Nairobi: Fairtrade Africa on Wednesday celebrated its 20th anniversary with a landmark event in Nairobi, unveiling a bold three-year strategy (2026 -2028) to deepen its impact on farming communities across the continent.
According to Kenya News Agency, over the past two decades, the organisation has invested nearly £700 million (approximately Sh105.78 billion) in more than 780 projects across Africa, benefiting thousands of smallholder farmers, including tea, coffee, and flower growers in Kenya. These investments have funded schools, health facilities, and climate adaptation initiatives while also expanding women’s leadership in agriculture. Today, women hold more than 25 percent of leadership roles in Fairtrade cooperatives, which is three times the industry average.
Elizabeth Miguda, Acting Director, State Department, Internal Trade, praised Fairtrade Africa for its enduring partnership with the government and farmers from all sectors. She noted that in Kenya, particularly coffee growers have experienced significant benefits, such as fairer prices, better market access, and improved community investments. This partnership has not only strengthened the coffee sector but also uplifted the livelihoods of thousands of farming families.
Fairtrade Africa Executive Director Isaac Tongola emphasized the organization’s commitment to ensuring farmers’ and workers’ voices are heard and their communities thrive. As they look to the next 20 years, the focus remains on fairer prices, stronger communities, and sustainable trade that benefits both people and the planet.
The new strategy is built on four key pillars: expanding market access, strengthening advocacy for fair trade policies, promoting sustainable agriculture, and supporting farmers as the backbone of the movement. Fairtrade Africa’s Director of Strategy and Impact, Madline Muga, highlighted the organization’s commitment to helping farmers achieve duty-free exportation of goods and emphasized capacity building, financial literacy, and the adoption of advanced techniques to boost yields sustainably.
Kenya, one of Africa’s largest Fairtrade producers, has witnessed significant benefits, with over 130 local cooperatives profiting from guaranteed minimum prices and premium payments that provide a cushion from global price shocks. Many communities in tea and coffee-growing counties have utilized their Fairtrade earnings for education bursaries, health services, and clean water projects.
Christopher Kulei, Board Chair of the Kenya Flower Council and Executive Director of Sian Roses Group, acknowledged Fairtrade Africa as a true partner to the floriculture industry in Kenya. Through fair prices, better standards, and reinvestment into communities, real change has been observed in the lives of workers and farmers. The collaboration has opened up global markets and strengthened competitiveness while ensuring inclusive and sustainable growth in the flower sector.
Looking forward, the new three-year strategy aims to scale up regenerative agriculture, equip 10,000 young farmers with digital climate tools, and promote “Made by Africa” brands under the Fairtrade framework to expand intra-African trade.