Aħbarijiet għall-Membri

Contents
1. Table of Contents
2. The Loser in the Game by Vince Caruana
3. Coffee Score Cards
4. What is a Fair Trade Organisation?
5. Fair Trade in Malta by Roderick Agius
6. NEWS!
 

World Fair Trade Day will be celebrated on Saturday the 8^th of May.  This year in Malta we will be focusing on schools – so we will be celebrating a day before when schools are open. Six schools have opted to support fair trade day concretely by holding the first ever fair trade breakfast. 

This day is celebrated in various ways throughout the world.  If you are curious to know how, have a look at http://www.wftday.org/ This is the official website of fair trade day. ACP in Nepal will be holding a Street Play and Health Camp, Bombolulu in Kenya a fair trade walk, Christchurch in the UK a fair trade fashion show, while Global Gallery in the USA will be holding an International dinner. This is just a sample of how civil society is trying to make a point – that fair trade is an occasion to create opportunities for producers who have been economically disadvantaged or marginalized by the conventional trading system.

The losers in the game
Vince Caruana

Whatever one’s view of whether globalization is an overall good thing or an overall bad thing, almost everyone admits that there have been both winners and losers. According to Carol Wills of the International Federation of Alternative Trade, among the losers are the “millions of traditional artisans, small farmers, and fisherfolk that have lost their livelihoods as a result of their markets being flooded with cheap factory made substitutes for what has traditionally been made by hand in the villages, or because they cannot afford the fertilisers required by the new high-yield strains of rice or because the price of coffee on the world market has sunk to a thirty year low which does not meet the cost of production, or because the fishing fleets of rich countries are going further and further from home and closer and closer to the shore in their pursuit of a catch”.

What happens to these millions? Most head for the cities where they believe, perhaps through impressions obtained from the media, that there are new opportunities. Most in turn find out that life is just as tough – with meagre wages - and this if they are lucky enough to find a job. Where does the solution lie?

According to Peggy Antrobus of Development Alternatives with Women for a New Era, we need to recognise the link between trade and development. She calls for a model of fair trade that includes:
a) Provision for indexation of the prices of raw materials and manufactured products so that the prices of the former can be related to the latter;
b) Provision for effective and meaningful special and differential treatment for countries whose economies are especially disadvantaged by globalization – e.g. small island developing states and the poorest countries; and
c) Provision for the protection of the rights of governments to act in the interests of their own populations, especially when their human rights are jeopardized by trade liberalization.

Probably policymakers need to listen more and put people at the centre of all development. According to Nelcia Marshall-Robinson of the Caribbean Association for Feminist Research and Action, policymakers need “to take another look at the policies they have drawn up, to review what has taken place and to listen to the advice of civil society, because everyday we are experiencing the negative impacts. Her plea is echoed by Mariama Williams of the International Gender and Trade network: “There needs to be a refocusing of policies and policy objectives to put people at the centre – a refocusing that gives priority to the basic things that are at critical to human life, that are enabling and supportive of democracy”.

Perhaps what everyone is trying to say is that to diminish and eventually put an end to the losers we need development from the bottom up and not from the top down.

COFFEE SCORECARDS

The world's biggest coffee companies have not done nearly enough in the past year to help the 25 million coffee farmers who are struggling.

Oxfam has analysed and scored each of the 'Big Four' coffee companies on their actions to help solve the global coffee crisis. Scores were based on the price companies paid to farmers (70% of score), support for policy alternatives (10%), financial contributions (10%) and leadership in industry-wide initiatives (10%). Oxfam scores none of them above "failure".

A small shop in Reggio Calabria (Italy) and a group of enthusiastic young people  saw the birth of an initiative which led to the setting up of the first and only fair trade organization in Malta.

Koperattiva Kummerċ Ġust (KKĠ) was set up in 1996 by the Third World Group (TWG). The TWG is one of the oldest development ngos in Malta. In 1997 KKĠ received full recognition by the Maltese state under the Cooperative Act. Run on a voluntary basis, KKĠ, is today one of the largest cooperatives in Malta with nearly 100 members.

In the beginning of summer of 1997 KKĠ purchased a small shop in Valletta. The shop was purchased through the financial backing of CRIC, a leding Italian NGDO and Banca Etica of Verona. In September 1997 KKĠ opened the first world shop in Malta called L-Arka (The Ark). With over a thousand different products this small shop, which is open daily from Monday to Sunday, has established a niche in the market for extremely original gifts and delicious food items. In these last few weeks the food items have been increased.

In 2000 KKĠ became a member of CTMaltromercato (Coperazione Terzo Mondo), Italy’s largest fair trade organization. CTM is a consortium of world shops with more than 120 member organizations and over 200 points of sale. Since then KKĠ members have participated in seminars and general assemblies organized by CTM.

KKĠ is also a member of the International Federation for Alternative Trade (IFAT). KKĠ members  have participated in the last two general meetings, in 2001 (Arusha, Tanzania) and in 2003 Newcastle (the UK). During these meetings representatives develop further trading relationships with other fair trade organizations and producers from the south.

In these last two years KKĠ has organized national events. For these events KKĠ has invited over to Malta people directly involved in fair trade such as Harini Narayanan, a producer from India, Carol Wills IFAT’s executive director, Stefano Magnoni CTM’s vice-president, and Luca Palagi CTM’s expert on fair trade in Africa.

Throughout these years KKĠ has sought to increase its sales by participating in various events on a national and local level. Whenever and wherever we have been our products and the whole initiative has been welcomed enthusiastically.

Fair trade in Malta and Europe has only one direction and that is to grow. I invite other organisations in the NMS to take up the challenge. Fair trade has proved itself to be a concrete way to minimize poverty in the developing countries of the south.

(This article has recently been published in the Trialog Newsletter)

World Fair Trade Day 2003 – A Great Success!

Fifty-five countries all over the world celebrated the joy and wealth that is created by Fair Trade. On Sunday 18^th May Koperattiva Kummerċ Ġust joined other fair traders in all five continents by bringing fair trade closer to many other people. As those of you who were present will know, more than 600 locals and tourists visited the fair, held at the Upper Barrakka, with an especially high turn-out for the evening concert by The Katambu’ Sound Factory.

The Worldfest organising committee wished to thank all you members for assisting the Koperattiva and making sure fair trade continues to grow!

 Solidarity Roadshow: Għar id-Dud, Sliema, June 14-15

Koperattiva Kummerc Gust (KKG), in close collaboration with the Third World Group, is very much concerned about the economic and social needs of the poor and marginalized communities it encounters during its work.  What form of “economy” can respond to these needs, without endangering its resource base?  The answer seems to be found in the Social Economy.  In contrast to mainstream economics, whose major driving force is the profit motive, the social economy focuses on the economic, environmental and social development of the community.  It offers ownership within a community or among people with a shared interest, while benefiting both the community and individual members. 

As part of the Med2000 project, which has helped fund the very successful Worldfest initiative, KKG has attempted to identify some of the social economy actors in Malta.  Social economy endeavours are being created to meet changing social and economic circumstances, and these will be participating together in a two day solidarity roadshow to be held on the 14^th and 15^th of June.  Until now, Dar Nazareth, Koperattiva Franco Si, the Gaia Foundation and the Genista Foundation have agreed to participate together with KKG in this very interesting. This initiative is being held for the first time.  These organisations are based on voluntary participation, membership and commitment.  

This activity is organised in collaboration with an Italian NGO called CRIC that works towards sustainable development in the Mediterranean region and beyond.  For this activity a roving exhibition put up by CRIC, hence the name solidarity roadshow, and a group of musicians will arrive in Malta.  The roving exhibition will be set up at Ghar id-Dud (in front of the Chalet).  Foreign and local musicians will also use the venue for “mini musical performances”.  Interesting initiatives will also be taking place such as teaching passers-by on how to use a solar cooker.  The participating non-profit voluntary organisations will also set up mini stalls to promote their activities, products and crafts. Proceedings from any sales will be used to combat environmental degradation and marginalisation, and to alleviate poverty.

The social economy is important because it meets new needs, favours citizen participation and voluntary work and enhances solidarity and cohesion.  By giving visibility to the initiatives of local actors in the social economy, the organisers of this activity are appealing to all civil society organisations to actively support the social economy.  It is still hard to comprehend why say, fair-trade coffee is not served during workshops organised by civil society organisations.   Being part of a roving roadshow within the Mediterranean region, this activity also aims to promote partnerships within the region aimed at improving living conditions, with a focus on sustainability, solidarity and peace.

Council of Europe consults with Fair Trade

A Session of the Social Cohesion meeting organized by the Council of Europe (CoE) on May 9 and 10 (not be mistaken by European Council of our  EU) was attended by NEWS, EFTA and FLO with Ben Kaukler of Top QualiTea in Germany representing IFAT. Ethical bankers from France and Italy were also present, with consumer right groups from Italy and Czech Republic, some grassroots representatives of small-scale farmers and Council of Europe officers and consultants.

 Ben was there to explain that IFAT works globally, probably the largest association of companies who since the 1970s have been trying to realize fair/alternative trade and have a lot of expertise in this field. He emphasised the practical angle: what Fair Traders most need is market opportunity and success. Although public awareness seems to be there this does not translate into sales.

There was talk of establishing a platform under the roof of the CoE with objectives - yet to be defined - of formalizing these various movements towards a more solidary economy. The CoE may also consider special mini/expert platforms for Ethical Banking, Fairtrade etc. to develop the legal framework in which to present ourselves towards the public.

2003: More changes, more growth!

Annual General Meeting: Dear Members, we are glad to invite you to the next major event in the Koperattiva’s calendar, which is the Annual General Meeting. This will be held at   on     , and serves as a meeting point for all members and a threshold for the cooperative itself. There are numerous important items to be shared with all of you, including new marketing proposals and the Koperattiva’s education program.

Stqarrija ta’ Għaqdiet tas-Soċjetà Ċivili Maltija dwar il-Gwerra kontra l-Iraq:

F’din in-newsletter xtaqna nghaddulkom din l-istqarrija, li fost gruppi ohra hija ffirmata mill-KKG

“Ħadd minn dawk li qegħdin isegwu mill-qrib dak li qed jiġri fid-dinja bħalissa m’għandu dubju li l-gvernijiet ta’ l-Istati Uniti, tar-Renju Unit u l-alleati tagħhom huma determinati li jagħmlu gwerra kontra n-nies ta’ l-Iraq biex jieħdu taħt idejhom il-ħażniet taż-żejt u biex jilħqu, kif stqarret l-organizzazzjoni Gush Shalom, għanijiet “dubjużi” oħra.

Hija gwerra għall-qerda tal-massa li se tkisser il-ħajja ta’ miljuni ta’ Iraqini li ilhom għexieren ta’ snin ibatu l-konsegwenzi ta’ gwerer bla waqfien, ta’ embargo kiefer u ta’ tmexxija dittatorjali. Bħala organizzazzjonijiet li jagħmlu parti mis-soċjetà ċivili Maltija, u li ħafna minnhom huma firmatarji tal-Karta tal-Prinċipji tal-Forum Soċjali Dinji, intennu t-twemmin tagħna li d-differenzi bejn il-bnedmin m’ghandniex insolvuhom bil-gwerer. Nemmnu li n-nies kollha ta’ rieda tajba għandhom iħabirku biex isawru soċjetà li tiffoka “l-attività ekonomika u l-azzjoni politika tagħha li taqdi l-ħtiġijiet tan-nies u tirrispetta n-natura, illum u għall-ġenerazzjonijiet li għad iridu jitwieldu.” (Karta tal-Prinċipji, nru. 12, FSD)

Minflok jagħmlu gwerra ta’ terrur fuq in-nies, l-ambjent u l-wirt kulturali ta’ l-Iraq u jqiegħdu l-ħajja ta’ eluf ta’ suldati fil-periklu, inħeġġu lil dawk kollha fil-poter, fuq kull naħa, li jridu gwerra, biex jinvestu r-riżorsi umani u finanzjarji prezzjużi tagħhom fi ġlieda kontra l-armi għall-qerda tal-massa li ma jistgħux jinħbew:

• il-ġuħ li proprju f’dawn il-ġranet qed jhedded miljuni ta’ persuni fl-Afrika

• it-tniġġis industrijali li ġab miegħu l-ġid fil-pajjiżi s-sinjuri tan-Naħa ta’ Fuq tad-dinja u li qed jhedded l-eżistenza tal-pjaneta tagħna

• il-piż tad-dejn li qed jirrovina l-ħajja ta’ miljuni ta’ nies fl-ifqar pajjiżi

• it-traġedji li qed iġiegħlu lil miljuni ta’ nies jaħarbu b’ta’ fuqhom senduqhom minn djarhom

• id-differenza tal-biża’ bejn il-minoranza s-sinjura u l-maġġoranza l-fqira f’din id-dinja inġusta li ngħixu fiha “

News from IFAT’s Fifth Latin American Conference

Catalina Sosa, Regional Representative of IFAT Latin America, has sent us this brief report:

Just two years into the second millennium, the challenge for those of us who work with artisans and artists in the South is clear: present to the world the art we’ve created with our hands by opening markets for these items.

The idea guiding IFAT’s Fifth Latin American Conference was to visualize fair trade as a development alternative.  Popular culture (the arts and crafts) in what José Martí called Our America functions as an “antidote” to globalization.  Popular culture is intimately related to the concept of identity: on the basis of our unique characteristics as peoples, we become a different, beautiful “other.”

Reflections on trade, an activity with roots in the distant past

Trade in crafts and/or food products makes possible the survival of these cultures through time.  Trade is a vital link in the production process, reviving, maintaining, and fomenting the flowering of the arts and traditional activities in which the basis of our cultures is conserved, thereby strengthening our identity.

More specifically, trade in crafts creates authentic added value through culture.  A handcrafted item is an ambassador abroad, an emissary, charged with a beauty which speaks of our peoples in distant lands.

Who are we?

The ATOs of the South see ourselves as “traders.”  We are the link in a chain of commercial transactions, opening the way, “rolling stones” who bring the merchandise to market, hands working in solidarity who understand the process and form part of the chain, contributing to the creation of an informed civil society, working in solidarity with artists and artisans, and offering a critique of the rules of the market.

How are we organized?

We have invested much time and effort in forging a holistic vision, a process that has included three interactive working groups:

1. the group which strengthens market access, or the Business IFAT;

2. the group which provides visibility and whose members are militant in publicly reporting economic policies which affect us, known as the Combative IFAT; and

3. the group which creates trust, promoting and leading monitoring and self-assessment processes, which we call the RELIABLE IFAT.

Finally, we have created an on-line committee, with representatives from the three working groups.

What do we do?

We work to reduce poverty through trade based on solidarity.  We act as partners working in solidarity with small producers in rural and urban settings.  We are the traders of the future.

We are part of a worldwide fair trade network whose goal is to revive the ancient activity of trade in which benefits flow to everyone involved, that is, to democratize the process and benefits of trade.  Trade based on solidarity is not aimed exclusively at generating profit, but, rather, is based on the principle of mutual benefit.

NEWS:

L-Arka on the Move! Look out for more mobile stands with fair trade products at your parish churches on Sundays. If any of you are interested in participating and sharing in the fun of this important out-reach activity, please contact us at kkg@maltaforum.org or on 2137 6941.

Fair Trade means Business: Thursday 20^th March sees the sixth article in a series on Fair Trade being carried by The Business Supplement of The Times. Every third Thursday KKĠ will be reaching out to this paper’s readers. Join others who have already commented on past articles by sending emails to kkg@maltaforum.org

Worldfest: We’ll be soon in touch with you about preparations for the second annual globally-celebrated Fair Trade Day, coming up in May.

Kunċert Roots – mużika etnika b’impenn. Tiġi?

Nhar il-Ħamis u l-Ġimgħa, 19 u 20 ta’ Settembru, il-Gaia Foundation, organizzazzjoni lokali li tippromwovi l-biedja organika u l-ħarsien tal-wirt storiku u naturali Malti, ser torganizza żewġ sessjoni ta’ daqq bejn il-grupp minn Wales The Rag Foundation u l-grupp lokali Etnika. Il-KKĠ ser tibda tikkollabora mal-Gaia Foundation f’numru ta’ attivitajiet, fosthom wħud edukattivi u oħrajn kummerċjali. F’dawn il-jumejn, stall ta’ L-Arka ser tittella’ bil-prodotti għall-bejgħ miċ-Centru tal-Gaia li jinsab Għajn Tuffieħa.

Tenħtieġ l-għajnuna tagħkom nhar is-Sibt u l-Ħadd, 21 u 20 ta’ Settembru, meta The Rag Foundation u Etnika ser itellgħu kunċert il-Kavallier ta’ San Ġakbu, il-Belt Valletta. Tista’ tiġi tgħinna fil-bejgħ mill-istall, waqt li tisma’ l-mużika ta’ dawn iż-żewġ gruppi kreattivi? Dan kollu għall-miftuħ fuq it-terrazzin ta’ fejn il-kafetterija.

Voices 4 sa 13 t’Ottubru

Il-kumitat ta’Voices qed jerga’ jistedinna biex jekk irridu intellghu stand bil-prodotti taghna waqt il-kuncerti. Fil-kaz l-ahjar naghmlu stand bi ftit ‘selected’ items, ez.ghasel,cd’s u strumenti (minhabba li in-nies f’attivitajiet bhal dawn ma tantx tixtri).

Ahna nippartecipaw skond kemm ikun hemm minna lesti li nidhlu ghaliha. Min jista’, jinfurmana malajr.

Il-Knisja ta' l-Ingliżi tal-Belt, 06 t’Ottubru

Gejna mistiedna biex nhar il-Hadd 6 t’Ottubru, intellghu stand wara li jispicca is-servizz fil-knisja tal-Inglizi il-Belt. Inkunu hemm ghal 11.00 a.m. Kull min hu interessat li j/tghin, infurmawna malajr.

Novembru magħna! L-attività ta’ L-Arka ġewwa l-Kavallier ta’ San Ġakbu

Is-Sibt 2 ta’ Novembru il-KKĠ ser torganizza ġurnata miftuħa għall-pubbliku fejn kull min jiġi se jersaq aktar qrib tad-dinja tal-kummerċ ġust. Biex kemm jista’ jkun nies tiġi s’għandna dak in-nhar, għandna bżonn naħdmu flimkien minn issa!

Immaġina ġurnata fejn it-tfal ta’ l-iskola, il-membri tal-koperattivi lokali, il-pubbliku ġenerali u l-mezzi tax-xandir jiltaqgħu kollha…biex jieħdu kafé. Kafé ġust, m’għandniex xi ngħidu! F’dawn l-aħħar ġimgħat beda x-xogħol biex dan iseħħ is-Sibt 2 ta’ Novembru, f’okkażjoni li sservi ta’ launch tal-prodotti ta’ L-Arka u ta’ l-attivitajiet għall-istaġun li jmiss.

Il-qofol ta’ din l-attività hija l-bidu ta’ l-iskema l-ġdida ta’ kapitalizzazzjoni li għandha ddaħħal mal-KKĠ numru ta’ membri ġodda. Għal dan il-għan se jsiru numru ta’ affarijiet, fosthom:

• Iż-żjara ta’ Carol Wills, id-Direttriċi Eżekuttiva ta’ l-IFAT, li ser tiltaqgħa mal-membri tal-KKĠ u ta’ koperattivi oħra li se jattendu dak in-nhar

• Żjara oħra interessanti: dik ta’ Harini Nararayan, produttriċi mill-Indja fi ħdan il-Gandhi Rehabilitation Rural Centre

• Serje ta’ sessjonijiet ta’ diskussjoni flimkien ma’ Carol u Harini

• Sessjonijiet fejn nistgħu nduqu l-kafé ġust msajjar

• Il-wiri tal-video il-ġdid dwar il-kummerċ ġust

Ovvjament hemm bżonn l-enerġija ta’ kulħadd biex ix-xogħol li nbeda jilħaq il-livelli mextieq, u li hemm bżonn tilħaq L-Arka, hawn Malta.

X’se jkun jisimha l-attività?

Kellna wkoll suġġeriment interssanti għall-isem ta’ l-attivita’, li jrid jisraq l-attenzjoni tan-nies li rridu li jiġu. Għalhekk, x’taħsbu minn Taste the World! (bl-Ingliż, filwaqt li verżjoni tajba bil-Malti trid tinħaseb)?

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