Fair Trade and its benefits for African countries

The aim of this thesis is to analyze the functioning of Fair Trade and define the main opportunities which it offers to the producers from Africa. The first chapter contains the typical features of this concept, its definition, essential principles, methods of certification, a brief historical overview and current development. It also introduces some important international organizations involved in Fair Trade. The second chapter focuses on Fair Trade in Africa. It includes the analysis of African market, SWOT analysis and definition of some important Fair Trade organizations in Africa and their main activities. The emphasis is given to Fair Trade in Africa, the utilization and distribution of Fair Trade premium, commodity structure, number of farmers involved in the concept of Fair Trade and some other factors. The last part is devoted to the cocoa industry in Africa and two major cooperatives operating in the Ivory Coast and Ghana