FairPlay’s focus on preventing job losses in poor rural communities has featured in a United States publication trying to get America to do more to combat global poverty.
FairPlay founder Francois Baird was interviewed by the Borgen Magazine. The publication is produced by the US-based Borgen Project which describes itself as “an influential humanitarian organisation working to make global poverty a focus of US foreign policy”.
In its campaign to halt dumped chicken imports, FairPlay has emphasised the impact of job losses in rural communities, and South Africa’s high prevalence of child stunting, which is caused by malnutrition. The Borgen article linked to a report from the United Nations Children’s Fund Unicef noting that between 2008 and 2016 stunting in South Africa had increased from 24% of children under five to 27%.
“By advocating for fair trade practices, organizations similar to the FairPlay Movement understand the importance of small-scale farmers supporting local communities,” the article said.
Baird said action was needed to support poor communities as rising food price inflation affected the affordability of chicken. Responses should include the removal of 15% value added tax on the chicken portions bought by lower-income households.
He also said the world should be more alert to predatory trade.
“We are very determined that the world trade system should take account of the impact of predatory trade practices on poverty and on development,” he told the publication.
