A 96 page report called “Ripe with Abuse: Human Rights Conditions in South Africa’s Fruit and Wine Industries” was released yesterday by the Human Rights Watch. The report exposes the poor living and working conditions of farm worker and other farm dwellers in South Africa.
“I recognise many of the horrific stories from farm dwellers. In the essence the report is correct. Today, many farms in South Africa and beyond still don’t respect the law or human rights. As an ex social auditor in the agricultural sector I am aware of some serious misconduct and I agree that action needs to be taken. On the other hand, I came across the most fantastic farms where workers are treated with dignity and management adheres to national legislation” says Boudewijn Goossens, Executive Director of Fairtrade Label South Africa.
The limitation of the Human Rights Watch report is that it is about stories from 60 different farms. The report is a compilation of instances of abuse on all these workplaces but presented as if these problems are the norm on most farms. Although the stories are terrible the report can be misleading.
Nevertheless, the situation of many farm dwellers is serious and needs attention. Fairtrade has had a positive impact on the lives of farm dwellers at its certified farms in South Africa and the rest of the continent. We will continue doing this and hopefully more farms will join Fairtrade or other ethical trading systems to show that they are serious about doing the right thing.
We believe that consumers and businesses are the drivers of change. The demand for products that are produced in a sustainable manner is increasing in South Africa, following the international trend. The Fairtrade label makes it easier for consumers and businesses to find ethically produced products and it creates the awareness that civil society can drive change by choosing ethical, sustainable products.
The liveeco team
