The Centre for Rural Legal Studies (CRLS) is pleased to announce its forthcoming conference, entitled “International Agricultural Trade and Rural Livelihoods”. The conference will take place 9-11 October 2001 at the Lord Charles Hotel in Somerset West, just outside Cape Town.

We see this conference as a crucial opportunity for representatives of government, the private sector, labour, and other structures within civil society to:
q explore the impact of international trade regulations on the agricultural sector and on its capacity to provide viable livelihoods for rural people; and
q debate appropriate responses from government, international organisations, the private sector and others (including ethical and fair trade regulation).

The purpose of the conference is to build understanding of how international trade issues are affecting agriculture in South Africa and to provide a space where common interests and innovative ways to support rural development in a globalised economy, can be identified.

The conference will deal with the following themes:
q International agreements on agricultural trade
q Employment trends in agriculture
q New entrants and small scale agriculture
q Private regulation through ethical and fair trade

Please find attached further information on the conference. More information is available at our website: www.crls.org.za
We very much hope that you will joint us in this important and exciting endeavour.

Objectives of the conference

q To focus attention on the capacity of commercial agriculture to provide quality livelihoods for rural communities;
q To review and analyse agreements which regulate international trade in agricultural goods;
q To reflect on the effects of international trade on agriculture in South Africa, and specifically on the livelihoods of farm workers;
q To collate information on existing and past experiments with ethical and fair trade in agricultural goods;
q To investigate the scope for ethical and fair trade to (a) minimize the negative effects of international trade on rural farm worker livelihoods and (b) maximize the potential for international trade to be a positive force in the improvement of rural livelihoods;
q To reflect on the processes of developing and sustaining ethical and fair trade initiatives;
q To provide a forum for stakeholders to develop their network in order to take further action on the issues under discussion.

Who should attend

q Policy makers in trade, labour, agriculture, land reform and rural development;
q Workers and trade unions and others representing the views of the labour movement;
q Export producers and their representatives organisations in commercial agriculture;
q Non-governmental organisations working with rural communities and in agriculture;
q Activists concerned with globalisation and its impact on local groups and individuals;
q Academics who have conducted research on the themes of the conference;
q Retailers and marketers who deal in South African agricultural produce;
q Social auditors who design and implement forms of private regulation.

Benefits of attending

q Learn about agriculture and international trade related issues;
q Share success stories and best practices in supporting rural development within the context of globalised trade;
q Gain access to information regarding responses to international trade regulation that can work to protect and advance the livelihoods of rural communities;
q Build your networks with a wide variety of stakeholders who share a common concern to support equitable development in agriculture and the rural economy.

Registration fee, accommodation and travel

The registration fee for the conference is R1,700 per delegate. This includes the conference fee, a comprehensive resource pack on agriculture and international trade, and all lunches and teas for the duration of the conference. It also includes entrance to the CRLS 10th anniversary ‘Dinner and Dance’ on the final day of the conference. Reduced fees are available for non-governmental organisations, trade unions and others who can demonstrate financial need.

Day One: South African Agriculture – an industry in crisis?

9.00 TEA and REGISTRATION

CHAIR: Sarah Christie, Centre for Rural Legal Studies Board of Trustees

10:00 Welcome

10:10 Opening Address
· Honourable Minister of Agriculture and Land Affairs, Thoko Didiza (t.b.c.)

10:30 Trade and Agriculture: Government’s Vision and Negotiating Positions
· Department of Trade and Industry perspective: Faizel Ismail, DDG, DTI
· Department of Agriculture perspective: Attie Swart, DDG, NDA (t.b.c.)

11:30 TEA

11:45 SA participation in global markets: Implications of trade agreements and regulations
· Overview of agriculture and trade: Johann van Zyl, former dean of Agriculture, Univ. of Pretoria
· WTO agreement on agriculture: Kato Lambrechts, Christian Aid
· EU SA trade agreement: Katishi Masemola, Foord and Allied Workers’ Union
· SADC trade protocol: Ros Thomas, Development Bank of South Africa (t.b.c.)
· Gender and Trade: Mohau Pheko, Grade and Trade Network in Africa

1:15 LUNCH

CHAIR: Tony Ehrenreich, Congress of South African Trade Unions

2:00 Recent developments in agriculture and trade in South Africa
· Trends in profitability: Johan Kirsten, Dept. of Agriculture, Univ. of Pretoria (t.b.c.)
· Employment trends in W. Cape: Karin Kleinbooi, Centre for Rural Legal Studies
· Employment trends nationally: Eric Watkinson, NALEDI

3:30 TEA

3:30 Workshops

q New labour challenges
CHAIR: Haroon Bhorat, Development Policy Research Unit, Univ. of Cape Town
Panel of employers’ unions and workers’ unions in agriculture

q Negotiation of trade agreements
CHAIR: Jessica Wilson, Environmental Monitoring Group
Panel of state, labour, business and NGOs on trade negotiation

Day Two: Private versus Public Regulation in the Agro-Food Sector

CHAIR: Faizel Ismail, Department of Trade and Industry

9:00 Challenges for an Agricultural Sector in Transition
· Report backs from workshops
· Theory & synthesis: Mohammed Karan (Univ. of Stellenbosch)

10:00 Implications, opportunities and obstacles for new entrants
· Conceptual framework & citrus case study: Stephen Greenberg, Univ. of Witwatersrand
· Organic farming and codes: Diana Callear, AFRISCO Organic Certification Organisation

10:45 TEA

11:00 Private regulation/ Endorsement models
· The restructuring of the world agro-food order: Andries du Toit, Programme for Land and Agrarian Studies, Univ. of the Western Cape
· Private regulation can work in a deregulated trade order: Robin Robison, Quaker Peace and Social Witness, London

12:00 Ethical and Fair Trade case studies
· Ethical Trade Initiative – Zimbabwean horticulture case study: Kennedy Chakanyuka, Zimbabwe
· Ethical Trading Initiative – South African wine pilot case study: Nicky Taylor, Ethical Trading Initiative

1:00 LUNCH

2:00 Workshops

q Challenges for structural transformation of agriculture
CHAIR: Stephen Greenberg, Univ. of the Witwatersrand
· New entrants and black small-scale farmers: Peter Rammutla (NAFU)
· Rooibos tea trade, small-scale producers: Adele Arendse (Environmental Monitoring Group)
· GMO-free agriculture: Karen Kallman, Jessica Wilson et al (EMG)

q Private regulation methodologies, implications and costs
CHAIR: Karin Kleinbooi, Centre for Rural Legal Studies
· Costs of Compliance: Chris Collinson (National Resource Institute)
· Organic trade regulation: Kirsten Lyons (Griffith Univ. Australia)
· Fair Trade case study from Ghana / India: Martin Boon (Fair Trade Assistance)

3:30 TEA

3:45 Standard Setting Institutions
CHAIR: Bronwyn Page-Shipp, Centre for Rural Legal Studies
· Institute for Social Accountability: Sarojini Persaud
· International Chamber of Commerce: Danny Vengedasamy
· Land Bank: Totsie Memela (t.b.c.)

Day Three: Future perspectives

CHAIR: Director, Centre for Rural Legal Studies

9:00 Challenges for an Agricultural Sector in Transition
· Report backs from workshops
· Theory & synthesis: Mohammed Karan (Univ. of Stellenbosch)

10:00 Panel discussion: Future Challenges
Formulate longer term strategy and commitments from all local sectors – state, labour, business
· Labour: Tony Ehrenreich (COSATU), Katishi Masemola (FAWU)
· State: Faizel Ismail (DTI), Attie Swart (NDA)
· Business: Peter Rammutla (NAFU), (AgriSA) (t.b.c.)

10:45 TEA

11:00 Panel discussion: Way Forward
· critical areas of agreement
· future processes and partnership / institutional frameworks

12:45 Vote of Thanks and Closure

LUNCH

The conference will be preceded by a cocktail party at the Lord Charles Hotel
on the evening of Monday 8 October

The conference will be followed by the CRLS’s 10th Birthday Dinner and Dance
on the evening of Thursday 11 October.

CONFIRMED GUEST SPEAKER: The Honourable Minister of Labour, M.M.S. Mdladlana

All conference delegates are invited to this gala function.

Delegate Registration Form

Please send to (email) [email protected] or (fax) 0027 (0) 21 886 5076
Or register online at WEB PAGE : www.crls.org.za

1. Contact details
Title :________First Name : _____________________________________________
Surname :_____________________________________________________________
Organisation: _________________________________________________________
Position in the Organisation:______________________________________________
Postal address:_________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
Telephone:_________________________Cell phone: _________________________
Fax:_____________________________Email:_______________________________

2. Attendance at the conference
q Full attendance
q Day 1
q Day 2
q Day 3
q Cocktail party, 8 October 2001
q CRLS 10th Birthday Dinner/Dance, 11 October 2001

4. Dietary requirements
q Halaal
q Kosher
q Vegetarian
q Other_____________________________________________________________

5. Other requirements
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

6. Discounts
The CRLS is offering a discounted fee to Southern African NGO’s of R 850.00 for an individual delegate and where more that 3 delegates wish to attend from the same NGO a each delegate will pay R 650.00. Written applications for financial support from those in financial need will be considered

7. Conference payment
I will be paying for
q Full registration R1700.00
q Day One R 700.00
q Day Two R 700.00
q Day Three R 700.00
q I will be presenting a paper and will not be paying a conference fee R 0.00
q I am a Southern African NGO delegate R 850.00
q I am one of 3 or more Southern African NGO delegates. The other
delegates from my organisation are _________________________
and __________________________________________________ R 650.00
q I would like to apply for financial support from CRLS and enclose a letter explaining my / my organisation’s financial need.

8. Payment status
On (date):_______________________________I paid / will pay my conference fee by
q Cheque
q Postal Order
q Bank Transfer
q Bank draft

If payments are made by Bank transfer, fax the deposit slip to the Ziska Johnson at the CRLS at +27-21-886 5076. Write your name clearly on the deposit slip.

Conference registration fees should be received by CRLS by 1 October 2001. Only written cancellations received by 21st September will be refunded less a 10% handling fee. All refunds will be attended to after the conference. The CRLS reserves the right to refuse admission where evidence of payment cannot be shown. We regret that translation facilities will not be available and the conference will be conducted in English.

Paragraphs 9 and 10 to be filled in by out-of-town delegates

9. Accommodation requirements
Out of town delegates are encouraged to stay at the conference venue, the Lord Charles Hotel, which is offering bed and breakfast at the discounted rate of R590.00 for a single and R790.00 for a double room. The fee for one night's accommodation is required as a deposit in all cases. Please contact the conference organisers for information on alternative accommodation in the area.

q I will be making my own accommodation plans
q I would like more information on alternative/less costly accommodation
q I would like CRLS to make a reservation on my behalf on the following nights:
q 8 Oct 01
q 9 Oct 01
q 10 Oct 01
q 11 Oct 01
q Other (Please specify)

Please note that speakers from out of town will be booked into the Lord Charles Hotel from the nights of the 8th to the 10th of October, unless otherwise specified.

10. Travel requirements
q I will be making my own travel arrangements
q I will need transport from the airport to the venue
q I will need transport from the venue to the airport
q I need advice on hiring a car

To be read by all delegates

11. Indemnity
By completing this registration form I hereby indemnify the Centre for Rural Legal Studies and AIM International against all claims whatsoever for loss or damage during this conference.

12. Contact details
For further information please contact:
AIM International:
Email: [email protected]
Tel +27 21 434 1219 Fax +27 21 434 3927 Cell 082 770 1215