Fairtrade’s West Africa Cocoa Programme Team held cocoa standards consultation and Fairtrade standards training for its certified Cooperatives in Sierra Leone. Present at the event was also the District Agriculture Officer from the Kenema District. The four-day engagement with producers was organized starting from the 11th of October 2022 at the Albertson Hotel in Kenema to review the Fairtrade Cocoa Standards as well as train cocoa cooperative representatives on the Fairtrade standards starting.
The aim of the consultation is to collect inputs from cocoa cooperatives for the ongoing cocoa standards review. It is also aimed at ensuring that producers are adequately equipped with the required knowledge and skills in producing Fairtrade Cocoa using an international standard, thereby accessing the international market; which brings Fairtrade premium to the Cooperative.
Officially launching the session at Albertson’s conference hall in Kenema on 11th October 2022, the District Agricultural Officer; Mr. Philip Ganah Conteh said choosing Fairtrade means starting with the farmers for fairness and equality against some of the biggest challenges the World faces. It means fairness creating change from investing in climate-friendly farming techniques to developing women in leadership.
He said Fairtrade works with farming cooperatives, businesses, and the government to make trade fairs together. Additionally, Fairtrade set social, economic, and environmental standards for the Cooperatives and farmers who are involved in the supply chain. He called on the cooperatives to double up their steps to improve their production, and quality and also be more active in the cocoa market, and by so doing the community will stand to benefit from their labour.
Mohamed Sannoh; Project Officer Consultant for Fairtrade Africa in Sierra Leone called on participants to give the required attention to the engagement and therefore called on them to cascade the knowledge to other farmers that are not in attendance. He said such knowledge will always enhance a farmer to be in line with the Fairtrade standards which is always good for the farmers and the country at large. He pointed out that this is the first time such training is being organized in Sierra Leone by Fairtrade Africa.
Mr. Abubakar Afful, Program Team Leader, West Africa Cocoa Programme, said Fairtrade is an organization that certifies farmers based on the Fairtrade Standards. Adding, through the certified program farmers are able to come together and work as a unit to sell their produce at the international market, thereby bringing the hard currency to their country, and as a result, they get special funds he referred to as Premium. He said the Premium directly goes to the cooperative and it is being used to support the members of the cooperatives as well as undertake Community development projects for the benefit of all. He used the opportunity to thank the partnership between the farmers and Fairtrade as well as other key stakeholders such as the Buyers for their commitment and contribution to the development of the farmers and their communities.
A participant Juliet Adama Musa from Koeyoidondoryai Agric Farmers’ Cooperative from Kono District thanked the organizers of the programme, adding it has empowered them to always remain focused on their farming activities. On behalf of her colleagues, she assured her audience that when they return to their respective districts, they will share the new knowledge gained with other farmers in their communities. She appealed to the organizers to be holding more such events as it will keep the farmers on their toes for quality and standards of production.
