The finest Indian tea, the sweetest Chilean grapes, the fluffiest West African cotton – all world-famous and available as Fairtrade. And from October, another renowned delicacy joined that list. Afghan raisins have a reputation for being amongst the best anywhere. This is because the soil in the Shomali Plain where they are grown is fertile and water-rich, according to Adam Brett from Tropical Wholefoods, who has been working closely with local farmers for the last four years to help improve yields and production.

The effort to gain Fairtrade certification for the raisins began in 2006 and is a partnership between UK company Tropical Wholefoods, international non-governmental organisation Mercy Corps and the Parwan Raisin Producer Co-operative (PRPC), in the Shomali Plain in Parwan province, an area also known as the garden of Kabul because of its productivity.

Adam explains why Fairtrade is an important step for these farmers: ‘The past three decades of fighting during the Soviet occupation, civil war and Taliban regime virtually decimated the plain. Grape farmers experienced ever decreasing yields, and due to the troubles, access to improved technology and to markets was impossible.’

The farmers belong to PRPC, five groups of around 300 farmers who own on average five jeribs of land with 2.13 jeribs of this being vineyard. A jerib is equivalent to just under half a hectare.

Haji Aenudin, 54, lives with an extended family of 18 including his son’s family. He says selling his raisins in the UK and to other international markets will not only mean that he will be able to get a better price for his raisins but also that he will be able to send his children to school. ‘By selling directly to exporters and not going via a trader, we will get more money for our raisins,’ he explains. ‘My great hope is that peace will return to Afghanistan and for a good life for my children, and their children.’

As well as helping found the co-op, the Mercy Corps' Global Development Alliance (GDA) programme has supported the farmers in other ways including water and soil management, disease control, providing drying mats to improve quality and trellised grape production to increase yields.

The farmers can also now use voice-prompted market price information systems in collaboration with Roshan, Afghanistan's largest mobile service provider to get up-to-date market price information, vital to prevent them paying over the odds for equipment or taking a lower than market price for their crop.
 
Fairtrade Labelling Organisations International has been working with producers from conflict areas as part of its strategy to spread and deepen the impacts of Fairtrade globally. Areas of conflict – even sporadic – suffer extreme poverty and there are many opportunities for Fairtrade to make an impact in supporting communities in these areas, and FLO and the Fairtrade Foundation plan to do just that.