First Saffron Fair Chain by The Spice Change
Certified, Preservative-Free, and Fairly Priced! harvested through traditional methods and packed in special packaging. Choose Afghanistan’s Saffron for the ideal climate, soil, and temperature.
We aim to establish a more equitable distribution of returns in a production chain. Presently, for more products, the exporting country’s business, farmer and labor receives an unequal percentage of the retail price relative to the seller. In turns, fair chain extends beyond fair trade by focusing on supply chain integration in addition to pricing. A business model with principles of fair chain will help the business to retain more added value in the producing country and fits into the idea of creating shared value among the consumer, business, and farmer.
We will get the saffron to be dehydrated in Afghanistan jointly with other local businesses to create job opportunities for local people, help the harvesting women workers, and our consumers with affordable prices by eliminating the middle trading agents that increase the price of saffron. Furthermore, to improve agriculture and eliminate injurious drug plants in Afghanistan, we will pay the growers of saffron above the market prices by 55% higher than other buyers of saffron in the seasonal market of that year. Segregating the total amount into 15% on purchases of saffron and 40% by funding developmental and other economic, social and educational programs for them.
However, opening international market for Afghanistan best saffron is another goal of THE SPICE CHANGE. Currently, the saffron farmers haven’t been pair fair prices which is disappointing and making farmers to quit saffron cultivation, because the national and international players of saffron is controlling the saffron market and keeping the prices unstable. The SPICE CHANGE is planning to improve and help the local dehydration and traditional storages processing businesses to avoid adulteration and mixing chemicals to brighten the saffron color. In specific, we will allocate funds for community development projects to ensure the living standards are improved and saffron cultivation, harvesting and storage skills are enhanced.
Community Development
At its heart, community development is rooted in the belief that all people should have access to food, health, education and equal opportunities for all man and women. Considering the fair chain policy, we are committed to improve the livelihood in rural community. Improve agriculture, provide job opportunities, and train people to be skilled labour, understanding the problems and increase opportunities for growth. Helping man and women individuals to take part in the development of building their society. Delivering awareness programs, funding water irrigation system to save water and prevent watering waste, helping local processing and packaging businesses. Invest in establishing local garden that could provide planting trees to its neighbours.
Have you ever thought of framers’ problems in Afghanistan?
Supporting Farmers and Women in the Spice Fields – A Helping Hand for Growth and Empowerment.
“The situation is disastrous. Every farmer we’ve spoken to has lost almost all of their crops this year, many were forced to sell their livestock, they have accumulated enormous debts and simply have no money” Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) Afghanistan.
However, no farmer wishes to leave their lands but when you have no food, you have no grain and profits from previous harvest, there are no seeds in the fields and your livestock are gone then you have no choice. Moreover, the Agriculture is the backbone of Afghan livelihoods and critical for Afghanistan’s economy. According to FAO around 80% of all livelihoods depend on farming in Afghanistan.
The Best climate for saffron here in Afghanistan!
Presently, around 24 thousand farmers are cultivating saffron across most of the provinces in Afghanistan. Herat and Kandahar remain the single largest producer of Afghan saffron. Though in most areas SAFFRON cultivation has replaced the opium, but the farmers are not happy from the unstable market of saffron in Afghanistan. The saffron market is being monopolized by few companies and businesses. The farmers are not paid enough to make their expenses and women labour wages. Some of the local businesses are linked with these multinational import and export companies who are jointly exploiting the saffron farmers. The lack of storages, wide corruption in customs of previous administration, no-attention of agricultural institutions including the lack of interest of Afghanistan Chamber of Commerce and Investment (ACCI) in the business of SAFFRON were other main problems. Similarly, when they are not paid the fair prices for their produce it also affects the livelihood and their living style. In specific, it’s affecting the children life and their schooling.
Saffron has replaced the opium cultivation in Afghanistan.
Finally, it’s explored that farmers don’t have direct access to global market, their prices are not stable like for other grains or fruits, its routes of transport and destination of product are unknown. Countable local and international players manage the prices while harvesting and terrifying the farmers, if they don’t sell it to them no one will buy their produce, later that year. When they are disappointed and hopeless then they get ready to abandon the cultivation of the best saffron in the world. It may encourage them to grow the disastrous opium or displace to cities that empower poverty.
Exploited Women workers in Saffron Fields
After understanding the situation of Afghan saffron farmers, it has been clear that women workers are paid less. Furthermore, Seasonal working, modern day slavery and labour exploitation is becoming a growing concern in the agricultural industry worldwide.
However, women carry and manage 90% of the work in the SAFFRON industry in Afghanistan, including from its planting and harvesting. Even though it enables women and girls to earn a living and economically support their families, but they are not paid the fair amount of wage due to unstable prices of monopolized saffron market. Afghanistan’s progress and prosperity can be achieved only of women work alongside men. The saffron cultivation and harvesting seasons provide a viable job for many women. Picking saffron flowers is a very easy task, and one will never feel bored, a lady said. I am so happy that I can work and support my family, she added.
Likewise, if these women workers are not paid with the fair wages, they will not work for saffron business which will affect the families and children.