Ethical Production in South Africa: Sustainable Wildflower Harvesting and Fairtrade Raisin Production: Stakeholder Report

David Bek, Cheryl McEwan, Alex Hughes

    Research output: Working paper/PreprintWorking paper

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    Abstract

    This 33 month Leverhulme Trust funded project, based jointly within the Geography Departments of Durham
    and Newcastle Universities, evaluates the dynamics of ethical trade within international agri-supply chains
    emanating from South Africa. Two case studies of ethical production have been the focus of the research; (i)
    'Sustainable wild flower harvesting' on the Agulhas Plain is an initiative driven by a local NGO seeking
    to promote biodiversity conservation through engagement with the market. Wild fynbos flowers are
    harvested according to innovative ecologically guided protocols. The initiative seeks to reduce pressure to
    convert the land into other economically productive uses by assuring the market value of the flowers; (ii) the
    Eksteenskuil Agricultural Co-operative (EAC), which was the world's first Fairtrade raisin producer and
    has supplied raisins to the UK’s Traidcraft plc since the late 1990s. Beyond these two case studies the
    research has examined the rollout of ethical trade in South Africa, where a number of innovative ethical
    programmes and initiatives have emerged within agri-supply chains. Conceptually the research has
    evaluated the role of geographic context in shaping these ethical production initiatives and the values
    enshrined within them. Our analysis demonstrates that such supply chains are firmly embedded within local
    cultures and politics that influence the ways in which the projects play out on the ground.
    Original languageEnglish
    Pages1-46
    Number of pages47
    Publication statusPublished - 2012

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