Cooperation for Fair Trade in Africa (Cofta) is expected to launch the Tanzania Network for Fair Trade (Tanfat) that intends to bring new approach towards empowering of the small scale producers in the country.
The Tanfat chairman, Mr Deodatus Kafwa said on Tuesday that the official launch would take place tomorrow in Dar es salaam, adding that the move aimed at promoting fair trade in African countries.
He said fair trade would be promoted only if African countries sign up the standards and ensure that they are being adhered in business practices.
He said that the mission was to work with marginalised producer groups in Tanzania and seeking to reduce the poverty through promotion of production and making of quality products.
According to Mr Kafwa, Tanfat would empower the country and enable it to advocate for the rights of artists, craftsmen and women through dialogue with the government especially in the formulation of policies that set grounds to poor producers in rural and urban areas.
He added that they would struggle to bridge the supply chain by making sure that producers were paid fairly and that the dialogue between the buyers and producers base on respect and transparency.
Mr Kafwa said that the producers were responsible for safeguarding the environment and ensure sustainable use of raw materials to protect endangered species by such as finding an alternative wood and replanting of the tree.
Cofta has networks in Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania and Swaziland with others soon be opened in Senegal and Zimbabwe. Their aim is to have a country network representing fair trade producers on a country level in all member countries.