Focus Areas

Open All Close All

  • 1 . Promotion of Fair Trade, Advocacy, Lobby and Networking

  • 2 . Business Development and Capacity Building Services to members and likeminded organizations

    FTG Nepal develops and conducts business development and capacity enhancement activities like workshops, trainings, seminars, expert volunteer services, market facilitation and dissemination of information etc. for its members and like-minded organizations, entrepreneurs and producers. Market facilitation through Trade Fairs, development of joint promotional materials, coordination of joint international market exposure trips, buyer seller meetings are some examples of the range of support FTG Nepal offers their members.

  • 3 . Membership, Fair Trade Monitoring and Assessment

    With an aim to create a stronger presence domestically and internationally and to encourage organizations to conduct business in a Fair-Trade manner, FTG Nepal solicits applications for membership from organizations who share our commitments to the Fair Trade principles and meet the membership criteria. FTG Nepal provides comprehensive orientation to prospective organizations about membership benefits, criteria and procedures. FTG Nepal follows the monitoring system developed by WFTO while assessing current and potential members.

    FTG Nepal also administers the application process and entry audit of applications for WFTO Asia memberships. On request, FTG Nepal also conducts entry audit to assess if an organization is following Fair Trade principles.
     

  • 4 . Research and Development

    FTG Nepal conducts market research, action research, policy research, studies and assessments on Fair Trade issues. Some studies conducted in collaboration with partner organizations have been published, which include:

    •  Collective Marketing in collaboration with ICIMOD
    • Survey of Stakeholders of Social Responsible Business in Nepal in collaboration with Action Aid
    • Fair Wage Survey in collaboration with Action Aid & Intermon OXFAM
    • Potential Fair Trade agro/food products in Nepal in collaboration with CECI-UNITERRA; ‘Voice of Fair Trade’ for the WFTO global conference
    • Women – Drivers of Economy’ jointly with FWEAN and FNCCI on the 100th International Women’s Day
    • Fair Trade in Nepal: a ripple of change in women’s lives, under the WIEGO project.

    Programs

    • Fair Trade Conex (conference and exhibition) –14-16 November 2003 

    • A seminar on ‘Fair Trade in the context of Globalization and its perspective in regional trade’ was conducted. 

    • Organized Asia Regional Conference in 1998. 

    • Participation in Fair Trade Fair and Fair Trade Symposium at WTO Ministerial meeting in Hong Kong in 2005 

    • Fair Trade: Sustainable Development Workshop chaired by Mr. Mohan Man Sainju. Joyce Burkholder and Inge op ten Berg also spoke. 

    • Fair Trade and Market Promotion for Poverty Alleviation supported by Action Aid in 60/61 

    • Celebration of the 100th International Women’s Day along with FNCCI and FWEAN 

    • Participation in biennial conferences of WFTO Global and WFTO Asia 

    • Organized WFTO global conference in 2009 in Kathmandu. 

    • Celebration of World Fair Trade Day every year. 

    • Participation in Biennial Conference of WFTO in Korea 

    • Organizing Bagmati Cleanup Campaign 

    • Conference on Nepal Norway Cooperation for Research and Development 

    • Participation in Biennial Conference of WFTO in Milan. 

    • Participation in CBI Fair Trade Finest Program, Netherland

    • Jointly organized Asia Fair Trade Summit with WFTO Asia

    • Participation in Biennial Conference of WFTO in Peru

    • Participation at 1st and 2nd China International Import Expo 

    • Organizing Fair Trade Christmas Bazaar

    • Participation in FHAN Fair

    • Fair Trade Promotion through Digital Platform (daraz.com.np) 

    • Fair Trade Dashain Tihar Bazaar 2021 via daraz.com.np

  • 5 . Partnership Projects

    Projects

    FTG Nepal has collaborated with various national and international government organizations, chambers and associations, international donor agencies, Fair Trade networks, embassies and diplomatic missions and government agencies, and has implemented various projects in line with its mission. Through partnerships and collaborations, FTG Nepal has established access to qualified experts and volunteers, national and international, with expertise in a wide range of areas. Some of our current and past projects include:

    1. Promotion of Export through Design Services
    2. Promotion of Export through advancing the concept of Export House
    3. Promotion of Export through Trade Facilitation Unit
    4. Nepal Bangladesh Exchange Program
    5. Enhancing Livelihood Resilience through Fair Trade
    6. Sustainable Livelihoods Support for Earthquake Affected Families in Nepal, funded by OXFAM Australia 
    7. Strengthening of Fair Trade Group Nepal, funded by IM Swedish Development
    8. Team Building and Mediation Skill Development Project, funded by TTV-USA
    9. Fair Trade Cotton Supply Chain Development
    10. Sustainable Fair Trade Management System, funded by Cordaid
    11. Uniterra (A WUSC and CECI program) 
    12. Case Studies on Collective Form of Organizing for Market Access in Nepal, funded by Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs
    13. FTG Nepal capacity Building Project, funded by Kadoorie Charitable Foundation (KCF), UK 
    14. Fredskorpset South-South Exchange program (Establishing and Enhancing Sustainable South-South Fair Trade Partnership), Funded by FK Norway 
    15. Fair Trade in Nepal, EU funded 
    16. Marketable Handicrafts Development Project (MHDP) for Rautahat and Bara, funded by PLAN Nepal 
    17. Marketable Handicrafts Development Project (MHDP) for Makwanpur, funded by PLAN Nepal

    Project Details

    1. Promotion of Export through Design Services
      Lead Partner: Trade and Export Promotion Centre (TEPC)
      Implementing Partner: Fair Trade Group Nepal
      Main objective: 
      •    To provide international design services for new product development; 
      •    To conduct design trainings.
      Duration: Mangshir 2076-Jestha 2077

    2. Promotion of Export through advancing the concept of Export House
      Lead Partner: Trade and Export Promotion Centre (TEPC)
      Implementing Partner: Fair Trade Group Nepal
      Main objective: 
      •    To develop common understanding on export house; 
      •    To promote export houses by imparting various services necessary to export products like cardamom, ginger, Laha, basketry, coffee etc. and other products produced from SMEs.
      Duration: Mangshir 2076-Jestha 2077

    3. Promotion of Export through Trade Facilitation Unit
      Lead Partner: Trade and Export Promotion Centre (TEPC)
      Implementing Partner: Fair Trade Group Nepal
      Main objective: 
      •    To establish Trade Facilitation Centre to facilitate business development services needed for export promotion; 
      •    To develop competencies of locals to facilitate business development services; 
      Duration: Mangshir 2076-Jestha 2077

    4. Nepal Bangladesh Exchange Program
      Donor: Norec (www.norec.no)
      Main objective: 
      Nepal Bangladesh Exchange Program will promote cross boundary learning between two countries strengthening the knowledge base and skill sets of the producers and fair trade secretariat bodies ultimately contributing to promoting fair trade.
      Duration: 2019-2022

    5. Enhancing Livelihood Resilience through Fair Trade
      Donor: IM Swedish Development Partner; Duration: 5 years, 2019-2023

      Main Objectives

      Project Goal
      •    Contribute to poverty reduction through Fair Trade approaches
      General Objective
      •    To increased social and economic inclusion of Women and youths of marginalized communities

      Specific Objective
      •    To establish fair trade friendly enterprises for self-sufficiency to Women and youths from marginalized communities
      •    To incorporate effectively fair trade friendly, women and youths friendly provisions in the existing policy through duty bearers
      •    To increase the capacity of FTG and CSOs to better advocate for fair trade policies and practices among stakeholder

    6. Sustainable Livelihoods Support for Earthquake Affected Families in Nepal
      Donor: OXFAM Australia
      The main objective of the project is to improve psycho-social and physical wellbeing of earthquake affected families by strengthening their livelihoods. This will significantly contribute to attaining the Sustainable Development Goals 2030.
      The specific objectives of the project are:
      •    Increase income of men and women producers (existing and new)
      •    Improve market linkages for producer groups
      •    Improve policies and practices to promote the Fair-Trade business model
      Duration: 3 years, 2016-2018

    7. Strengthening of Fair Trade Group Nepal
      Donor: IM Swedish Development
      Main objective: This project aims to strengthen the FTG Nepal secretariat by enhancing their capacity to better monitor existing members and to increase the wide array of the membership base, provide capacity building services to members and producers, increase the outreach of FTG Nepal in promoting and advocating for Fair Trade at different levels, establish a network with like-minded organizations to work in partnership projects, and facilitate research on Fair Trade in Nepal to tell stories and show the impact of work.
      Duration: 3 years, 2015-2017

    8. Team Building and Mediation Skill Development Project
      Donor: Ten Thousand Villages, USA
      Facilitation by: Mennonite Central Committee (MCC), Nepal
      Main objective: To resolve conflicts in the organization, specifically the differences between the union and management in order to initiate better communication, team work and greater productivity in the organization.
      Duration: 1 year, 2011-2012

    9. Fair Trade Cotton Supply Chain Development
      Donor: EU
      Program: Non State Actors (NSA) and Local Authorities in Development
      Main objectives:
      •    To contribute towards sustainable development through Fair Trade interventions in the cotton sector of Nepal and India.
      •    To promote closer linkages and trade enhancements in the cotton sector by enhancing Asian partners’ export capacity and international market access through a new Fair Trade supply chain. 
      •    To promote sustainable production in the cotton sector by introducing innovative production and Supply Chain Management Systems in India and Nepal, thereby ensuring access to better socio-economic conditions to the marginalized producers.
      Duration: 3 years, 2010 - 2013
      Partners: Formaper, agency of Milan Chamber of Commerce, Itlay, CTM Altromercato, Italy, Fair Trade Forum India

    10. Sustainable Fair Trade Management System
      Donor: Cordaid
      Implementing Agency: World Fair Trade Organization Asia (WFTO Asia)
      Main objective: SFTMS pilot implementation in Nepal and prepare 4 Fair Trade organizations for independent certification and label.
      Duration: 2010 – 11
       
    11. Uniterra (A WUSC and CECI program)
      Implementing organization: Centre for International Studies and Cooperation (CECI) Donor: Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA)
      Main objective: Uniterra is a major Canadian voluntary cooperation and international development program. Uniterra has partnered with FTG Nepal for private sector development to empower communities and individuals to develop small income generating activities in order to diversify the economy and reduce poverty.
      Duration: 5 years, 2009 -2014
       
    12. Case Studies on Collective Form of Organizing for Market Access in Nepal
      Implementing organization: Women in Informal Employment Globalizing and Organizing (WIEGO)
      Donor: Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs 
      Main objectives:
      •    To demonstrate that when organized in collective forms of enterprises, women can engage with global markets in a way that brings transformational change both economically and politically: that engagement with global markets can also be a positive force; 
      •    In spite of the structural barriers imposed by regional trade agreements and international trade rules, there is a strong alternative trade movement (Fair Trade) which is mobilizing to redress the inequalities of the global trade system. The case studies made under this project will aim to draw out some of the policy asks of that movement.
      •    To increase and strengthen the movement through a process of mutual exchange and learning within and across regions. Although this is going on to some extent already, the WEIGO case studies expect to bring in a gender and organizing lens which is often lacking.
      Duration: 2 years, 2009-2011
       
    13. FTG Nepal capacity Building Project
      Donor: Kadoorie Charitable Foundation (KCF), UK
      Main objective: To contribute to poverty alleviation/sustainable development by creating better employment opportunities for low income small producers of Nepal through strengthening the capacity of FTG Nepal and its member organizations and other likeminded organizations in the handicraft/agro-food/NTFP sector.
      Duration: 1 year, 2009-2010
      Partners: British Consultancy Charitable Trust (BCCT), UK
       
    14. Fredskorpset South-South Exchange program (Establishing and Enhancing Sustainable South-South Fair Trade Partnership)
      Donor: Fredskorpset, Norway
      Main objective: Exchange of participants between Fair Trade Group Nepal, Fair Trade Forum India and ECOTA Fair Trade Forum, Bangladesh, in order to transfer knowledge and skills on crafts process and techniques, crafts marketing and promotion and Sustainable Fair Trade Management System (SFTMS).
      Duration: 5 years, 2007 - 2013
      Partners: Fair Trade Forum India, ECOTA Fair Trade Forum Bangladesh
       
    15. Fair Trade in Nepal
      Donor: EU
      Program: Asia Invest Programme
      Main objective: The main aim of the project is capacity building and supporting the networking endeavors of FTG Nepal with various European business organizations.
      Duration: 2 years, 2006-2007
      Partners: Formaper, agency of Milan Chamber of Commerce, Itlay, Consorzio Cooperazione Terzo Mondo (CTM) Altromercato, Italy, Fair Trade Original, The Netherlands
       
    16. Marketable Handicrafts Development Project (MHDP) for Makwanpur
      Donor: PLAN Nepal
      Main objective: The project aims to develop craft based income generating activities as a sustainable source of livelihood for disadvantageous communities by upgrading their skills and linking them with the market.
      Duration: 2 years, 2005 – 2007
       
    17. Marketable Handicrafts Development Project (MHDP) for Rautahat and Bara
      Donor: PLAN Nepal
      Main objective: Raising the status of the sponsored families by providing them with regular income generating activities through promotion of their traditional skills, indirectly the sponsored children will have better opportunities for education and health.
      Duration: 5 years, 2002 – 2007