A regional outlook on the potential of the coconut market with special reference to sustainable socioeconomic empowerment of island communities in the South Pacific

摘要

This paper relates lessons learnt in the implementation of a business model focused on economically empowering island communities by creating an alternative route to the international niche markets of organic and fair trade commodities. It identifies entry principles and assumptions, development outcomes, and caveats and lessons for niche products sold in what is still principally a commodity market. A base model for the integration of coconuts into the fair trade market is proposed.