Voice & Choice

Voice & Choice

Shannon Sutton

July 3, 2012

Collaborative governance at Tanzanian Fairtrade co-operatives

Overview

• Fairtrade Governance• Case Study: Tanzanian Coffee Coops• Collaborative Governance & EPG Theory• Representation • Gender Equity at KNCU• Methodology & Fieldwork

Fairtrade

Timeline

•1940s: Alternative trade, world shops

•1980s: UCIRI, Max Havelaar

•1997: FLO established

•Today: 1.2 million farmers, €4.3 billion retail sales

Definition (FINE, 2001)[Fairtrade] is a trading partnership, based on dialogue, transparency and respect, that seeks greater equity in international trade. It contributes to sustainable development by offering better trading conditions to, and securing the rights of, marginalized producers and workers – especially in the South.

Voice

“A major part of Fairtrade International’s global strategy is to give producers and workers a stronger voice within the system.”

-Fairtrade International 2010 Annual Report

Governance changes• New producer networks in Africa & Asia• Producer ownership now 50% (12 of 24)• Producer networks on the BoD (4 of 14)

Fairtrade Africa•500,000 producers, 260 orgs, 47 products, 26 countries•58% of all FT producers

Tanzanian Coffee Co-ops

Tanzanian coffee co-operatives•#1 country for Fairtrade farmers (148,000)•KNCU & KCU: 60,000-70,000 farmers

• Unions of primary societies• Breakaway groups

Country context•Colonial rule•Independence and Nyerere’s Ujamaa•Liberalization and competition•CRMP 2005-2015: strong coops, good governance, empowered members

Collaborative Governance

Fung & Wright (2003):

•Empowered Participatory Governance (EPG)

•Combines popular participation, decentralized decision-making, practical focus, continuous deliberation and engagement, and cooperation between parties and interests that frequently find themselves on opposite sides of political and social questions.

•Institutional vs. substantive participation

EPG & Fairtrade

Participation & Representation

Do we need Fung & Wright plus?

Decision-making

•Expert knowledge vs. widespread participation (Le Mare, 2008)

•Diverse actors with varying interests (Taylor, 2005, Bonin et al 2003)

•Marginalized groups (women, migrant workers, landless) less active (Fisher 2007, Leutchford 2007)

•Who gets left out?

Gender Equity in Kilimanjaro“The co-operative business is a man’s business in Tanzania. Both men and women participate from the beginning. But when it comes to reaping, it belongs to men.”

- G2 Interview, Moshi, May 2012Gender•1/5 members are female•Few women in leadership positions•Women’s double day

Land laws•1999 Land Act & Village Act•Tribal and cultural factors

Capacity Building•MEMCOOP: training/empowering members•Breakaway G32 groups: Mamsera

Methodology• Participatory research

– Reflexivity and flexibility

• Interviews

– Group I Unstructured key informant interviews (15)

– Group II Semi-structured Tanzania interviews (14)

– Group III Structured producer interviews producers

• Participant observation

• Document review

• Research Assistant: gender and access

Interviews

Tanzania: May 2012 (Group II)

•Moshi: KNCU, KCU, KDCU, Government officials, Coffee experts, academics

Tanzania & Kenya: August 2011

•Exploratory at tea and coffee farms

Participant observation

•Ghana, November 2011 (Fairtrade Africa Convention)

•Germany, February 2011 (BioFach)

Thank You!

Shannon Sutton

Queen Mary, University of London

[email protected]