Across Asia and the Pacific, those who grow the region’s food are confronting a convergence of crises. Climate change is reshaping landscapes and yields, economic uncertainty is tightening already slim margins, and labour protections are eroding as civic space narrows. Exploitation—ranging from unfair recruitment to unsafe working conditions—continues to affect the most vulnerable. Meanwhile, global regulations such as the EU’s Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive and the rise of mandatory Human Rights and Environmental Due Diligence are redefining what responsible business must look like. Without safeguards, these frameworks risk placing disproportionate pressure on smallholder farmers, women, migrant workers, youth, and Indigenous communities.

The Fair Trade Advocacy Marathon 2025 was recently held from 5–6 November 2025 in Brussels, Belgium, bringing together key stakeholders from across the global Fair Trade movement — including producers, civil society organizations, businesses, and EU policymakers — for a two-day series of policy dialogues, workshops, and strategic discussions focused on advancing the global agenda for ethical, inclusive, and sustainable trade. Representing Fairtrade NAPP was Ms. Shamsiddinova Shamsiya, a cotton farmer and member of the Non-Commercial Cooperative “Green Agriculture” in Tajikistan. As an active member of the Fairtrade NAPP Cotton Product Network and the Cotton Advocacy Working Group, she brought forward valuable insights and lived experiences from the perspective of smallholder cotton producers in Central Asia.

From October 7th to 9th, 2025, Fairtrade International successfully convened the ‘EC FFPA Outcome Harvesting Workshop’ in Nairobi, Kenya — an inspiring three-day learning and reflection event co-funded by the European Union. The workshop represented a significant milestone in the European Commission Financial Framework Partnership agreement programme’s (ECFFPA) trajectory, uniting representatives from Fairtrade International and its three Producer Networks — Fairtrade NAPP, Fairtrade Africa, and Fairtrade Latin America and the Caribbean (CLAC) from ten implementing countries across multiple regions.

The Fairtrade NAPP Sports Ball Product Network Meeting was successfully held on 9th August 2025 in Sialkot, Pakistan, bringing together seven prominent sports ball producers from Pakistan and India. The meeting aimed to strengthen collaboration, share progress, and plan future initiatives to advance sustainable practices, fair-trade principles, and market visibility for sports ball producers in the region.

Over the years, the Cotton Network has served not just as a meeting ground but as a community of practice, where producers from India, Pakistan, Central Asia, and exchange knowledge and innovations that directly impact their livelihoods. It reflects Fairtrade’s core belief that farmers and workers must be at the heart of decision-making, driving the agenda for sustainable trade and ethical supply chains. The workshop was co-funded by the European Union, further strengthening the network’s ability to promote equitable trade, sustainable farming practices, and producer-led solutions to global challenges.

We’re thrilled to announce the 2nd edition of the National Fairtrade in India Conference and Recognition Event—Sustainability, Markets, and Impact—on 9–10 September 2025 in Bengaluru. This landmark event is being co-hosted by Fairtrade India Project (Centre for Social Markets) and the Fairtrade Network of Asia and Pacific Producers (FT-NAPP), with co-funding support from the EU SWITCH-Asia Programme and EC FFPA. It will bring together over 150 stakeholders from across the Fairtrade ecosystem, including producers, businesses, policymakers, and development partners.

Fairtrade and the Fair Trade Advocacy Office are thrilled to invite you to the event “Bridging Policy and Practice: Advancing Living Incomes & Living Wages in Agricultural Supply Chains", in partnership with the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC).

The 8th Annual GRM Working Group (WG) Workshop, held in the historic city of Padua, Italy, brought together a dynamic group of 35 participants, including 66% women, from across the Fairtrade network ( Producer Networks (PNs), National Fairtrade Organizations (NFOs), and Fairtrade International) to accelerate its mission of building a fairer, more sustainable future. Representing Fairtrade NAPP at this key event was CEO Bindu Sukumurapillai, who contributed valuable insights and leadership to the discussions.

Tea producers are no strangers to hard work. But beyond the long hours and skilled hands lies a complex struggle—against shrinking prices, climate shocks, and policy silos. These aren't just trade challenges—they're human challenges. And that’s why TEA TREY II focused on one powerful idea: Advocacy as a tool for transformation. A two-day gathering held in Colombo and co-organized by Fairtrade NAPP's PSR and Advocacy teams, the event brought together 25 passionate changemakers from Fairtrade-certified tea organizations across South Asia.

On April 10, 2025, Fairtrade NAPP successfully convened its Extraordinary General Assembly (EOGA), marking a pivotal moment in its journey towards sustainability, innovation, and stronger governance. The event witnessed active participation of Fairtrade NAPP producers and workers, Board members, staff, technical advisors, key partners, and interpreters across 11 languages.

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.

In a vibrant and constructive gathering, 25 representatives from key players in the Fairtrade cotton industry convened for the Cotton Network Meeting, a pivotal conference aimed at enhancing the capabilities of Fairtrade certified cotton producers across India and Pakistan.

Its mission is to support small-scale producers and workers who have been historically marginalized due to inequitable trade terms, enabling them to benefit from fair and sustainable trade practices.

Guided by a single “North Star” of keeping 1.5C within reach, the 28th COP meetings under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) will be an inclusive event where Blue and Green Zone participants will be working side-by-side to deliver real, actionable solutions to the climate crisis at Dubai, UAE.

Fairtrade is an alternative approach to conventional trade that is based on a partnership between producers and consumers. Over the years, Fairtrade has achieved significant progress in India by developing partnerships with various producer organizations to generate a more substantial social impact in the lives of farmers and workers.

The Fairtrade Network of Asia Pacific Producers (NAPP) in collaboration with Fairtrade International organized the ‘1st NAPP Regional Youth Convention’ to promote youth inclusion and participation in Fairtrade-certified producer organizations.

The event brought together 11 Cotton Producers from Contract Production and Small Producer Organisations from India, Pakistan and Central Asia to discuss and work together on different challenges they face in production, climate, and market, among others.

Tea is the world’s most popular drink (after water), with about 70,000 cups drunk every second! From its origins as an ancient medicinal crop in China, tea has spread far and wide. The multi-billion-dollar tea industry employs millions of people but working conditions and earnings for the producers are often dire.