Fairtrade Africa (FTA) is the umbrella network organization representing Fairtrade-certified producers and workers in Africa and the Middle East. It has four (4) regional networks – Eastern & Central Africa; Southern Africa; West Africa; and the Middle East & North Africa. Established in 2005, FTA is a member of Fairtrade International and currently represents over one million farmers and workers in over 500 producer organizations (POs) spread across 33 countries in Africa by providing services to them that contribute to the improvement of their livelihoods. Fairtrade Africa’s interventions are guided by the Fairtrade Theory of Change (ToC) which visually expresses how these ultimately lead to global Fairtrade Goals www.fairtradeafrica.net.
FTA’s DONUTS (Dignified Opportunities Nurtured through Trade and Sustainability) Programme and its Project in South Africa 2022 – 2025
DONUTS is a four-year Development Cooperation Programme funded by the Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland (MFA-Finland) with further support from National Fairtrade Organizations (NFOs) and Commercial partners.
Underpinned by the Fairtrade ToC, the DONUTS Programme seeks justice and fairness through exercising rights and freedoms, empowerment through strengthening the assets and capabilities of the most marginalized farmers and workers, and the attainment of sustainable livelihoods through building resilient agro-based trade systems and societies. The Programme aims at capturing and assessing simultaneous change in four areas (spheres of change): Small producer & worker organizations; Supply chain business practices; Consumer behaviour and Civil society action.
The Programme is implemented in 7 African countries for different value chains which include wine and wine grapes in South Africa.
The programme’s ultimate goal is to lift farmers and workers to an economically and socially sustainable life, staying within the boundaries of ecological sustainability. The programme’s ToC includes three sustainability priority areas with pathways of change:
· Social: Farmers and workers make the decisions regarding their wellbeing.
· Economic: Farmers and workers are economically resilient.
· Ecological: Farmers and workers live in harmony with the environment and climate.
The programme’s cross-cutting objectives are gender equality, youth and vulnerable groups, especially persons with disabilities. This consultancy will focus on studying the necessary conditions for achieving a living wage for farmworkers on Fairtrade certified South African wine farms and should include recommended actions and a roadmap on how to reach it through the implementation of a 3–4-year project.
2. Objective and Scope of Study
The study should identify the requirements for partners in the wine and wine grapes’ value chain of the South African wine industry to pay farmworkers living wages. The study should assess the views and gather and analyse data of key informants in the agricultural sectors, including labour inspectors, policymakers, researchers, trade unions, worker committees, representatives of organised labour, and employers on the issues stated below.
The study shall also assess progress, challenges, consequences and achievements experienced by Fairtrade certified wine farms in paying workers a living wage and share results and lessons learned by workers, trade unions and producers.
The consultant will assess the status quo and progress made towards achieving living wage on Fairtrade certified wine farms using the following set of key questions:
i. What is the current gap between the current wage of farmworkers on Fairtrade certified wine farms and the salient living wage?
ii. What progress has been made in the last 5 years to move closer towards workers earning a living wage?
iii. What are the current and potential roles of trade unions to increase workers’ participation and pay?
iv. How can progress on living wage best be tracked and managed?
v. What are the potential risks associated with the enforcement of a living wage based on experiences with the implementation of the National Minimum Wage (NMW)?
vi. What active role can Fairtrade, Alko and other Nordic monopolies play in ensuring progression towards earning a living wage?
vii. What role can each entity in the value chain have in contributing to the payment of living wages?
viii. How can Fairtrade, Alko and Nordic monopolies influence buy-in and commitment from key stakeholders to move towards paying farmworkers a living wage?
The study should furthermore include the following:
Wage issues
· The current various wage levels, average wages, differences in wages e.g., between permanent and seasonal workers (on Fairtrade and non-certified farms)
· Identify the average labour cost per ha for Fairtrade farms.
· Indicate wage changes of farmworkers over the past 5 years.
· Indicate if a pay gap exists because of gender, migrant or other vulnerabilities. Is there a difference between Fairtrade and non-certified farms?
· Identify the root cause for not reaching a living wage.
· Determine if the Fairtrade Premium contributes to earning higher living wages.
· How can Alko and other Nordic monopolies best influence the wage situation and correct the root causes for not paying farmworkers a living wage? Consider procurement practices, supply chain management, advocacy, etc.
· Recommendations for different stakeholders to improve living wage negotiations.
Social dialogue and realization of workers’ right to organize
· Identify the perspective and interests (including needs, concerns) of both employer and union/worker side to help determine the conditions under which each group is willing and able to participate in a dialogue process.
· Identification and recommendation of key stakeholders for a meaningful social dialogue
· Confirm union membership % (permanent vs. seasonal workers) on Fairtrade and non-certified wine farms.
· Identify the Trade Unions that are active/operating on the farms. Is there a difference between Fairtrade and non-certified farms?
· Identify the difficulties experienced by Trade Unions to represent workers on the wine farms.
· Evaluate the right and freedom of workers to join a trade union operating on their farm.
· Identify reasons why workers do not exercise their right to join a trade union.
· Evaluate the effect of union membership% on wage development and negotiations.
Capacity development:
· Identify the biggest skills gaps amongst farmworkers.
· Identify the effectiveness and skills gaps of Trade Unions and workers committees.
· Identify the freedom of workers to attend capacity building sessions offered through Fairtrade and other organisations operating on the wine farms. Is there a difference between Fairtrade and non-certified farms?
Value chain:
· Mock-up examples of value distribution in the supply chain, from wine grape producer to retail in Finland and Sweden.
· The impact of pricing and how it affects the value distribution.
· The role of each value chain partner in contributing to the payment of living wages.
3. Consultant Specifications
Fairtrade Africa seeks an experienced, proactive and dedicated consultant to undertake this assignment. We welcome applications that meet the following criteria:
· 6 – 10 years extensive experience conducting studies for donor-funded projects and programmes in multisectoral environments;
· Experience developing and delivering M&E systems, tools and training for livelihoods and evaluations (including food security, crops-based livelihoods and value chains, human rights approaches) or related fields on an international basis across multiple regions;
· Evidence of capacity to undertake the assignment;
· Excellent communication skills and a good understanding of the wage negotiations process and ability to identify key role players in wage negotiations within the agricultural sector;
· Working experience at senior level in agriculture value chains may be an added advantage;
· Excellent skills and experience in study design and implementation, quantitative and qualitative data collection, information management, and quality assurance approaches;
· Knowledge and understanding of living wage in the agricultural industry and ability to effectively identify and engage various role players who would need to provide insight into this study.
· Highly organized with the ability to be flexible, resilient, resourceful, able to manage teams, can multi-task and respond proactively;
· Excellent interpersonal, written, analytical and verbal communication skills and the ability to converse in English and Afrikaans.
· Experience in the South African wine industry will be an added bonus.
· The consultant MUST be based in the Western Cape and available to undertake the assignment in March 2022.
4. Consultancy Timeframe
The consultant is expected to produce ALL deliverables outlined below within 30 days in the months of February and March 2022.
5. Deliverables of the consultancy
· A complete report on the findings of the consultancy study on the achievement of a living wage of farmworkers on Fairtrade certified South African wine farms
· Recommended actions with specific outcomes on the specific findings
· Validation of the findings on the achievement of a living wage for rightsholders.
· Validation of the findings on the involvement and inclusion of all relevant stakeholders and role players.
· Final report on the results of the consultancy study approved by FTA.