Agricultural development and food security issues have a profound impact on the health and quality of life of those living in rural communities throughout the world. However the trade policies of developed countries often have a catastrophic impact on sensitive agricultural sectors in developing countries. The EU’s Economic Partnership Agreements have enabled highly subsidized agriculture producers in the EU to dump products into developing countries with disastrous consequences. A recent article by Chris Ward posted by Devex elaborates on this issue.
The FairPlay movement is a platform to give a voice to those whose livelihoods are being destroyed by dumping. The FairPlay anti-dumping movement is an international advocacy movement. FiarPlay promotes the Rule of Law in trade through advocacy, not only in South Africa but globally, wherever jobs are lost and businesses at risk due to dumped imports. In South Africa, FairPlay is urging the government to protect the chicken industry and the livelihoods of the tens of thousands of economically vulnerable South Africans it employs by taking measures to stop dumping.
According to Francois Baird of the FairPlay campaign in South Africa: "Dumping is not fair trade, or fair competition. FairPlay is a movement to fight dumping. We are not against business, and we are not against competition, but we are against people and companies who do not play by the rules and end up destroying livelihoods, particularly among those living in rural areas where rates of unemployment and poverty are already very high"
