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“An impressive programme”
Review recognizes MS Central America’s efforts in Trade Justice. The programme is “in fact successfully tackling one of the main challenges of small farmers and producers.”
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“Today, more men, youth, and in particular women in Central America have more knowledge of market mechanisms, requirements, and access to markets," says the review. Photo: Christian Korsgaard.
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In June 2009, a review of MS Central America’s trade justice programme was carried out, in order to determine performance so far and identify possible recommendation for future implementation.
According to the findings of the review team, MS has carried out “an impressive programme in Central America working for better and fairer trade conditions”. The team has determined that the regional programme is in fact successfully tackling one of the main challenges of small farmers and producers, keeping a focus on reducing poverty by advocating for self-sustainable means.
New and innovative approaches
“MS Central America uses a method combining the market and the political dimension of trade, and hereby tackles a complex interrelated system of factors, which influence on trade-related issues and the lives of small farmers and producers. Besides information and knowledge of trade in general, MS Central America has managed to include and support new and innovative approaches in the programme, such as Solidarity Economy and Fair Tourism. These are initiatives that not only have strengthened local communities’ understanding of the importance and possibilities of a just and sustainable trade system, but also have added values in terms of increased trade,” says the review team in the final chapter of the report, which also contains a number of recommendations.
The recommendations
The first of these is that MS, in the approaching merger with ActionAid, “should take advantage of its profound understanding of working with trade issues in the region, and influence ActionAid to include the trade theme to a much greater extent in their activities.” Other recommendations include a continuous high level of professional involvement with the partners; advocacy at local level (for instance using Forum Theatre or radio); more connected advocacy efforts between local, national/regional, and global levels; inclusion of more male beneficiaries; strengthened focus on youth; more consistent use of monitoring tools loke Most Significant Change; and more systematic exchange between stakeholders.
“Today, more men, youth, and in particular women in Central America have more knowledge of market mechanisms, requirements, and access to markets. There is a better understanding of how trade can have a direct influence on several issues in their lives; increased economic opportunities, which gives better self-esteem, and changes the domestic level, a change many – especially women – can feel in their every-day life,” concludes the review.
The Chuiraxamolo natural park near lake Atitlan in Guatemala is a good example of a Fair Tourism project. Local communities in the area have been involved in various aspects of preparing the park for tourists: A local artist has painted the information-signs for the park, and people from the area have decided and agreed on the text on the signs. The entrance fee in the park is free for the locals, as the park contains various Maya altars where people come every day to pray. Besides the beautiful nature, wildlife, and spiritual places, there is also a hang glide in the park for the more adventurous visitors.
The park serves as an example of how the nature, local customs and traditions and tourism can be combined. Further, it illustrates how local community has come together in order to teach foreigners about their cultures, while protecting natural resources, which protects their livelihood.
