Driving Sustainable Growth: Fairtrade NAPP’s 1st Regional Conferences & Product Networks Meeting 2025
The 1st Fairtrade NAPP Regional Conferences and Product Networks Meeting of 2025 was successfully held from 10th to 11th March.


The 1st Fairtrade NAPP Regional Conferences and Product Networks Meeting of 2025 was successfully held from 10th to 11th, March 2025.
The conference was structured over two days, with the first day dedicated to Central Asia, China, Pakistan, and South Asia, while the second day focused on the Pacific and Southeast Asia regions. Each session began with opening remarks by the respective regional coordinators and deputy coordinators, setting an engaging tone for the discussions.
- Central Asia, China, and Pakistan: Xinrong Zhao and Malik Jamil
- South Asia: Gnanasekaran and Raghavendra Shastry
- Pacific: Mitchell R. Eno and Balasubramani
- Southeast Asia: Nguyen Huu Ha
Key Note Speech
The conference commenced with a keynote address by Pravakar Meher, Chair of the Board, who emphasized that the Regional Conference is not just a constitutional obligation but a pivotal opportunity to align strategies and amplify Fairtrade’s impact. He underscored the growing importance of the Global South as a new frontier for trade, shifting away from the traditional reliance on Northern markets. The Board, he noted, has tasked the Commercial Team with expanding opportunities in the Global South, fostering intra-producer trade, and enhancing sustainability initiatives—an approach poised to unlock new commercial prospects and strengthen Fairtrade’s presence across the Asia-Pacific region. He also highlighted the essential role of Product Networks in representing producer voices and shaping Fairtrade NAPP's commercial direction, particularly in preparation for key decisions at the upcoming EOGA.
Presentation on South to South and Financial Sustainability Strategy
Samir Kapur, Commercial Lead, and Ranjith Kumar, Senior Business Development Manager, presented the South-to-South (S2S) Strategy. They stressed the maturity of Northern Fairtrade markets and the untapped potential in emerging Southern markets, with particular attention to Singapore and Dubai. Their insights focused on leveraging these growth markets to increase sales and broaden market access for Fairtrade products from the Asia-Pacific. They also presented about the Fairtrade NAPP Financial Sustainability by commercializing Fairtrade NAPPs services to traders as well through leveraging the regional expertise within the system. This approach aims to generate additional revenue streams, ensuring the long-term financial stability of Fairtrade NAPP.


Product Network Strategy and Goals
Amit Das, Product Coordinator, presented the strategic roadmap for the Product Networks, articulating a vision to cultivate an equitable global marketplace that empowers producers and workers while advancing sustainable development. He outlined the mission to expand the reach of the eight Product Networks through innovation, ethical practices, and a focus on environmental, economic, and social resilience, supported by collective expertise and shared resources.
- Coconut Network
The Coconut Network meeting, led by Rosemarie Sumalinog from Southeast Asia and Janaka D from South Asia, centered on climate-resilient agriculture, recognizing the diverse challenges unique to each region. The network committed to conducting quarterly awareness sessions on standards and pricing in close collaboration with the NAPP Advocacy Team. Marketing strategies will be tailored to each country, with support from the NAPP Marcomms and Business Development Teams. The session also featured updates on activities aligned with the broader Fairtrade NAPP Strategy, including regular reporting on production and market trends during regional meetings. The Coconut Network continues to champion advocacy initiatives, participation in trade fairs, and discussions on thematic areas such as social compliance, human rights and environmental due diligence (HREDD), gender and youth inclusion, and climate adaptation strategies.
- Coffee Network
The Coffee Network, led by Ko Sai for Southeast Asia, Raghavendra Shastry for South Asia, and Mitchell Ricky for the Pacific, provided an in-depth look into the evolution of the Pacific Coffee Network, which has grown since its inception in 2012 as the Asia Pacific Coffee Forum. The network outlined three strategic priorities: enhancing market access, improving productivity and quality, and strengthening governance and standards compliance. Significant progress has been made in market access through participation in leading coffee fairs, engagement in coffee standards and pricing reviews, and supporting compliance with the EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR). Productivity improvements have been driven by the Coffee Development Plan, while governance efforts have included forming a coffee advisory group, participating in global Fairtrade coffee meetings, piloting geofencing for EUDR compliance, and advancing HREDD and gender programs. These initiatives collectively aim to bolster the resilience, competitiveness, and sustainability of the coffee sector, particularly in South Asia. In the Pacific region, while market sales are generally stable, challenges persist, including low farm-level yields, high production costs due to limited infrastructure, and concerns over prices paid to farmers. Key recommendations emerged, focusing on training for new EUDR and EUOR compliance requirements, improvements in processing facilities to enhance quality and yields, expanded market access, pricing strategies, and deeper coordination on coffee-related priorities.
- Rice Network
The Rice Network meeting, led by Boonjira Tanruang for Southeast Asia, Hafiz Muhammad Ismail for Pakistan, and Vivek Shahi for South Asia, demonstrated a strong commitment to sustainable practices and addressing key challenges across India and Pakistan. In India, the network reported progress with sustainable technologies, including the development of a farm-level monitoring app, which will see further enhancements. The Land Laser Leveler Project, supported by Fairtrade Germany, has significantly improved water efficiency and soil management. Capacity building remains central, with workshops on compliance standards and extensive field and virtual training sessions for producer organizations. Discussions with the Rice Research Institute continue to advance knowledge-sharing and joint initiatives. In Pakistan, the network prioritized market visibility through the documentation of impact stories and the development of partnerships with government bodies and research institutions. A farm-level monitoring app has been launched to enhance data availability and increase Fairtrade awareness among farmers. To address climate change, the network plans to deliver training on climate-smart agriculture in April 2025, focusing on adaptive strategies such as agroforestry and crop diversification. Collaborative efforts with BEDF are also ongoing to establish regular farmer programs. These initiatives reflect Fairtrade’s steadfast dedication to fostering a resilient, innovative, and inclusive rice sector across the region.
- Sugar Network
The Fairtrade Sugar Product Network meeting led by Tukaram Yadav (India); Natasha Erika (Program Manager- Philippines) Abinesh Chand ( Program Consultant- Fiji) highlighted significant progress and ongoing initiatives aimed at strengthening sustainability across the sector. Under the pillar of Sustainable Environment, producer members received training on Good Agricultural Practices and emergency response strategies, particularly in the Philippines. Efforts under Sustainable Communities focused on advancing gender strategies and youth engagement through workshops and nominations. The network also made strides in Human Rights and Environmental Due Diligence (HREDD), with field projects and training across Fiji and the Philippines to promote best labor practices and social compliance. On the trade front, participation in the Global Sugar Summit and customer engagement for value-added products like organic sugar and molasses signified key achievements. Notably, Fiji saw impactful projects on drainage and climate resilience. Collaborative efforts included consultations with industry stakeholders and policymakers to address declining cane production and certification challenges. In the realm of technology, initiatives like farm digitalization and traceability in India, alongside Fair Insight Training across Asia Pacific, were advanced. Finally, support on FT system improvements continues, with a focus on audit compliance and capacity-building for Board and producer organisation staff.
- Cotton Network
The Cotton Network, led by Assad Bajwa from Pakistan and Ms. Nandita B from India, outlined the implementation of its cotton product strategy across Pakistan and Central Asia, with a strong focus on sustainability, capacity building, and market development. Environmental initiatives featured prominently, including climate change adaptation and mitigation strategy planning set for Q3 in Central Asia, an environmental study spearheaded by Fairtrade India, and afforestation coupled with income diversification efforts in Pakistan. For building Sustainable Communities, the network successfully concluded the Youth Knowledge Hub Project, engaging two young participants from a producer organization, conducted thematic training with EDI on agri-preneurship and business skills, and hosted an introductory workshop on Human Rights and Environmental Due Diligence (HREDD). Under the banner of Sustainable Trade, the completion of the COSP study and workshop, producer participation at Bharat Tex 2025, and ongoing collaboration with the National Cotton Conference and Synergy for climate action marked significant achievements. The network also made strides in advancing Sustainable Technology through exposure visits to a biochar unit in Hyderabad, the completion of water harvesting systems, and efforts to maintain biodiversity. Strengthening Fairtrade systems remained a priority, with two virtual post-audit trainings completed, continued certification advisory support, an HREDD training scheduled with three producers in December 2024, and a cotton minimum price and premium review workshop. Looking ahead, Central Asia is set to host a range of initiatives in Q3 2025, including capacity building on climate strategies, an introductory HREDD workshop, promotion of biochar and eco-friendly methods to enhance yields, certification advisory support, a cost of sustainable production validation workshop, and exchange visits among SPO members to foster knowledge sharing and collaboration.
- Sportsball Network
The Sports Ball Network, led by Malik M. Jamil from Pakistan and Mr. Anurag from South Asia, is advancing several initiatives to enhance sustainability and community development within the sector. In Pakistan, steps are being taken to appoint a consultant dedicated to measuring CO2 emissions for each sports ball producer, alongside active efforts at the producer level to reduce carbon footprints and build the capacity of both workers and producers to better manage environmental risks. Recognizing the importance of inclusivity, the network is also focusing on developing programs that engage and empower women and youth, while promoting climate resilience by involving workers and local communities in sustainability initiatives. Increasing Fairtrade sales remains a key objective, with an emphasis on strengthening market linkages and refining marketing strategies to stimulate demand. In India, the network has identified promising opportunities to explore projects that will directly benefit worker members, with some initiatives already underway. Furthermore, the areas of Sustainable Environment and Sustainable Livelihoods have been earmarked for future development, highlighting potential pathways for impactful, targeted action in the coming phases.
- Tea SPO Network
The Tea SPO Network, led by Dan Wu from China and Nandakumara EA from South Asia, is addressing the pressing challenges faced by Fairtrade smallholder tea farmers while identifying pathways toward sustainable growth. Dan Wu provided a comprehensive perspective on the situation in China, emphasizing the importance of ethical production, environmental sustainability, and the role of premium pricing in supporting farmers and their communities. She highlighted the issue of tea oversupply, which continues to strain pricing and market stability, and stressed the need for sustainable approaches that can empower smallholders, balance market dynamics, and strengthen engagement with both domestic and international Fairtrade markets.
Meanwhile, Nandakumara EA shed light on the situation in Sri Lanka, where tea remains a vital pillar of the national economy and a major source of foreign exchange. Smallholder farmers, however, face severe challenges, especially from the impacts of climate change, which threaten product quality, pricing, and overall farmer incomes. Fairtrade efforts in the region are geared towards promoting ethical production and environmental stewardship, along with ensuring premium pricing to support farmers’ livelihoods. Despite these challenges, there is considerable opportunity to expand into export-oriented markets, particularly in the EU, UK, and North America, which could enhance the income and resilience of smallholder farmers while advancing sustainable practices within Sri Lanka’s tea industry.
- Tea HL Network
The Tea Hired Labour Plantation (HLP) Product Network meeting was led by Indranil Ghosh who presented on the significant milestone in advancing the Fairtrade Tea Product Strategy. Notable progress was seen in environmental initiatives, with youth engagement and biodiversity awareness programmes already implemented, particularly in Sri Lanka. The successful completion of HREDD workshops across five major hired labour organisations in India strengthened the focus on building sustainable communities. Under sustainable trade marketing training, and participation in the World Tea Expo in Las Vegas showcased efforts to elevate Fairtrade tea in global markets. Meanwhile, ongoing research and validation workshops on living wages demonstrated a firm commitment to improving sustainable livelihoods, especially in North-East India. The meeting also set the stage for future actions, recommending expansion of HREDD training to more regions, enhancing market linkages through targeted strategies, fast-tracking living wage implementation, and amplifying global advocacy for Fairtrade tea.
Closing Remarks
In her closing remarks, Bindu Sukumarapillai, CEO of Fairtrade NAPP, extended heartfelt gratitude to the entire team, network leads, and producer representatives for their active participation and efforts in organizing the event. She acknowledged the dedication and hard work that went into making the sessions productive and insightful, noting the richness of the discussions and the relevance of the challenges and opportunities highlighted across the networks. Commending the collaborative spirit demonstrated by producers and network leaders alike, she emphasized that the recommendations and action points emerging from each network — whether on environmental sustainability, trade, capacity building, or community empowerment would be actively pursued and implemented by the Fairtrade NAPP team. She assured the participants that the organisation is fully committed to translating these insights into actionable strategies, strengthening support mechanisms for producers, and fostering stronger market linkages. The CEO also reaffirmed Fairtrade NAPP's dedication to continuous engagement with producers and stakeholders, promising to keep the dialogue open and inclusive as they collectively work towards a more sustainable and resilient future for Fairtrade communities across the Asia Pacific region.