MM Flowers, in partnership with Fairtrade Foundation and retailers, are part of a consortium that has won one of the eight grants from the Department for International Development (DfID) and UK Government £6.85m Vulnerable Supply Chains Facility (VSCF). Their project will will help Kenyan flower farms and thousands of flower growers tackle COVID-19. It shows MM Flowers commitment to implementing responsible business solutions and to working collaboratively with others to ensure resilient supply chains and fairer trade.
Flower worker at Fleurafrica Farm, Naivasha, Kenya
Kenyan Flowers
Their project is focused on Kenya and Kenyan flowers because flower sales and the Kenyan people have been hit hard since the onset of the pandemic. The Kenya Flower Council estimates that it will take at least a year for the sector to recover. Over 2 million people, directly and indirectly, are estimated to be employed and supported by the industry.
Some flower workers are vulnerable to a number of factors; these include food insecurity, lack of PPE, poor access to hygiene, lack of transport and job insecurity – all exacerbated by low or no wages and non‐existent savings. Many of the workers in the industry are women and they face additional barriers such as lack of access to finance, sexual harassment, increases in domestic violence and increased care provision. Our project will help to support workers in the current crisis to meet their immediate needs, but also to promote a more sustainable flower sector and bolster longer-term resilience.
Phil Whelan, managing Director at MM Flowers said: “I am delighted that MM Flowers, working in partnership with Fairtrade Foundation, have been successful in securing this DfID funding. To be working in collaboration with Fairtrade and other partners shows our commitment to responsible business solutions and to working to ensure resilient supply chains and fairer trade.
We are proud to be partnering with Fairtrade, M&S, Tesco and Coop, as well as Coventry University, FNET, Women Working Worldwide and Partner Africa on building resilience in flower supply chains. I know just how badly hit our growers in Kenya have been, and the engagement of some of our key retail partners shows the commitment to helping growers and farm workers hardest hit by the devastating impacts of COVID-19.“
The partnership
For this project, a partnership has come together to build on existing work and relationships. This consortium represents the entire supply chain, from commercial partner, to NGOs and certification bodies, as well as education and industry forums. MM Flowers and Fairtrade will co‐manage this project and work closely with Co‐op, M&S and Tesco in advisory roles, as well as FNET, Coventry University, Women Working Worldwide and Partner Africa as delivery partners.
The project
The project will help to safeguard flower producers and workers against the impacts of COVID‐19, including running a COVID-19 health and safety communications campaign to reach 150,000 workers, offering health packages and supplying kitchen garden equipment to over 6,000 workers. Research will be undertaken to understand the potential benefits of supporting fairly traded goods through value chains that benefit all involved in them. The project will also provide seed funding for 2 nutrition gardens, farm diversification and income diversification for over 100 workers, alongside promoting good practice in sustainability and fair purchasing practices in flower value chains in the UK.
The project has been awarded £200,000 DFID funding, which, together with £75,000 of cash match funding from Co‐op, M&S and Tesco, and almost £70,000 of in-kind funding from all partners, will help workers combat COVID-19, especially women, youth and those with disabilities, improve livelihoods and grow resilience in the flower supply chains in Kenya.
If you are interested in knowing more about this project and our work with our Kenyan growers please contact the MM Sustainability Team: Caroline Downey, [email protected] or Lauren Welch, [email protected]
For m
ore information
MM Flowers
www.mm-flowers.com