FAQ

For Twin and Fair Trade Original, FAQ designed a Quality Management program, that is presently implemented amongst 42 producer partners in Africa and Latin America.

The program supports producer partners in combining different voluntary and obligatory market requirements into one integrated management system. The quality management program is based on ISO 22000 and 9001. It supports producer groups in further securing their quality of product and services, ensuring the integrity of the market chain, and justifying a chosen level of traceability. It helps producers partners change from a reactive to a pro-active approach towards certifications. More information can be found at www.smallholders-go4quality.org. This program is financed by Hivos, Comic Relief and CaféDirect.

 

For Eloc Farms Limited in Ghana, an integrated quality management system was set up, integrating quality management with GlobalGap, Organic and Fair Trade certification. Eloc's quality management sytem covers the nucleus farm as well as four outgrower groups. Staff was trained in internal audits and inspections, set up and maintenance of the quality system. Outgrowers received training on organic farming techniques and composting. This project was sponsored by COLEACP/PIP and Fair Trade Original. Further support came from the PUM program.

 

Together with Hivos, FAQ advocates the wider acceptance of risk based quality management systems, while stimulating inspection/certification bodies to make a shift to risk based evaluation techniques.

 

For FairMatch Support and Africa Now, FAQ assessed the possibilities of fresh vegetable exports from South Africa and Zimbabwe under Fair Trade Certification. Commissioners of the study are the Fairtrade Foundation England and Max Havelaar Netherlands who have received a number of market enquiries/requests from mainstream retailers for Fairtrade certification of ‘out-of-season’ fresh Fairtrade from different African countries.