What is Fairtrade and How it Helps Farmers? There are 7 billion humans on the planet at last count. 7 billion mouths to feed. Little wonder then that agriculture is the world’s single largest employer. A staggering 40% of the world’s population is engaged in farming or allied activities. Agriculture is the single largest source of income for the world’s poor, rural households. It is a fact however that small-holder farms across the globe are failing. Farmer suicides in India, most often because of crushing debt, and being unable to provide for their families is a sorry fact. It is in an environment of such uncertainty that Fairtrade is shining a beacon of hope.
What is Fairtrade?
Fairtrade is a novel approach to traditional agrarian business. It calls for a greater partnership between producers and consumers. Fairtrade protects the rights and livelihoods of vulnerable and at-risk farmers. It does so by putting in place a system of certification that aims to ensure that a set of standards are met in the production and supply of an ingredient or product. What this means for farmers and farm workers is more equity, farmer’s rights, safer working conditions and fairer pay. Whenever a consumer purchases an ingredient or product with the Faitrade mark, it means that they are standing with farmers, enabling and empowering those that grow their food, to have a better standard of living.
How does Fairtrade ensure a brighter future for farmers?
The thought behind Fairtrade was to have a system of checks and balances to ensure that farmers rights and their futures were protected. At the same time the question of the environment, sustainability and quality too needed to be addressed. Fairtrade therefore devised a set of social, economic and environmental standards for companies and farmers involved in the agricultural supply chain. For farmers following these standards it means that they have a set of protections. For instance Fairtrade ensures that farmers get a better price for their produce. Furthermore the foundation, through its research and development, helps farmers use improved farming methods to ensure sustainability. For companies engaged in trade, Fairtrade ensures quality of products and ingredients.
What Fairtrade brings to the table for farmers?
Fairtrade essentially works to bring the benefits of trade to more people equitably.
- Fairtrade is the only certification that ensures a minimum safety-net price, this provides essential stability to farmers
- The Fairtrade Premium brings an extra payment to farmers and workers – this provides the ability to invest in emerging technologies and build for the future
- The Fairtrade Standards program requires farmers to organize, be inclusive, democratic, and accountable. This empowers them to negotiate and secure a better deal for themselves.
At Chenab Gourmet, we are committed to ensuring a brighter, fairer and more equitable future for those who produce our food. Partnering with Fairtrade and with farmer co-operatives, organizations and guilds, enable us to ensure that we provide fair prices to the farmers and better quality of ingredients to our consumers.
