Tuzamurane Pineapple Cooperative, Rwanda: Empowering small-scale farmers to benefit from the global market

Overview

Poverty is widespread among the small-scale farmers and workers who produce and process our food, in an industry worth billions of dollars. Oxfam’s new campaign highlights the systemic inequality and human suffering in food supply chains – and shows how action by supermarkets, governments, small-scale farmers and workers could lead to a decent and dignified standard of living for millions of people.

This case study looks at the positive example of the Tuzamurane Cooperative in Rwanda, which has enabled women farmers to access the lucrative international export market for dried pineapple. The combination of a community-focused business model and a positive relationship with an ethical distributor has enabled these farmers to move out of poverty, with benefits for the wider community.

It is one of a series of case studies to supplement the global campaign report, Ripe for Change, drawing attention to the plight of specific groups of small-scale farmers and workers in international food value chains and/or promoting successful alternative approaches.