Unique collaboration

FairMatch Support’s unique selling point is that we operate through a local network. We combine local presence and knowledge with FairMatch’s position in Europe: the centre of the (final) markets, trends and access to knowledge and funding.

The programmes are implemented in collaboration with local service providers. They analyse local value chains and coach producer organisations, plantations, processing factories, etc. The local partners also identify new supply chains in their regions.

Current alliances

At the moment FairMatch Support has an strategic alliance with four  Business Service Providers. Two  in East Africa one in West Africa and one in Vietnam. They all have an outstanding experience in supporting local companies and producers to get access to markets. Match Makers Associates Limited (MMA) is based in Arusha and Dar-es-Salaam, Tanzania, and has its working area in East and Southern Africa. TradeCare is based in the UK and Kenya and is operating in Eastern Africa, TechDev (Technologie pour le Développement) is based in Paris and in Dakar, Senegal, and operates in Francophone Africa. International Market Development and Investment JSC (MDI) is based in Hanoi, Vietnam, and mainly operates in Vietnam.

Match Makers Associates Limited (MMA) is a registered company in Tanzania striving to develop and manage a centre of excellence in private sector development and business services consultancies. Their clients are private, public and donor agencies involved in private sector and small enterprise development mainly in East and Southern Africa.

MMA has a broad base of experience. They have expertise in small enterprise and private sector development projects, value chain analysis and sub sector studies, market linkages and outgrowers’ schemes facilitation.

Technologie pour le Développement (TechDev) is a French NGO founded in 1994. They have a wide experience if West and Central Africa.  They aim to promote economic development for small and medium enterprises and small scale producers. They support small-scale producers in building their organisation as well as accessing new markets.

TechDev has expertise in conducting feasibility studies,  business planning, supply chain analysis and investments in African SME with capital risk funds. TechDev works within a network of business development support (BDS) providers  They have specific expertise in the development of supply chains in the fresh & dried fruit sector, juices, shea butter, honey, roots and tubers and oil seeds.

International Market Development and Investment JSC (MDI) is a Vietnamese company specialized in equitable trading and consulting in the agriculture and handicraft sectors in Vietnam. The company is committed to the development of the rural sector in Vietnam, and believes that the best way to accomplish sustainable development is by doing business in a fair and ethical way. The company currently works with agricultural products including coffee, green tea and cashew. MDI is certified as a Fairtrade exporter and processor of cashew and tea. MDI has also developed  its own brand for Fairtrade products for sale in the domestic market as well as for the export market.

MDI is a partner of FairMatch Support since January 2008 and is mainly involved in the Fairtrade Cashew programme. MDI has a lot of experience in the development sector, the agricultural sector, and in supporting producer groups.

TradeCare is an independent international organisation offering a range of services that strive towards a common goal - to grow fair and ethical practices. Services of TradeCare include training programmes on fair trade and ethical standards, ethical and environmental audits, remediation support, community assesments and research. TradeCare has capacity in East Africa, Egypt, Ethiopia and South Africa and is able to respond to demand in other countries in Africa.

Fairmatch Support and TradeCare are currently partnering on projects concerning fruit and vegetables.

And more

FairMatch Support will extend and strengthen this network of service providers during the coming years. We stimulate and support the development of service providers in developing countries who have the capacity to assist producers with supply chain development.

Next to the local partners, FairMatch Support has a network of independent consultants who are hired for specific tasks.

FairMatch Support works with Fair Access to Quality (FAQ), a small advisory service in the Netherlands. Its core expertise lies with smallholder production systems and the set-up and adaptation of integrated quality management systems for compliance with European market requirements.

FairMatch Support is working with FAQ on several projects in the field of quality management systems and certification systems.