SOFA is located in the central region of Sri Lanka, SOFA is a dedicated organic farmer group who produces organic spice & tea under Fair Trade concept. All the agricultural fields of SOFA are inspected & certified as organic by Control Union – The Netherlands.

Dr Sarath Ranaweera, Managing Director’s brainchild SOFA, was founded with 183 farmers in 1997 and has grown to a figure of 1600. Gathering small producers to smaller blocks/groups had been initiated in 1993.
 

Objectives of SOFA

• Supporting to develop lands of producers confirming to the organic agricultural methods.

• Enhance the socio economic standards of the members.

• Helping to improve the educational facilities to family members of producers.

• Contribution for activities related to religious, cultural & social in the area.

• Conducting programs to protect the environment.

Structure of SOFA
SOFA is a 100% independent farmer organization now managed by a Board of Management. BOM consists of representatives/presidents of Block Societies of organic farmers. SOFA consists of 26 small farmer societies with a total of 1536 individual organic farmers. At present, SOFA is a fully independent farmer organization & they are registered as Fair Trade certified tea & spice producers under the Fair Trade Labelling Organization (FLO).

Certified Organic Tea producers - SOFA

Certified Organic Spice producers - SOFA

Why SOFA need assistance or Fair Trade benefits?
Majority of producers are poor farmers. Average land extent is below 1 hectare. These farmers need assistance to enhance the socio economic standards. Bio Foods conducts awareness programs on agriculture and health together with the SOFA Management. Financial assistance for the development programs are mainly funded by Bio Foods and the fair trade premium is received by SOFA directly to their account for the same purpose.

Development Programs
SOFA has two sub offices in Matale & Diyathalawa in addition to the Head Office in Gampola. Each year, SOFA receives more than 5 million Rupees as FT premium to develop the living standards of their producer members other than the funds allocated by Bio Foods (Pvt) Ltd. for development. This is eventually spent on various development programs prepared by the Board of Management and approved by producers at the AGM. Development programs are mainly targeting at affairs related to agricultural development, improvement of the land productivity, socio economic activities & common activities in the area.

Reed box producers of farmer families

Agricultural Development
All tea producers receive a number of tea plants and other economically important plants free of charge, annually. Selected poorest farmers receive farm animals and agricultural equipment.
 

Distribution of tea plants	Animal husbandry

Members welfare and common social activities
Not only the SOFA members but also the near by villagers benefit from the social activities like drinking water supply projects, community centers, children education support programs etc.

Drinking water project	Education support program	Donation of agricultural tools

Growth of SOFA
Increase of member families & land extent

Increase of yield of some farmers

Impact of the project on Small Farmers

• Guaranteed price not below the minimum farm gate prices

• Technology development & transfer

• Social recognition

• Group cohesiveness

• Transparency resulting in building confidence of new farmers in the system

Impact to the society

• Better environment

• Sustainability

• Social well-being

• Better investment