RSTC PARTNERS

BRIGHTON AND HOVE: A FAIR TRADE CITY TWINS WITH RWENZORI SUSTAINABLE TRADE CENTRE FARMERS’ COOPERATIVES, WESTERN UGANDA

The Fairtrade City of Brighton and Hove has an impressive range of local
shops and businesses which actively support Fair Trade partnerships
with producers around the world. Fair Trade Brighton and Hove are
proud of their innovative approach to promoting Fair Trade across the
city. We are delighted to announce the twinning between Brighton and
Hove Fair Trade City and Rwenzori Sustainable Trade Centre (RSTC),
Uganda, and its Fairtrade coffee, cocoa and cotton farmers to
facilitate trade links with premium and fully traceable end. Through
this we hope to support and promotion the consumption of Fair Trade
products by conscious consumers within this great fair trade city. We
at RSTC promote Business to Business relationships (B2B) and look
forward to forging partnerships with Brighton-based coffee roasters.

Brighton and Hove is full of individuals, organisations (including the local council), schools, faith groups, universities and businesses that actively support and promote Fair Trade. Fair Trade Brighton and Hove promotes city-wide activities reflecting a world that values equal trading partnerships
showing their appreciation of the people who grow things we love to
eat, drink and wear. In Brighton & Hove, not only do they promote the
purchasing of Fairtrade labelled products, they also have several
importers working directly with producers in a distinctly Brighton &
Hove way. A number of businesses are certified by the BritishAssociation of Fair Trade Shops and and work directly with WorldFair Trade Organisation producers from all over the world.

Fairtrade Brighton and Hove believe that a Fair Trade town needs to
incubate, develop, nurture and acknowledge the role of dedicated Fair
Trade Organisations, whether these are shops, wholesalers or internet
stores based here. The support from Brighton & Hove consumers means
that producers can send their kids to school and sometimes university,
put better quality food on the table and improve their housing
conditions. In return, for the consumer, Fair Trade means not only
ensuring the producer is treated fairly, it also secures unique
products, in many cases directly.

Ollema ltd

Ollema Ltd, is a small, new company dedicated to supporting co-operative farmers, especially within the Fair Trade frame of reference. Ollema was delighted to find to the Rwenzori Sustainable Trade Centre in Western Uganda, dedicated to to the creation of fair trade among Coffee, Cotton and Cocoa farmers.

The RSTC provides the important infrastructure through which short term loans could be given to farmers between the delivery of their crops and eventual export sale. This was a typical 6 months between delivery and actual income receipt. Over 4 years this arrangement has worked well. West Uganda farmers know Ollema Ltd better any one in the UK!