer organizations and workers and promote the role and responsibilities of Fairtrade member organizations’. Building the capacity of producers and workers to speak out for themselves and advocate for more trade justice is key to achieving this objective. Since its launch at the beginning of 2019, the EC FPA project has funded numerous capacity building sessions to empower women, youth, workers and other marginalized groups to have a voice in Fairtrade. The establishment of a ‘Fairtrade Ambassador Programme’ will build on this work, enabling those involved to acquire new skills and become thought leaders in their product and thematic area. Fairtrade messages will resonate more strongly with our audiences when delivered by farmers and workers themselves and, as a result, the credibility of the Fairtrade system will be enhanced.
Meet our Fairtrade Ambassadors
After receiving over 120 applications from Fairtrade organizations globally, the strongest 15 participants were chosen to serve as thought leaders and product experts, raising structural challenges, and advocating for better livelihoods for smallholder farmers across the world.
The course content was delivered live on a virtual multi-lingual platform encompassing all three Producer Networks. The first phase focused on personal and leadership skills development. The second phase aimed to provide participants with the tools and information to create compelling narratives and become confident, articulate, and influential ambassadors.
Ana Polo Aguilar
Producer Network: CLAC
Country: Ecuador
Cooperative: Asociación de Pequeños Productores El Guabo
Product: Banana
Part of a family of small producers for banana. Graduate in Economy. Assists parents in the administrative part of the farm. Has done community service providing training to others.
Victor Chico Jurado
Producer Network: CLAC
Country: Ecuador
Cooperative: Asociacion de Produccion Agricola Nueva Urdaneta ASOPRONUR
Product: Cocoa
Studied Business Management Engineering from the Metropolitan University in Quito. His work experience began in big corporations, however a few years later he returned to work with a group of small cocoa producers in the "ASOPRONUR" SPO, currently working as Manager. With an active political life in the role of councilor of the Caluma Canton.
Maria Jose Rivera
Producer Network: CLAC
Country: Nicaragua
Cooperative: Central de Cooperativas Multisectoriales de Importación y Exportación Nicaragüense Del Campo
Product: Coffee, Sesame, and Peanuts
Coordinator of the Youth Inclusion Commission in her country, participating in diverse trainings. Studied Food Engineering at the Universidad Nacional Autónoma de Nicaragua. Partner at her SPO and daughter of a founding partner, working as Control & Quality Officer in the Area of Agroindustry.
Edimar Moreira Martins
Producer Network: CLAC
Country: Brazil
Cooperative: Cooperativa Mista Paraguaçu Ltda (COOMAP)
Product: Coffee
From a family of coffee farmers. Graduate in Coffee Technology, with emphasis on Fairtrade certification. Holder of MBA in Administration, Agribusiness and Biotechnology, with certification as auditor. Has more than 12 years of experience with certifications. Has constant contact with producers in the implementation, management and monitoring of certification standards for Fairtrade, 4C and Organic.
Juan Alonso Lopez
Producer Network: CLAC
Country: Mexico
Cooperative: Cooperativa de Producción Tzeltal -Tzotzil S.C.L.
Product: Coffee and Honey
At 20 years old, he inherited a little piece of land from his father to dedicate himself to the field and to establish an apiary. At first it was difficult, and he taught himself through YouTube on how to manage beehives. Today he is an associate at his COOP and manages more than 20 organic beehives. Has been working for the past two years as part of the technical team at his SPO. Speaks indigenous language Tseltal.
Deborah Osei-Mensah
Producer Network: FTA
Country: Ghana
Cooperative: Asunafo North Municipal Cooperative Cocoa Farmers and Marketing Union LTD
Product: Cocoa
Operations Manager for her union. Focal person for Fairtrade D4A Cocoa Impact Project on child protection. Has worked with Fairtrade producers for about six years.
Innocent Owomuhangi
Producer Network: FTA
Country: Uganda
Cooperative: Kayonza Growers Tea Factory Limited
Product: Tea
Standards Officer, in charge of the certification and compliance at the organization. Farmer, who supplies green leaf tea. Currently the Kanugu District representative on the National Board of Uganda Tea Out Growers Association, advocating for tea regulation in Uganda and calling for farmers to have quality, subsidized inputs and appropriate payments for sales.
Mkhuleko Dlamini
Producer Network: FTA
Country: Eswatini
Cooperative: Komati Downstream Development Project Farmers Federation
Product: Sugar
Youth Representative in his organization KDDPFF,creating youth schemes and structures, policies and developing proposals for youth funding using the organization’s premium. Grew up in a small sugar-producing organization.
Florence Wanjiru
Producer Network: FTA
Country: Kenya
Cooperative: Flamingo Horticulture Kenya Limited
Product: Flower
Her mother used to work for the same cooperative, which connected her to Fairtrade through grant of education sponsorship from the premiums. She later secured employment in the same organization, which motivated her to take part in Fairtrade’s activities and becoming involved in the mentorships program in Kenyan schools, driven by the Fairtrade Premium Alumni Association (FAPAA) platform, where she is currently an active member.
Rosine Kouadio Yah
Producer Network: FTA
Country: Ivory Coast
Cooperative: ECOPAS COOP-CA
Commodity: Cocoa
Assistant manager at the cooperative. Once participated in an International Cocoa Initiative program as community liaison. It entailed carrying out surveys on child labour in the plantations and raising awareness among families and village communities.
David Anane Kwaku
Producer Network: FTA
Country: Ghana
Cooperative: Kuapa Kokoo Co-operative Cocoa Farmers and Marketing Union LTD
Commodity: Cocoa
Dora Atiiga
Producer Network: FTA
Country: Ghana
Cooperative: Kukuom District Cooperative Cocoa Farmers & Marketing Union
Commodity: Cocoa
Dwomor Boahene
Producer Network: FTA
Country: Ghana
Cooperative: Asunafo North Municipal Cooperative Cocoa Farmers and Marketing Union LTD
Commodity: Cocoa
Evalyne Nyawira
Producer Network: FTA
Country: Kenya
Cooperative: Mutira Farmers Cooperative Society LTD.
Commodity: Coffee
Felix Tetteh
Producer Network: FTA
Country: Ghana
Cooperative: Asetenapa Cooperative Cocoa Farming and Marketing Society
Commodity: Cocoa
Ataa Gifty
Producer Network: FTA
Country: Ghana
Cooperative: Kukuom District Cooperative Cocoa Farmers & Marketing Union
Commodity: Cocoa
Wilson Mwangi Nderi
Producer Network: FTA
Country: Kenya
Cooperative: New Gikaru Farmers Co-operative Society Ltd
Commodity: Coffee
Jecelyn Belegorio
Producer Network: NAPP
Country: Philippines
Cooperative: Pandanon Integrated Balngon Farm-workers Association
Product: Sugar
Daughter of a farmer who is a member of PIBFA (a small Fairtrade-certified producer organization). President of the SPO’s youth group. Attended 3-day Fairtrade Youth Advocacy Program in 2021. Participated in Global Youth Convention, Filipino Youth and the Socio-Economic Situationer Virtual Seminar, as well as a 2-day leadership skill workshop.
Muhammad M. Bajwa
Producer Network: NAPP
Country: Pakistan
Cooperative: South Asian Sourcing Limited
Product: Cotton
Sustainability Manager at his SPO, carrying out assessments in farmer communities and designing relief campaigns for COVID-19.
Nicole Gonzalez
Producer Network: NAPP
Country: Philippines
Cooperative: Fairtrade Farmers Coconut Multipurpose Cooperative
Product: Coconut
Chairperson of SPO’s Youth Programs Committee.
Mandati Venkateswarlu
Producer Network: NAPP
Country: India
Cooperative: Citizen Welfare Society
Product: Fresh Fruit
Member of the Lions Club International for more than 10 years and has been involved in different social activities in rural areas. Has participated in several health camps, actively engaged in running a COVID19 care center.
Ranasinghage Madhushan
Producer Network: NAPP
Country: Sri Lanka
Cooperative: Aluwana Hithakara Organic Tea Producers’ Society
Product: Tea
Graduate student at the Faculty of Applied Sciences Sabaragamuwa University of Sri Lanka. Participated in social media training organized by Search for Common Ground, as well as the training program for Fairtrade.
Adinda Karina Renggali
Producer Network: NAPP
Country: Indonesia
Cooperative: Permata Gayo Cooperative
Product: coffee
Nguyen Dai Duong
Producer Network: NAPP
Country: Vietnam
Cooperative: Ea Tan Cooperative
Product: coffee