Portfolio

Since its inception, the fund’s portfolio has grown with a strong focus on portfolio quality. The fund established a firm foot-hold in the agricultural finance space by developing a portfolio combining an attractive yield with a quality well above sector average.

The Fairtrade Access Fund ensures its portfolio is appropriately diversified by applying exposure limits on four key dimensions:

• Investee type: the portfolio is comprised of producer organizations, traders/processors, agricultural focused microfinance institutions and Fairtrade plantations
• Product: offering a combination of trade finance, working capital and long term loans; the FAF is increasingly working to build up its long term loan portfolio.
• Crops: well diversified with investments in 14 different crops including coffee, cocoa, brazil nuts, macadamia nuts, soybeans, sugar, honey, fruits, and vegetables.
• Geography: investments in over 19 countries across Latin-America and Africa.

Certifications

The FAF invests in fair trade or sustainable certified organisations that have gone through a strict screening process based on social and environmental performance criteria. These certifications offer a comprehensive assessment framework with clear economic considerations, environmental practices and labour standards. The certifications we work with are: Fairtrade International, Rainforest Aliance, UTZ, Fair for life, Fair Trade USA, Bonsucro, Fair Trade by Ecocert, BioEquitable, Bio Solidaire, World Fair Trade Organization, Naturland Fair, Forest Garden Products, SPP, 4C, Proterra and C.A.F.E. Practices. Food Security is an important concern for the FAF as well. Understanding that local markets play a critical role in this, we also work with non-certified producer organizations that produce non-exported food security crops.

Investment process