Based on the recommendations of the Sub-Group on Bananas of the Intergovernmental Group on Bananas and on Tropical Fruits in 1999, the Horticultural Products Group of the Commodities and Trade Division of FAO organized an Ad hoc Expert Meeting on Socially and Environmentally Responsible Banana Production and Trade in March 2000. The meeting gathered experts from various environmental and social standard setting and certification programmes, small banana growers, auditors and consultants. In December 2001 a second Expert Meeting was organized in Costa Rica, gathering a wider group of stakeholders in the banana supply chain.
The third Expert Meeting on Socially and Environmentally Responsible Horticulture Production and Trade was held in Nuremberg, Germany, 16 February 2003. Its objective was to continue dialogue among stakeholders in the fresh produce supply chain on social and environmental issues. The meeting aimed to formulate recommendations on building partnerships in the chain and on possibilities to use supply chain management to improve social and environmental responsibility. Furthermore, the potential role of certification in partnerships for sustainable trade was explored.
This document reports on the presentations and discussions of the third Expert Meeting. Chapter 2 gives a short introduction to relevant conventions and initiatives for socially and environmentally responsible horticulture production and trade. Chapter 3 reminds of the conclusions of the first two expert meetings. In Chapter 4 an introduction to the theme - "building partnerships for increasing sustainability in the fresh produce chain" - is given.
Chapter 5 and 6 form the core of the report. Chapter 5 summarizes the presentations and Chapter 6 the discussions held in the breakout sessions. Finally, in Chapter 7 the main recommendations from the meeting are summarized.
