When Fairtrade Met Hela Wedakama

The next generation of Sri Lanka’s healthcare professionals now has a clearer picture of where their herbs come from, and of the farmers and workers who grow them. On 19 June 2026, Iresha Sanjeewanie, Programme Manager for Sri Lanka at Fairtrade NAPP, joined nearly 90 BAMS and BUMS undergraduate students, lecturers and staff of the Faculty of Indigenous Medicine, University of Colombo, for an interactive lunchtime lecture on “How Fairtrade Contributes to Economic, Social and Environmental Sustainability”.

Set within the wider frame of Sustainable Development Goal 11 on sustainable cities and communities, the session mattered because of who was in the room. Students of Sri Lankan Indigenous Medicine (Hela Wedakama), Ayurveda and Unani medicine will build their careers around medicinal plants, herbs and spices, the very products through which many Fairtrade certified organisations in Sri Lanka reach international markets.

Certification, Decoded in a Lunch Hour

By the end of the session, participants could explain what stands behind the FAIRTRADE Mark. The interactive presentation walked them through the Fairtrade system step by step: the Fairtrade Standards, the certification process, the Fairtrade Minimum Price that acts as a safety net for producer organisations when market prices fall, and the Fairtrade Premium, the additional sum that cooperatives decide democratically how to invest. Requirements on trading contracts, traceability and use of the Fairtrade Mark showed students how fairness is built into every link of the supply chain, from a herb garden in Sri Lanka to a shop shelf abroad.

Producer Stories That Brought the Standards to Life

Standards can sound abstract until someone shows you what they look like in practice. Practical examples from Fairtrade certified producer organisations in Sri Lanka and across the Asia-Pacific region anchored each concept in real experience: farmers and workers strengthening their livelihoods, adapting to climate change, conserving biodiversity, advancing gender equality and workers’ rights, and investing their Fairtrade Premium in community projects of their own choosing. Through these stories, participants saw how sustainability certification supports farmers and workers to protect their land, their health and their livelihoods.

Herbs, Spices and a Market Beyond the Pharmacy

For students of indigenous medicine, the most immediate gain was seeing their own disciplines through a trade lens. The discussion on herbs, herbal teas and spices, the Fairtrade product categories closest to their profession, showed how sustainability certification can enhance product credibility, open access to international markets for herbal and natural products, and contribute to sustainable rural livelihoods for the farmers who cultivate medicinal plants. It was a new way of thinking about value: what makes a product trustworthy is not only its formulation, but also how fairly it was grown and traded.

Young Women Steering the Sustainability Conversation

Around nine in ten participants were young women, a reflection of the Faculty’s student body and a glimpse of who will shape Sri Lanka’s healthcare and natural products sectors in the years ahead. The question-and-answer discussion that closed the session showed how far the conversation had travelled in three hours: students raised questions on sustainable consumption, ethical sourcing, climate action and career opportunities in sustainability, thinking critically about their own choices as future professionals and as consumers.

A Partnership Between Academia and Fairtrade Takes Root

Beyond individual learning, the lecture established a working relationship between Fairtrade NAPP and the Faculty of Indigenous Medicine. The enthusiasm in the room, from students and academic staff alike, laid the groundwork for knowledge sharing between the Fairtrade movement and a faculty whose expertise in indigenous medicine, herbs, spices and natural product development complements Fairtrade’s work with farmers and workers in these very value chains.

Voices from the Lecture Hall

“On behalf of the Faculty of Indigenous Medicine, I would like to express our sincere appreciation to Mrs. M.V. Iresha Sanjeewanie for delivering such an insightful and inspiring session. The presentation successfully connected the concepts of sustainability, ethical trade and Fairtrade with our disciplines of Sri Lankan Indigenous Medicine. The practical examples and interactive discussion broadened our understanding of how sustainable certification, medicinal plants, herbs, spices and natural products can contribute to community development and access to international markets. We look forward to future collaborations with Fairtrade NAPP in research, student engagement and knowledge-sharing initiatives.”

- Senior academic, Faculty of Indigenous Medicine, University of Colombo

From One Lecture to a Learning Partnership

 Fairtrade NAPP and the Faculty of Indigenous Medicine will explore opportunities for collaboration in research, guest lectures and student engagement programmes focusing on sustainable value chains for herbs, spices, medicinal plants and natural cosmetic products. Potential areas include sustainability certification schemes, value addition, ethical sourcing, climate-resilient cultivation and market access for herbal and natural products.

Follow-up discussions will be initiated over the coming academic year to identify joint research opportunities, knowledge-sharing activities and potential collaborative projects, including more comprehensive workshops that give students the deeper dive this first session could only preview.