Marike de Peña, the director of Fairtrade banana cooperative Banelino, has been named as the chair of the Fairtrade International board, the first time a Fairtrade producer has held the position.
De Peña is a former vice-chair of the Fairtrade International board and oversees Banelino, a 400-member strong banana cooperative in the Dominican Republic.
“It’s a clear sign of growing producer empowerment in the Fairtrade system,' said de Peña. 'We in Fairtrade have a unique structure that gives us the opportunity to join our strengths – producers, workers, national Fairtrade organisations and civil society – to make Fairtrade grow in impact.
“The ‘producer driven’ concept is more than just some words, it is part of our daily mission, producers and workers participate actively in the governance of the Fairtrade system.
“I believe this is a sign to the world that Fairtrade is more than just products and markets, it’s a movement of dedicated people working together to change the rules of trade and enable producers and workers to decide on their own future,' de Peña added.
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