Recognise global impact of Fairtrade Fortnight
It's Fairtrade fortnight and while the movement was founded in 1992, it’s come a very long way in its 31 years. It’s the logo we’re all accustomed to seeing because it’s been around for so long, but it’s global impact can’t be underestimated and while the fortnight is for awareness, it’s definitely a time to celebrate the brilliant work they do.
In essence it was created to provide better treatment, fairer working conditions and decent trade agreements for farmers and farm workers in the developing world where a lack of legislation often meant the producers got the smallest slice of profit. But it’s not just about single producers and helping farmers, the reach has been huge in the intervening decades since it began.
Fairtrade has helped communities with schools, roads, access to healthcare, environmental solutions and so much more. Since it’s humble beginnings with small numbers of producers involved, there are now over 1.7 million farmers and workers taking part in the scheme globally.
Across 73 countries there are more than 1,707 Fairtrade producer organisations and across the world, 2,400 companies have licensed over 35,000 Fairtrade products. From bananas to flowers to cotton, almost every aisle in every supermarket will have a Fairtrade item on it.
Fairtrade sales have topped over £9 billion globally too and on average each Fairtrade producer organisation receives £108,000 in Fairtrade premium – not to mention the fact 25 per cent of all Fairtrade farmers and farm workers are women.
The easily recognisable badge is often on chocolate and coffee but one in three bananas sold in the UK is a Fairtrade one and a recent study found 93 percent of UK shoppers recognise the mark with 83 percent trusting it which is huge when it comes to consumer confidence in a brand.
But Fairtrade doesn’t just mean better lives for the producers, it also has massive environmental benefits. It supports reforestation projects. Through training and awareness programs, many Fairtrade farmers have switched from harmful pesticides and agrochemicals to environmentally friendly solutions. It supports local wildlife conservation projects; endangered turtles in Panama have benefitted from beach patrols during hatching season thanks to Fairtrade consumers.
Environmental protection has been one of the core strengths of Fairtrade, it’s empowered local communities to be able to keep safe the area they farm and live in and through education programs it’s helped farmers recycle, plant shelter crops and reduce water use.
There’s much to be celebrated about the little blue and green badge we’re so used to seeing.