Fairtrade
Fairtrade exists to combat poverty. It does this through ensuring that their member producers and workers in the Developing World earn enough money to live a sustainable life.
By guaranteeing that they receive a fair price for their produce or labour farmers and workers can feed and clothe their families, as well as maintain their homes and send their children to school. This is something that cannot be guaranteed if they sell on the open market. Fairly traded products have grown from two tea and coffee offerings in 1994, to more than 2000 currently available in 2007.
The FAIRTRADE Mark guarantees that traders:
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pay a minimum price for the produce, even if world market prices are lower
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pay a price to producers that covers the costs of sustainable production and living
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pay a premium that producers can invest in development
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make partial advance payments when requested by producers
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sign contracts that allow for long-term planning and sustainable production practices
Case Study Alfredo Martinez used to sell his bananas to the local domestic market in the Dominican Republic. The price swung up and down wildly, and some months he could not sell his crop at all. "Imagine it! Paid monthly, there would be times when the family would go without."
But for the last two years Alfredo has had a regular income and regular food for his three children. He has sold his bananas to the Fairtrade export market. It’s harder work, because quality standards are much higher. But now Alfredo is paid for his crop weekly, and is guaranteed a minimum price throughout the year. “Now food at least is secure, I’m earning double what I was earning when I was selling in the local market”.
Alfredo can now look to the future, freed from endless anxiety about feeding his family. “I’d like to leave a house to my children. So they can say ’look, that’s what my father left me’”. He doesn’t like to think what would happen if the FAIRTRADE market disappeared. “We would have to find another solution. We can’t let all this go”.
Realistically, though, small producers like Alfredo could not export their bananas through any other route. The main banana exporters in the Dominican Republic are only interested in dealing with larger suppliers, and only buy from smaller producers to meet occasional gaps in supply. So Alfredo and the other FAIRTRADE farmers would be back to living from hand to mouth, from month to month.
(Extract from FAIRTRADE Foundation resources CH1, See the Benefits, October 2002)
For information on the Diocese's commitment to Fairtrade or to update the Diocesan Office on your church's use of Fairtrade products, contact Frances Ter Haar in the Discipleship Department on Tel: 01962 737318
Email: frances.terhaar@winchester.anglican.org
> Fairtrade Foundation