At AlterNativa3, in the current health crisis, we are closely monitoring the impact of this pandemic on the fair trade cooperatives with which we collaborate in countries of the global south.
AlterNativa3's Panela cane sugar comes from the fair trade cooperative CAMARI in Ecuador.
Camariwhich in Quechua means "pleasure" or "gift", was founded in 1981 and specialised in the commercialisation of agricultural and handicraft products. Its mission is to offer high quality products to consumers.
The association offers training courses, technical assistance and guidance to its members and its principles and values are:
1. Promote fair trade with a balance between efficiency and solidarity.
2. Promote the marketing of quality products that do not harm the environment, health and life.
3. Transparent and honest management of marketing.
4. Promote the development of small-scale producers and company staff.
5. Maintain the preferential option for impoverished people on the basis of mysticism and commitment.
6. Promote unity and institutional solidarity in the management of resources.
In view of the current health crisis, Camari informs us that in Ecuador the most affected area is Guayaquil and the province of Guayas, the most populated in the country. The national government declared a state of emergency, declaring a public calamity throughout the territory for 60 days, taking measures to suspend freedom of movement, association and assembly with a curfew from 2 p.m. and throughout the night, restricting the movement of vehicles except for safe conducts, suspending the working day in the public and private sector, except for the work of the police, armed forces, health and food production and marketing.
In the words of Luis Hinojosa, member of the social group FEPP Fondo Ecuatoriano Populorum Progressio, the strongest impact of the pandemic is in the cities, due to their higher population density and especially on the families with the least resources, those who work on the streets, informal traders and people who do not have a secure job and depend on daily sustenance, so the government, private enterprise and civil society are seeking to coordinate actions to provide food and basic supplies to these families.
Rural families in rural areas, without adequate communication, who depend on their production and immediate marketing to make a living, are affected in their income and consequently in the acquisition of food to be able to stay in quarantine.
Specific impacts on actions working with development projects.
In the rural sector, although the producers supported continue to work on their farms, there is anxiety and concern about the sustainability of the marketing of their products due to restricted mobility and market constriction. Middlemen and traders abuse and take advantage of small producers.
It is not yet clear what direct impact this stoppage will have on the planned actions of the projects, but new needs are beginning to emerge, some of which are urgent, such as the
provision of masks, respirators, medical supplies and materials, and the provision of food for the most impoverished families, as well as other subsequent activities such as the recovery of production, the
The main challenges are: marketing, debt repayment, permanent health care, recovery of study and work levels.
Specifically, Camari continues to operate nationally with its shops and internationally with exports, maintaining a close relationship with artisans and agricultural producers and taking the appropriate measures in the event of Covid-19 infection.
We share with you this communiqué from Sagrario Angulo, coordinator of Camari, and Luis Hinojosa, executive director of the social group FEPP.
Call for solidarity from the institutions
We believe that this serious global crisis situation leads us all to question how prepared we were to face it, how much we have focused on the future and how much we have been prepared for it.
consumption, production, efficiency, use of time and abuse of resources.
We know that Europe and the North of the world are suffering greatly from this pandemic and the crisis it generates, however, we believe that in the logic of the neo-liberal capitalist system in which we are living, we are not able to understand the consequences of the pandemic.
Inequality, global injustice, the concentration of wealth in the hands of a few, etc. There are still hundreds of thousands of people dying of hunger, suffering from diseases and diseases that are caused by the
who have died in far greater numbers than with the corona virus and who are the poor living in the world's poorest and least developed countries.
In our case we see that the popular sectors, especially the peasants, will enter into economic and consequently social crisis because they will not be able to maintain the little production they had. This is the
time to propose new and large-scale projects to boost family farming, implement measures to adapt to and mitigate climate change, strengthen small and medium-sized farmers, and promote the development of small and medium-sized enterprises.
production cooperatives, processing cooperatives, marketing cooperatives and especially savings and credit cooperatives. It is time to promote integral and sustainable human development. This will allow
greater equity, redistribution, justice and restoration of dignity for all people and communities.
If possible, we call for the channelling of emergency resources to help many families who right now have nothing to eat and nowhere to shelter. But we appeal for solidarity
to channel resources for these new proposals after the health crisis to face the social economic crisis that is coming. This will allow us to promote internal solidarity, including
that of the organisations themselves to know that together, in the same boat, we have faith and hope to build a new, fraternal and united world. The support that you can continue to give us is key
in all services such as marketing as artisans and producers will continue to produce and alleviate some of their needs.
We thank you always for all your support and would like to hear your ideas, proposals or endorsements.
Luis Hinojosa
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR FEPP SOCIAL GROUP
Sagrario Angulo
CAMARI
