The Fair Trade Association of Australia and New Zealand (FTAANZ) is an incorporated, not-for-profit, member-based body for all individuals and organizations interested in, and supportive of, fair trade. Through its members and a small secretariat, the FTAANZ seeks to increase awareness of fair trade; help facilitate and coordinate fair trade activities; assist producers from developing countries, especially in the Asia-Pacific region, to access Australian and New Zealand markets; and establish a regional organization to manage Fair-trade certification and labeling. FTAANZ organized a major workshop in Deposer, Bali from 25-27 March 2007. The theme of the workshop was “Linking the producers of Asia-Pacific with markets in Australia and New Zealand”. I take this opportunity to thank FTAANZ for supporting FRIEND to attend this workshop. It was a valuable learning experience about fair trade, its certification bodies and processes and toward understanding the points of view of producers and buyers from the Asia-Pacific region. It was also an excellent opportunity to link with many buyers of Australia and New Zealand and discuss the possibility of exporting the Friend’s Fiji Style® range of products: chutneys, pickles and handmade cards. We look forward to supplying the export market in the near future with community-made food products and handicrafts, enabling the producers to earn consistent income and get out of poverty!
