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Why GOAL

Millions of agricultural workers are producing the food that feeds the world. Agrarian production across the world is often organised through a highly informal chain combining the local level where production takes place through intermediary agencies, small famers, agrarian workers including women, children and elderly and using feudal methods of production relations, and the international level where multinational producers use high tech methodologies and form the top of the value chain. Studies show a large disbalance in wages and profits between bottom and top. Various studies also show that the production chain at the top is clearly visible and traceable, but actual production processes at the bottom are obscure and mostly invisible. Because of these employers can avoid responsibilities for the informal workers at the bottom of the value chain, and these workers are not sufficiently protected under domestic labour legislations pertaining to labour standards and provision of basic facilities. Agrarian workers on the production side are largely unorganised/ informal nature, while the employers—national corporates and multinational corporations (MNCs) within the market chain although remain invisible, well organised and far beyond the reach of informal workers for engagement and negotiation. Furthermore, monopolies are spread across continents. GOAL can serve as a bridge for dialogue between national unions and MNCs to ensure compliance with core labour standards. To improve labour conditions of these agrarian workers it is therefore necessary to look beyond national boundaries and include the international value chain. To reach this, an international coalition of informal agrarian workers unions can be instrumental.

End 2024, NAAWU, a federation of agricultural workers in India, commissioned a global mapping, based on a search of secondary resources. The objective of this research was to do a scoping study of trade unions which are working with informal workers in the agrarian sector in different countries world wide. The study was undertaken to understand the common and specific issues workers in each country face and identify trade unions which could possibly organise and engage with the workers. The idea was to examine the opportunities of creating a Global Coalition of Informal Agrarian Workers by identifying both common and context specific agendas and social partners who work with agriculture workers at local, regional and national level.

The study has identified agriculture unions at national, regional and local levels from 65 countries. The presence of credible TUs in the agriculture sector in a variety of countries seems to provide good opportunities for the creation of a global coalition of agrarian workers. So, in 2025 the first steps to develop a global coalition were taken:

Unions were approached from three continents in the Global South that are interested in starting a process to create a global coalition.
Online meetings were organized with unions from India, Ghana and Peru to discuss the development of a global coalition.
A back ground paper was developed together, using the information from the mapping and input from the online meetings
The Global Coalition was registered under the name of Global Organisation of Agrarian Labour, GOAL.

About GOAL and work

GOAL is a global coalition of representative unions and membership-based organizations of workers in the agrarian economy, and in particular workers in informal sector. The GOAL initiative was registered as a non-profit foundation in the Netherlands in December 2025. The foundation is non profit and its goal is focussed on general interest.

Objectives:

Long term objectives

To support organising agrarian workers and strengthen their organizations
GOAL will be actively involved in the facilitation of organizations of agrarian workers, formation of regional coalitions and technical and financial support for these initiatives
To be engaged in social dialogue
The Global Organization entails meaningfully engagement with MNCs, TNCs and large domestic companies to actively involve them in ensuring protection of labour and human rights in the production chain. For that GOAL negotiates employer responsibility in the production chain and takes a proactive role in the monitoring of implementation and enforcement.
To be involved in lobby and advocacy for better policies.
GOAL discusses the implementation of CLS and respective domestic labour laws and social security entitlements in the agrarian sector with bilateral and multilateral institutions as well as national and regional governments, and UN Bodies such as ILO and FAO
To execute research and mutual learning
GOAL facilitates cross-cultural and contextual learning of organizations of agrarian workers from different locations, regions and countries by facilitation participatory research, regular meetings, visits and exchange of worker representatives to develop capacities and leadership.

Short term objectives

The objectives for the first year are;

To identify and attach a small group of affiliates worldwide to form part of GOAL
To pilot the proposed governance structure of GOAL
To develop common activities that contribute to the joint long-term objectives

Activities for the first year 2026:

Conduct 4 on-line meetings with the different bodies to further develop de structure of GOAL
Execute one research focussing on multiple transitions in the agrarian sector in India
Develop a research framework to carry out this research in Ghana and Peru
Conduct one international webinar to discuss the findings of the research in India
Carry out two researches on multiple transitions in Ghana and Peru
Be involved in continuous exchange of information relevant for the organisation of agrarian workers
Develop an international network relevant for GOAL
Conduct one physical meeting with all leaders to exchange experiences and mutual learning
Develop concrete projects for fund raising purposes

Budget:

Fundraising

The main source of income for the Foundation are funds from the affiliated unions and external funds to be raised in the first year from donors. Other subsidies and donations will be occasionally acquired. There is no policy aimed at obtaining inheritances, legacies, etc.

Financial management

A budget and annual accounts are drawn up annually. This is determined by the board. Budget and annual accounts are published annually on the website. In this way, insight into the financial state of affairs is guaranteed for everyone.

Utilisation of resources

The annual work plan and the budget together form the framework for the use of the available financial resources. Careful attention is paid to ensuring that the resources are spent in accordance with the objective of the foundation.

Board/secretariat members and members of the Advisory Council and support group do not receive any renumeration. When funds have been raised, a paid coordinator will be added to the secretariat in 2027. The foundation has no assets.

GOAL Structure

Organizational and governance structure:

GOAL is consisting of four governance bodies

The political body consist of a core Global Coalition Council with male and female union leaders from participating unions, from every affiliate one man and one woman will participate
A legal foundation which is registered end 2025, this board consist of three members, acting as secretariat as well
National Dutch support group of GOAL
Global Advisory Council.

Global Coalition Council

Representative unions and membership-based collectives of workers in agrarian economy world wide, will form the core affiliates of the coalition, and an elected body with leadership from the unions and membership-based collectives will steer the coalition. A coordination meeting will be held bi annually.

For now, the core committee is consisting of a political body of six persons, three men and three women, consisting of leaders of the affiliated unions from the different countries and continents. This core committee will determine the strategies and policies of GOAL. They will meet online every quarter to discuss directions and exchange information on progress, interchanged by regular physical meetings when funding allows. Affiliated unions can elect representatives to this political body, for a set time span.

The following unions from three continents will form the core of the Global Coalition Council

NAAWU from India

GAWU from Ghana

Sindicato Montsanto from Peru

Initially the platform will consist of these three affiliated unions. Eventually, this number will be expanded with new affiliates. During the first years it will be mutually decided how selection and admission of new affiliated members will take place.

GOAL Foundation - The Board

The Board and secretariat of the Foundation will support in day-to-day actions of GOAL with oversight from the above elected body. The registered foundation has three non remunerated board members who subscribe to the goals of the coalition.

Wilma Roos - Chair of the Board

Tendayi Matimba - Treasurer of the Board

Lina Torres de los Rios - Secretary of the Board

Friends of GOAL Foundation

A Dutch support group/friends of GOAL is developed who will meet physically twice a year to support GOAL Foundation on a voluntary basis.

Global Advisory Council

The Global Advisory Council is consisting of a group of technical advisors and experts who subscribe to the objectives of the coalition and will support GOAL on a voluntary basis.

The various governance bodies of GOAL will be further developed in the first year. The division in tasks and responsibilities between the various organs in the governance structure will be mutually defined in this period as well. When funding allows, a coordinator will be assigned. After one year the functioning of this governance body will be evaluated.

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