The Palestine Fair Trade Association (PFTA) is a national union of fair trade and organic producing cooperatives, processors, and exporters. The association was founded in 2004 in Jenin and maintains offices there.
PFTA’s mission is to provide social and economic empowerment of small, marginalised, and excluded Palestinian communities through the concept of fair trade. It is the largest fair trade producers’ union in Palestine, with over 1700 small Palestinian farmers joined in fair trade collectives and cooperatives across the country.
The PFTA on Fair Trade:
“By definition, fair trade is a commercial partnership based on dialogue, transparency, and respect. The goal of fair trade is equity in commerce which leads to sustained development and safeguards marginalized producers and workers. To that end, fair trade organizations commit to heighten public awareness and form a network committed to campaign for international trade rules and practices which benefit small and marginalized commercial enterprises worldwide.
“As a result, fair trade is both sustainable and socially transforming. The fair trade exchange of goods and services is much more than a financial transaction; it engenders positive social, economic, and environmental benefits. Fair trade increases economic value in the community, reduces poverty and inequality, regenerates the resource base that produces the original product, and engages producers and workers to participate in their organization. The organizational structure ensures that this activity occurs in an open, accountable system.”
PFTA Activities
- Promote social accountability through fair trade production and trade practices
- Establish and adhere to locally relevant, internationally recognized fair trade guidelines and standards applicable to production of Palestinian products
- Pre-qualify Palestinian producers and products for internationally recognized fair trade certification
- Create a forum where producers, processors, and exporters can sort out matters of joint interest related to production and trade of their products
- Enable women and other marginalized groups, especially in rural areas, through economically and socially empowering commercial production
- Develop international markets for Palestinian fair trade and natural products
- Promote environmentally friendly farming practices and support conversion to certified organic farming
- Create opportunities for Palestinian grassroots producers to cultivate international support through person-to-person contacts and non-commercial solidarity network sales
- Disseminate information about Palestine’s excellent products and capable, dependable commercial community
“Our farmer and women cooperative members want the world to know that the simple act of buying a bottle of olive oil from PFTA’s exporter and distributors around the world helps Palestinian families like theirs survive and maintain their connection to their land and their ancient olive trees.”
More information about the PFTA is available in the article “Fair Trade in an Unfair World: the Case of Palestine“.
