Sustainable Leather Foundation: Work Begins in the SADC…

In June, as part of the recently awarded contract to support sustainability improvement of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) under the SIPS Project, SLF travelled to Tanzania to participate in two workshops on the 6th June and the 8th June.
The first workshop, held in the capital, Dodoma, was attended by 45 representatives from national and local government, leather manufacturers and footwear manufacturers. Following the main presentations, the assembled group discussed key challenges and opportunities for the country, including the need to retain high quality raw material in the domestic supply chain (instead of exporting it or sending to waste) and the need to support true implementation of better practices and structures. Investment and financial support were also high priority discussion points.

The second workshop took place in Mwanza and was attended by 37 representatives from local abattoirs and hide collectors. This workshop focussed more on specific training included flaying and preservation and culminated in a positive two-way dialogue to discuss the upstream challenges and opportunities for the region.

Deborah Taylor, Managing Director of Sustainable Leather Foundation (SLF), commented “This was the first on-the-ground visit to Africa for SLF and it was an important, successful start towards building relationships and trust with key stakeholders. Understanding the challenges and opportunities that are prevalent in the SADC is vital to success and some of the feedback already received indicates that the problem lies in lack of consistent implementation and support. There have been many projects previously in Africa, all well intended and valuable, but unless we create local knowledge and resource, then things invariably lack the drive and momentum for lasting and meaningful change.

Tanzania has the 4th largest livestock production in Africa and the 2nd largest in the SADC region, so Tanzania is a country with the potential to re-grow its leather industry for domestic and international markets. Following this first week, we are even more determined to have a positive impact in the region and we are encouraged by the enthusiasm of the stakeholders we have already met.”

The next visits will include Namibia at the end of July, Angola during the first week of August and Tanzania again late August. Other countries that will be involved over the coming months include Botswana, Zimbabwe and Madagascar. You can find out more about SLF’s involvement in the SIPS project by visiting the Project Page on the SFL website: https://sustainableleatherfoundation.com/working-together/sips-project
For more information about the SIPS Project itself visit: https://www.sadc.int/project-portfolio/support-industrialisation-and-productive-sectors-sips