© Isabel Corthier Vredeseilanden vzw Annual Report 2013 Vredeseilanden vzw Annual Report 2013 A better deal for farmers Annual Report - 1 Content Annual Report 2013 Introduction 3 1 Highlights 2013 7 2 The strategy of Vredeseilanden 9 3 Vredeseilanden in the South 15 4 Vredeseilanden in Belgium 31 5 Management report 39 6 The social balance of Vredeseilanden 45 7 Vredeseilanden’s environmental policy 53 8 Fundraising in Vredeseilanden 61 9 Financial report 2013 63 2 - Annual Report Introduction Asking the right questions ... this image was photoshopped. Analyses Vredeseilanden is not active in Syria. and diagnoses of all technical aspects Nor are we in the field of emergency This picture was taken in Yarmuk, a of the picture followed. As if it were relief and food distribution. However, refugee camp in Syria just outside about that... As if it were about the this image does make us angry. We are Damascus where mostly Palestinian quality of the photo, the esthetical indignant about the photoshop debate refugees have settled. It shows an aspect, the truthfulness of the picture. that pushes the contents to the endless crowd of people queuing to The discussion shifted to the picture in background. As if content no longer finally obtain help from the United itself. What was shown – the content – matters. I felt the same indignation in Nations. A poignant image of impotence was no longer relevant. the run up to the elections in Belgium and destruction, of despair also. Hungry of May 25, 2014. The political debate people, for the second time victims of a Were we not able to handle the was almost exclusively about the future war situation they did not choose. painfulness of the image? Did we refuse of Belgium, about ‘our’ social security, to be faced with this impotence? Are we ‘our’ pensions, ‘our’ companies, ‘our’ When this picture appeared in the so fed up with pictures of war and its taxes, ‘our’ traffic jams. Us, us, us. international press, a debate started consequences that we would rather Belgium, a little piece of the world, among journalists on whether or not discuss the quality of the photography? barely the size of an apron. Annual Report - 3 In February, 11.11.11 started a cam - national institutions – we leave that to we ensure there is enough for everyone paign with the message “Belgium is others, who are better at it. However, – also for the people in Yarmuk? not an island”. In it, the North-South we are driven by indignation and that movement invited politicians to look at makes us ask other questions than I hope this indignation is also yours. global developments and problems, those that dominate the media debate. That you will join us in asking ‘other’ since those determine our lives more For instance: what can we contribute to questions, from a different perspective. and more. Climate change, the negative a more sustainable world? Or to more I thank you. For the questions and impact of financial and food specu - equality? How can we provide farmers reactions that keep us critical and lation, resource scarcity,... But the with a better place on the market, here sharp; for the financial support of this election campaigns did not treat those and in the South? How can we past year and for your commitment with issues. As if there is no such thing as an contribute to the reduction of green - Vredeseilanden, which you shape in international perspective. As if what house gases? How can we ensure that different ways. goes on elsewhere in the world does not nine billion people will be able to feed matter. themselves decently in 2050? How can Thank you so much. we keep this planet liveable for the We don’t do party politics. We are also generations to come? How can we Marianne Vergeyle not known for our political campaigns ensure that family farming is an answer against banks, companies or inter- to the future resource scarcity? How can About this report This annual report was drafted by a working group with eilanden in Belgium and the activities of our partner representatives from the departments involved, under the organisations in the Southern countries where Vredes - Executive Management’s supervision. eilanden is active (see list on page 16-19). Per chapter it We published this annual report, which covers the is clearly indicated which region the information relates calendar year 2013, in June 2014. As we did in the past to and how we aim to improve or expand our reports in few years we report both about the activities of Vredes - the years to come. Sustainability Reporting according to the Global Reporting Initiative and commitment of our stakeholders For the first time we also asked 20 persons from our Initiative, criteria. An increasing number of large various stakeholder groups to give feedback on the companies and organisations worldwide commit to annual report of 2012, so we can better match our reporting in this sustainability framework and to reporting to their expectations. In general, their reaction describing their economic, social and environmental to our integrated annual report was very positive and impact. www.globalreporting.org. they did not note important lags. A number of people requested a better description of our programme strategy. As an NGO Vredeseilanden was one of the pioneers in Therefore, we somewhat extended Chapter two. Flanders to apply the GRI standard to its annual report. Two years ago we leaped from C level to B level (self- For the fifth year in a row, this annual report has been declared) according to the G3 principles, and for the third drafted in accordance with GRI, Global Reporting consecutive year we also report on the special indicators 4 - Annual Report for the NGO sector. That means focusing specifically on Board of Directors Vredeseilanden is represented and the public’s growing demand for accountability and companies throughout the world that cooperate with us. reporting in a transparent manner on how the public and private donations are spent. At the same time GRI’s basic (2) Is it feasible to report on the indicator? Some philosophy is maintained and NGOs are also required to environmental indicators are not easy to register for our report on the positive and negative impacts of their regional offices in the South. activities at the economic, social and environmental levels. (3) Do the indicators deal with aspects of our operations that we want to further explore and refine over the next This year we did not include new indicators. Quite the few years? contrary, we deleted some in order to be able to focus on those indicators the feedback group considered most The complete overview of all indicators has been included relevant. Apart from that we adhered again to the at the back of this report, in accordance with the GRI following principles: logic (page 85-88). Next year, together with a number of fellow NGOs we want to look at how we can make the (1) Is the indicator relevant for the average readers of transfer to the reporting framework according to GRI this annual report? Those are mainly our donors and standard G4. volunteers in Belgium, Belgian organisations in whose Annual Report - 5 6 - Annual Report Chapter 1: Highlights 2013 THIS WAS 2013 ... • Vredeseilanden joined different be able to diversify the offer in the stakeholders in an ambitious coming years. Read more on page 61. • The spring of 2013 was dominated by common West African rice the conception and formulation of programme: the national and • For the third time, Zuiddag vzw chose our new strategic plan. Every six regional rice farmers’ organisations, Vredeseilanden as its partner for its years we screen our operations and SNV, Oxfam, Trias and SOS Faim. The annual campaign. An enthusiastic strategy, look where we are and how idea is to bring together the group of young people from Peru we can adjust or reorganize. We expertise and experience of all testified in Belgian schools about started this process in 2012 and stakeholders, exchange more and the challenges in the agricultural finished it in 2013. Read more on lobby – together with the farmers’ sector and their own passion for page 10. organisations – for a better West coffee. African rice policy. In October 2013, • Every three years we at Vredes - together we were able to make our • In Belgium, more companies, eilanden perform an extensive voices heard at the third African rice government departments, high analysis of the results and impact of congress which took place in schools and universities asked our development programmes. For all Yaoundé (Cameroon). Vredeseilanden for guidance in agricultural chains in which we are rendering their catering more active (rice, coffee,...) we check if • One of the objectives consists in sustainable. The bottleneck remains the farmers (f/m) concerned could decreasing our dependence from the matching demand and supply. In increase their income, whether their Belgian Government’s subsidies. How order to offer an answer, we living conditions have bettered should we do this? The Vredes - organized a big trade fair in April and their entrepreneurial capacities eilanden programme in Vietnam was where caterers could meet suppliers improved. For the very first time we chosen as a ‘pioneer’ to test this. of fair trade, sustainable, local and tried to present these results in a One of the options is to respond to organic products. Read more on transparent way on our website. Read public private partnerships. Thus, the page 33-34. more on page 21. Vietnamese government cooperates with Unilever who aims at buying • On an international level we receive • The NGO federation investigated only Rainforest Alliance labelled tea growing recognition for our expertise good governance and the decision- by the year 2020.