Coalition for coffee, tea and cocoa launches new website

The Tropical Commodity Coalition (TCC) launches a new website today to ask attention for its activities. TCC wants to improve social, economic and environmental conditions at the beginning of the coffee, tea and cocoa supply chain.

SOMO, one of the participants of the coalition, has done extensive research into the tea sector and brings in a lot of knowledge about international businesses, sustainable development and networks.

Coffee, tea and cocoa play a crucial role in the livelihoods of millions of rural households across the developing world, and have the potential to lift many out of poverty. But declining terms of trade, price volatility and corporate concentration in these sectors cause low return and high risks for tea, coffee and cocoa producers. The small holders and workers in the sector also face difficult working conditions, land degradation and insecure land rights.

According to TCC, small farmers and workers often lack organization and political representation both within their own countries and on the international stage. Their priorities are therefore frequently not reflected in the existing multi-stakeholder processes. TCC especially wants to strengthen the voice of small holders and workers to influence the initiatives.

The Tropical Commodity Coalition consists of eight non-governmental organisations: Hivos, Oxfam-Novib, Solidaridad, Oikos, SOMO, Fairfood, India Committee of the Netherlands, BothEnds and two trade unions: FNV Bondgenoten and CNV BedrijvenBond. It cooperates with NGOs and trade unions in coffee, tea and cocoa producing countries.

For more information, check the TCC website(opens in new window) .