The two organisations said the move is part of their mission to achieve the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and strive towards Agenda 2030.
Under the expanded partnership, the details of which are outlined in a Memorandum of Understanding signed by Fairtrade Global CEO Sandra Uwera, Fairtrade Max Havelaar CEO Renato Isella, and ITC Executive Director Pamela Coke-Hamilton, both organisations will accelerate work in promoting greater sustainability among farmers and agricultural workers across the globe, enabling them to participate more in global trade.
"I am thrilled to see Fairtrade and ITC recommit to and build upon our organisations’ long-standing and fruitful partnership. Together, we can work with renewed purpose in enabling farmers and agricultural workers around the world to achieve the SDGs,” said Sandra Uwera, Fairtrade Global CEO following the signing of the agreement at ITC Headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland.
“We have seven years left to Agenda 2030 and farmers and agricultural workers are a critical part of ensuring we stay on track to achieving a sustainable future for all,” Uwera continued.
“The expanded partnership between Fairtrade and ITC will help ensure delivery of critical support that will enable farmer organisations to make the right decisions as they work to make their operations more sustainable and achieve greater market access for their products.”
On-farm diversification
The collaboration will see enhanced work in a range of areas including on-farm diversification to enable farmers to face increasing agroecological and socioeconomic challenges; gender, women and youth empowerment; adaptation to climate change and biodiversity; the strengthening of governance, financial and commercial management skills for farmer groups; and building the capacity of producer organisations to set-up and maintain their own monitoring and response systems on human rights and environmental due diligence, or HREDD.
“Our partnership with Fairtrade gets to the heart of what we do, which is empowering producers in developing countries to move up value chains, enter new markets and earn higher incomes, to live better lives,” said ITC Executive Director Pamela Coke-Hamilton. “I’m looking forward to expanding on our collaboration to reach new sectors and regions.”
