|
Camari, Fair Trade System of the
FEPP
Before
addressing Camari, it is important to discuss the Fondo Ecuatoriano Populorum
Progressio FEPP (Popular Ecuadorian Progress Fund), a private social
institution funded by the Episcopal Ecuadorian Conference, which since 1970 has
supported small Ecuadorian producers with credit, instructional courses, and
technical assistance.
In 1981 Camari
was born as an accessory organization to the actions of the FEPP to deal with
the problems facing the commercialization of the farming, fishing and artisanal
sectors of Ecuador's small
producer economy. As it was understood from the start that production could be
aided through the offering of credit, instructional courses and technical
assistance, Camari was created as an organization for the future and not simply
to deal with the bottleneck of problems at the time.
For the
small producers, the commercialization of their wares has been the principle
obstacle to their economic prosperity - there had simply always been a large
number of those looking to take advantage whether they were the vendors,
intermediaries, moneylenders, transporters or all of the
above.
Camari,
as an organization, has passed through 3 primary
phases:
During its start up phase from 1981 to 1986, Camari was
characterized and guided by a strong social vision, focusing on the
commercialization of artisanal products within the borders of
Ecuador.
Between
1987 and 1990, Camari developed a stronger business perspective and opened
itself to the international market with artisanal and agricultural
products.
Finally, from 1991 to the present, Camari has developed an
equilibrium between commercial and social gains with an emphasis placed on the
bettering of the quality and productivity of its products and services for
clients both within and without Ecuador.
In 2001,
Camari adopted the Sistema de Gesti?n de la Calidad (SGC) (Quality Management
System) and in December 2002 received the international certificate of quality
ISO 9001 version 2000.
In terms of furthering institutional growth, in
2003 Camari made the move from the Fundation a Comercializadora Solidaria
Camari-FEPP. (Assistive Commercialization Foundation Camari-FEPP) to become part of the
Grupo Social FEPP (Social Group FEPP).
Camari
Locations , Relationships
MISSION
Camari is a system of national sustainable
commercialization, based on the principles of assistive commercialization and
those of Grupo Social FEPP, working to improve the living conditions of small
producers through assistance with their production methods and commercialization
of their wares while satisfying the needs of internal and external clients with
quality products and services.
QUALITY ASSURANCE
POLICY
At Camari, we deal only in high quality agricultural,
fishing and artisanal products, honestly, efficiently, achieving the
satisfaction of clients and the small producers, continually improving our
processes, products and services aimed at a social and commercial equilibrium
with establishing as a base with leadership and competition.
PRINCIPLES AND
VALUES
The principles and values
of Camari are steeped in the principles and values of the FEEP and alternative
trade:
-
Assure equilibrium
between economic sustainability and social service.
-
Promote the
commercialization of products that are not harmful to the environment or lives
of people.
-
Manage seamlessly and
honestly the act of commercialization.
-
Promote the personal
development of small producers and their employees.
-
Maintain and develop the
poor's bargaining power.
METHODS
Commercialization of agricultural and fishing products: dry
grains, powders, flours, industrialized goods. Biological products: granulated
brown sugar, dried wild mushrooms, cereals, coffees, chocolate and vegetables.
Camari's tendency is to strengthen the commercialization of organic products and
to assist small producers in their orientation to this new system of
production.
Commercialization of artisanal products made from: balsa
wood, wool, cotton, wood, leather, silver, porcelain, oils and regional
materials mazap?n, tagua, lufa, straw, damagua, piquigua, rampira and mate.
These handicrafts are generally fashioned from primary, original materials such
as those listed above.
Services of
product listing, instruction and technical assistance in the managing of
post-production, transformation and commercialization.
AVENUES OF DISTRIBUTION
Within the country,
products arrive directly to the customer through point of sale venues located in
the major cities: Quito, Riobamba, Latacunga, Francisco de
Orellana, Nueva Loja y Esmeraldas. The majority of sales are to private and
public institutions, commissaries, hospitals, hotels, businesses, and shops.
outside
of Ecuador, they are sold
to alternative trade organizations in
Europe, North America ,
andJapan and to
conventional market clients.
The world of Camari producers is over 6,500 families strong
from second tier organizations (OSG), small groups and individuals, from the
country and cities, distributed across 18 of Ecuador's 22
provinces.
WHAT CAMARI EXPECTS FROM SMALL
PRODUCERS
-
High quality products and services, well managed
production schedules such that products arrive on time and where they are in
the highest demand.
-
Constant improvements, access to new technologies, a
flexible architecture which permits rapid adaptation to a changing
marketplace, new designs and competitive
prices.
-
Clearly defined socio-political roles within the
management of the organization, divided amongst technical, administrative,
productive and commercialization roles within the
micro-enterprise.
-
Diversification of the production and within the market
to create new possibilities for work and sales to improve returns, meaning the
willingness to take risks, innovate and create to reduce competition for the
same product and achieve superior access to the
marketplace.
Current project:E-Commerce
for Small Producers of Agricultural, Fishing and Artisanal Products
, paid for by
FOMIN-BID-FIA/CAMARI.
|
|
About Camari
