Southern Hemisphere's Shopping Heaven

I woke up bright eyed (and glad that the Dutch couple had not let me sleep too long the day before!) and ready for the day ahead.

Today I visited the SARCDA trade fair, the largest trade fair in the southern hemisphere.
Here, eight of the Swazi groups I will be visiting next week are displaying their products and competing for their share of the market.

Gerard (the owner of the B & B - yes, now on first name terms!) kindly drove me to the fair.
It is worth noting that he has now taken on a number of roles, my personal chauffeur, dinner companion and tour guide!

This was my first ever visit to a trade fair and I was astounded by its sheer size with over 500 businesses all competing to sell their products to prospective buyers.

Dubai airport wasn't a patch on this - this was definitely THE shopper's paradise - unfortunately for me and luckily for my bank balance it was only open to wholesale buys!

In the current climate there is no doubt that most retailers, specifically African handicraft retailers are currently experiencing tough trading conditions. As the prices of food, petrol, electricity and other necessities continue to soar, customers are thinking twice before putting their hands in their pockets. This is having a massive impact on fair trade businesses and the millions of producers that rely on these markets in order to survive.

I was here to assess how fair trade producers measure up against the mainstream market and if they are able to compete within it. Now you may think that any business has to stay on top of international trends, current prices and order deadlines to survive, and you would be right. However this is no mean feat for any business and especially not for businesses in Swaziland.

Swaziland is a small landlocked kingdom surrounded by South Africa and Mozambique. It is without a doubt the most beautiful country I have ever visited.

It illustrates a rare example of old African traditions and beliefs. However behind this beauty lie enormous problems of drought, HIV/AIDS and extreme poverty.

Shared interest (both the Society and Foundation) aim to work with Swazi producers for a brighter future, one which allows them to trade on a level playing field, where they can use their strengths to market their products, make a fair and just price for their craft and learn to work around the issues that they face on a daily basis.

During this trip I will be spending time with 11 businesses in the country in order to assess their needs and build a project in partnership with them so we can ensure a secure livelihood for the thousands of craft producers that rely on this income to send their children to school, feed their families and plan for the future.

And with that I should really start packing as I have an early flight in the morning!

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