Our History

COFTA was established by African producers in 2004 and aims to be the continental voice in lobbying for greater market access and Fair Trade advocacy for African Producers, thus striving to empower our marginalised and disadvantaged to become organised, active and self reliant African entrepreneurs.

COFTA is currently composed of over 70 member organizations from 20 African countries. COFTA members although predominantly handicraft producers are also involved in tea, coffee, vanilla, honey, dried fruit and juices, textiles among other income generating activities.

COFTA Member Countries

COFTA is a grassroots network that is growing Fair Trade not just on a continental level, but also on a country level - and linking this to global recognition. In pursuit of this, COFTA is working with its members in different parts of Africa to establish and support Fair Trade country networks.

COFTA currently has networks in Kenya, Tanzania, Rwanda and Swaziland with others soon to be set up in Senegal and Zimbabwe. Our aim to have a country network, representing Fair Trade producers on a country level, in all our member countries.

Our Objectives

• To provide a forum for constructive collaboration and networking among Africa Fair Trade Organizations and to facilitate meaningful contribution to the development of the fair trade movement and the economic empowerment of the disadvantaged Africa producers.

• To co-operate in marketing fair-traded products in local, regional and international markets with the aim of increasing the market share of African fair trade products.

• To work together in mobilising the resources required for product development, production capacity strengthening, marketing and exporting of fair trade products from Africa with the aim of scaling up sales and market share, thus creating wealth for the marginalised producers.

• To strengthen African membership in the fair trade movement by mobilisation and recruitment of new members and supporting their applications to join COFTA and IFAT and become certified Fair Trade Organizations.

• To monitor the local, regional and global socio economic and political environment that may impact on African fair traded products and to disseminate relevant information to member organisations for strategic focus.

• To work with other organisations and partners towards lobbying and advocating for the rights of producers in the continent on a National, Regional and International platform, and supporting the in-put of producer views in policy making.

To provide an institutionalised framework that can easily arbitrate between members and other stakeholders.