Fairtrade Fortnight this year runs from the 22nd of February till the 7th of March. During these two weeks each year, people in the UK join to share the stories of the people who grow our food and drinks. These people are often exploited and underpaid. This year the focus is on the climate crisis. Deforestation, changing weather patterns, rising temperatures and lack of water are increasing problems and threaten the livelihoods of farmers and workers.
Do you remember that around this time last year, many of us stockpiled essential food items and supplies as we thought they were going to run out. It turned out to be unnecessary as the farmers and other essential workers maintained a steady stream food items and supplies. This highlighted how dependent we are on farmers and their work.
Smallholder famers in developing countries are affected more by climate change despite contributing to it the least. They say it is their biggest challenge right now. These farmers manage over 80 percent of the world’s 500 million farms and rely on this land for their livelihoods. Climate change has increasingly negative effects on land and agricultural production. This coupled with falling commodity prices adds to the challenge.
Fairtrade farmers have seen some devastation of crops. It is predicted that by 2050 as much as fifty percent of land currently used for coffee farming will no longer be suitable. Cocoa growing regions in Ghana and Côte d’Ivoire will become too hot to grow the crop.
But there is hope and this hope depends on us acting now. Farmers need to adapt and also develop more sustainable farming methods. However, this comes at a cost that many farmers cannot afford as they do not even earn a living wage.
For these farmers to escape poverty, the prices of our basic foods have to increase so that they are able to pay for the changes they need to make to their farming practices.
This is where Fairtrade helps.
Fair Trade represents an alternative to this system, one that is rooted in respect for human dignity. The core principles of Fair Trade—fair pricing, direct purchasing and long-term relationships, all reflect a commitment to uphold the human dignity of small-scale producers overseas. Kwabena Ohmeng-Tinyase is the Managing Director of Kuapa Kokoo, a Fair Trade cocoa cooperative in Ghana. For him, the relationship between Fair Trade and human dignity is simple: “We all have to go shopping. Fair Trade is just shopping with respect.”
This year the Fairtrade Foundation unveils its first-ever virtual festival to highlight the harmful effect of the climate crisis on farmers and food supply.
https://www.fairtrade.org.uk
Or if you are interested in bringing Fairtrade Fortnight to your community, workplace, school, college or university you can find details here on what to do.
Fairtrade Fortnight 2021 - Scottish Fair Trade Forum