Fairtrade International in partnership with the Network of Asia and the Pacific Producers (NAPP) conducted a 3-day training of Fairtrade Advocates on fair trade principles and consumer rights in the Philippines from 8 to 10 October 2021. The training, attended by 57 young participants, aimed to increase participants’ knowledge and understanding of said topics. It was co-funded by the European Union.
The training was divided into three parts: 1) explanation of advocacy framework by a lead, 2) presentation of an in-depth literature review of the relevant policies and studies on adolescent, youth, and the coconut and cane sugar sector, and 3) insights and expertise sharing by guest speakers on fair trade history, philippine consumer rights and law, agricultural program and services to farmers, and advocacy related experiences from non-government organizations.
The NAPP invited the International Cooperative Alliance (ICA) as one of the guest speakers. Mr. Audhie Joseph Samson or Mr. Dudz, Brand Consultant of C & S Coop Supermarket of VICTO National, a member of ICA from Philippines, shared his insights on the cooperative movement and concept of cooperative consumer stores, called the NewGenerationStores. NewGenerationStores is a chain of stores that sells cooperative members’ products locally and abroad. The NewGenerationStores offers fresh produce, good quality products, low competitive prices and coop member-based products across the Philippines. Mr. Samson encouraged the participants to be more creative and innovative in promoting the products of their organization. Giving an example of a cocoa store in Cebu that sells “chocolate experience” to clients, he said that the coop sells their product at a higher price by offering their clients the experience of producing Tablea, a tablet of pure ground roasted cacao beans. This concept brings huge profits not only to the coop but to the cacao farmers as well. It is also an indication of the consumers’ growing curiosity in the production and processing of products and returns to farmers.
The participants showed interest in learning more about NextGen stores and promoting farmer members of their organisations through these stores.
