Biotrade
Biotrade relates to the production and trade of products and ingredients from local ecosystems. When it follows strict conditions of ethics and sustainability, it is an important tool to reconciliate economy and biodiversity.
More on the challenges of biodiversity here.
Context
Biodiversity produces extremely diverse and valuable resources for human beings: food, health, energy, beauty, pleasure. These resources are often fragile. When managed with respect for ecosystems, work and traditional knowledge, they are levers for human well-being, protect biodiversity and the well-being of local rural people.
Tea, cocoa, coffee, aromatic and medicinal plants, spices and cosmetic ingredients are fragile resources appreciated by everybody.
Our approach
- a classical market approach (market research, monitoring and quality control, business plans, etc.);
- the principles of fair trade (fair and equitable payments, préparation to certification when desireable);
- compliance studies, specifically on the Nagoya Protocol on Access to Genetic Resources and the Fair and Equitable Sharing of Benefits Arising from their Utilization;
- the principles of an ecological economy (ecosystem review, accounting for externalities)
This approach allows to express the full potential of local know-how and ecosystems and agrosystems, creating value chains and brands of excellence, valued at their fair prices on national and international markets.
Our services
- Development of natural products: market study, quality control, business plans, capacity building.
- Ethics and sustainability: social responsibility, fair trade, organic agriculture, access and benefit sharing, certification.
- Legal advice: Convention on Biological Diversity and Nagoya protocol, regulation of imports in the European Union.
Our experience
- Ten years of expérience as a Fair Trade project manager for producers organizations and as a facilitator of an international community of practice on Fair Trade. Associate member of the World Fair Trade Organization.
- Twelve years of experience as a consultant for international cooperation agencies (UNDP, UNIDO, GIZ…) and for companies(cosmetics, ethical funds, etc.) in Latin America, Africa and South-East Asia.
- Expert of the Nagoya Protocol on Access to Genetic Resources and the Fair and Equitable Sharing of Benefits Arising from their Utilization, 10 studies conducted.
- Specialist in ecological economics, expert on access and benefit sharing of biodiversity and traditional knowledge.
- By sector: coffee (Latin America, East Africa), cocoa (Madagascar, West Africa), tea (China and Vietnam), cosmetic ingredients (Latin America, Africa), handicrafts and textiles (global).
Pierre worked as an expert for GIZ Nepal to support the herbal companies from Nepal to have business meetings with relevant importing companies of Europe. He was very dedicated and proactive in his approach which was well appreciated by the Nepali delegation. I wish him all the best for his future endeavors.
The Indian Ocean seeks to value its biodiversity
The West of the Indian Ocean comprises French and francophone islands where aromatic, medicinal and perfume plants as well as spices are abundant, including in Madagascar, the Comoros Union and Mayotte. Only 70 to 300 km apart, they have a high level of endemic...
In French Guyana, the emergence of sustainable French cocoa and chocolate
In 2020 and 2021, Pierre Johnson coordinated a study for the development of a “sustainable cocoa and chocolate originating from French Guyana”, at the request of a corporate sponsor and the Chamber of Agriculture of French Guyana. With Cesar Paz, creator of the Norandino cooperative in Peru, we met in early 2020 all the producers and actors likely to support this development. Gathered early November in a workshop for two days, current and prospective producers and their possible support shared their experiences and together built a vision for the future of a cocoa and chocolate of excellence, made in French Guyana and therefore in France. This article is a first assessment.
From plague to COVID-19: human health and ecosystems
Human health and ecosystems: a relationship of interdependency The current pandemic reminds us that human and ecosystems healths are closely linked. For decades, scientists, especially in the medical field, thought that it would one day be possible to control all...
Post natural disaster resilience in Sulawesi, Indonesia
Some countries and regions are particularly vulnerable to natural disasters. This is the case of Indonesia, with its numerous active volcanoes and frequent earthquakes, on the "Pacific Ring of Fire". Sulawesi (known in France as Celebes), the 4th largest island in the...
The Indian Ocean seeks to value its biodiversity
The West of the Indian Ocean comprises French and francophone islands where aromatic, medicinal and perfume plants as well as spices are abundant, including in Madagascar, the Comoros Union and Mayotte. Only 70 to 300 km apart, they have a high level of endemic...
Sustainable value chains North and South of Ghana
In 2022, The first field assignment of the year brought me to Ghana with a team coordinated by SOFRECO, to identify for the European Union relevant value chains for a new project in the North of the country. In addition, a more diplomatic mission was undertaken in the...
Pierre W. Johnson
International consultant, study and sustainable development of natural products value chains. Specialist of markets of origin, quality and high value products. Expert on Access and Benefit Sharing.
Keynote speaker on transition to an ecological economy & society.
Member of the
International Value Links Association.
Associate expert to Tero.
