BACP and Fairtrade ANZ are empowering small cocoa farmers to grow their cocoa businesses despite the hurdles of illiteracy, isolation and lack of formal education.

 

During the introductory training with Huiwani Cooperative Society. Photo by Sandra Mendez.

Although less than 1% of the world’s land area, Papua New Guinea holds 5% of the world’s biodiversity. PNG’s small farmers, growing cocoa and coconuts on the coast and coffee in the highlands, depend on the natural environment for their survival, yet are desperately working to meet the demands of a fast growing economy despite the challenges of isolation, illiteracy, and volatile markets.

 

Fairtrade ANZ is fostering a strategy for economic development for small producer organisations in Papua New Guinea, based on facilitating access to the international Fairtrade market and delivering training on sustainability and best business practices.

 

In partnership with BACP, Fairtrade ANZ designed a training program on biodiversity and the Fairtrade Standards for cocoa growers and a set of training materials to support the program. They then carried out twelve workshops with four cocoa producing organizations in Papua New Guinea. Trainings were attended by more than 400 farmers.  The core training materials were designed as interactive tools to overcome challenges such as illiteracy, isolation, poor access to information, and the need to engage farmers who are unaccustomed to an academic environment.

 

Games, storytelling activities and team-building quizzes brought smiles to farmers’ faces and prompted energized conversations about the use of their land and the way forward to improve their businesses in a sustainable manner. The most successful tool was the environmental board game, incentivizing players to analyze the Fairtrade Environmental Standards, which are designed to protect farmers from harmful agrochemicals, by promoting organic farming practices and endorsing biodiversity conservation through local legislation. Winners were awarded a Fairtrade certified chocolate, a treat new to many of the cocoa growers. To meet some of the farmers in attendance, click here.

 

The BACP-funded project was closed by Papua New Guinean cocoa farmer David Micah, during the board of directors meeting of the Fairtrade Network of Asian and Pacific Producers in early September. The representative of Huiwani Cooperative Society was invited to the meeting to share his experience with the newly developed training materials. David provided the perspective of an environmental trainer, relating to the process of Fairtrade and organic certification of his producer organization.

 

“PNG farmers struggle with information given in lecture-like sessions. Even the most educated people in my village could not find a methodology to break the barrier between information contained in texts and the farmers’ way of learning. These materials give producers the opportunity to understand the Fairtrade Standards in their own way and in an engaging manner,” stated David during the meeting.  

 

As a result of the project, David’s cooperative has a training package to teach sustainable farming practices to its 300 members. During the implementation of this project, Huiwani was linked to a new cocoa buyer, who is committed to building a relationship with the group with the aim to supply to the Fairtrade market.