Fairtrade International

☕ Climate change is affecting producers worldwide, including tea growers, putting pressure on global supplies, with longer and drier seasons, or too much rainfall at the wrong time. All of this leads to increases in production costs. Anna Mann, Associate Director for Responsible Business at Fairtrade Foundation spoke to The Guardian recently. “I’ve just been in India where the north-east is having a drought and the south is having too much rain and farmers are talking about productivity down 40%,” Anna says. “The price of tea hasn’t changed in a decade. We’re looking at one of the first times when there might be shortages and it will have to shift.” It's so important that farmers can invest in a tea sector that's resilient for the future. 👉 This is why the Fairtrade Premium (in addition to the Fairtrade Minimum price) is so critical as an extra source of funding to not only support climate change adaptation and mitigation but also the rights and livelihoods of the workers and farmers themselves. 🗎 Through our technical support and training, farmers are also implementing climate adaptation plans, with 40% of Fairtrade certified producer organisations adopting these in 2023. 🌿 And through our sustainable agricultural policy, we are supporting farmers to transition towards agroecology – a sustainable agricultural practice that applies ecological and socially responsible principles to farming – which can help farmers become more resilient and better adapt to the impacts of climate change. As of 2023, close to 2/3 of Fairtrade's producer organisations had been trained on good agroecological practices. https://bit.ly/46ltkrK

There's a long-standing myth that you have to choose between coffee that tastes good and coffee that does good. But the truth is, you don’t! ☕✨ Fairtrade coffee is produced with great skill, care and attention by award-winning farmers. It’s high-quality, great-tasting coffee with a vast array of flavour profiles. This coffee comes from cooperatives that unite farmers and their communities, offer technical support, and create sophisticated quality control systems to deliver amazing coffee to roasters and shoppers alike. 🌿🌍 We also have our Golden Cup competition, which brings together Fairtrade certified coffee cooperatives to have their specialty coffees scored across various categories like aroma, flavour, and acidity, as well as judged on their production quality. Look out for our winners announced later this year. 👀 By choosing Fairtrade coffee, you're helping build a fairer trade system, supporting sustainable livelihoods for farmers worldwide, and promoting cleaner, greener production methods. 🌱🤝 And what could taste better than that? 💚 #thefutureisfair #FairtradeCoffee #CoffeeLovers #DeliciousAndGood © Photo Nahún Rodríguez / Fairtrade

🌿 Agroecology – the application of ecological and socially responsible principles to farming – may be the buzzword of our time, but it has been embedded into Fairtrade’s ethos since we were founded more than 30 years ago. 👨🏽🌾 As farmers around the world face an ever-increasing threat to their livelihoods from the impacts of climate change, sustainable agriculture that is rooted in agroecological principles can help farmers become more resilient and better adapt. It is no longer possible to look at food, livelihoods, health and the management of natural resources separately. Everything is interconnected. So a holistic approach naturally makes sense to address complex and interdependent challenges. Earlier this year, our CEO Sandra Uwera Murasa spoke to Euronews about how Fairtrade works with producers to transition to agroecology through its sustainable agricultural policy. Our latest Annual Report showed that as of 2023, close to 2/3 of Fairtrade's producer organisations have been trained on good agroecological practices. She also called for policies and incentives that support the transition to agroecology globally. Read the full article 👉 https://bit.ly/4d25Ppr #agroecology #sustainableagriculture #futureisfair

🍫 The world’s appetite for cocoa is booming. And yet cocoa farmers around the world often struggle to make a living, despite their position as the source of a highly prized commodity. But as cocoa prices rise due to various factors, continuing to provide a fair deal for farmers is more important than ever. 📰 We are happy to see our Cocoa Senior Advisor, Jon Walker, quoted in today’s article by Natural Brands Magazine, emphasising the need for strong partnerships and co-investment to weather the current price shock. “Higher prices offset by lower productivity simply perpetuates the income insecurity that keeps farmers trapped in poverty and threatens the future of cocoa. “To make progress on environmental and living income goals, stable minimum prices and long-term contracts between buyers and cocoa producers are necessary. “Strong partnerships and co-investment will be key to weathering the current price shocks and building more sustainable cocoa livelihoods and supply chains.”

🌎 Fair Trade Movement publishes open letter to EU institutions The upcoming #COP29 in Baku will mark a turning point in taking forward global efforts to meet the #ParisAgreement’s objectives, with an expected agreement on climate finance and the New Collective Quantified Goal. It is high time to place #GlobalJustice at the core of the international efforts towards #ClimateChange mitigation and adaptation.   The current geopolitical instability is a clear signal that international relationships must be strengthened to fight climate change. The Fair Trade Movement calls for the EU to: 1. substantially reduce the externalities embedded in EU policies to enable non-EU stakeholders more leeway in addressing climate change, 2. align its COP29 position with the principles of fairness, equity and efficiency contained in the Global Green Deal, and 3. ensure that its sustainability laws are implemented in ways that further support the green transition in a fair and just way in its partner countries.   ➡ Placing the Global Green Deal at the centre of the EU agenda in Baku will strengthen its credibility and legitimacy in the ensuing negotiation. President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen | President of the European Parliament, Roberta Metsola | President of the Council of the European Union, Charles Michel | Head of Presidency of the Council, H.E. Prime Minister Viktor Orbán | President of the European Economic and Social Committee, Oliver Röpke | President of the European Committee of the Regions, Vasco Alves Cordeiro   🔗 Read the complete letter: https://lnkd.in/eTF5JpKQ World Fair Trade Organization (WFTO) - Europe | World Fair Trade Organization (WFTO) | Fair Trade Advocacy Office (FTAO)

🍫🌍 Happy #WorldChocolateDay! 🌍🍫 Did you know that most cocoa farmers do not earn enough to cover basic needs? But our goal is to change that. Because fair means fair. And the choice of every consumer makes a big difference. Every time someone buys Fairtrade chocolate, they are supporting delicious chocolate which is fairly produced. Here are three ways consumer choices are helping to contribute to a fairer world: 👨🏼🌾 Fairtrade provides farmers a financial safety net, even if global cocoa prices go down. This means farmers earn a price that is based on the costs of sustainable production. 💰 Fairtrade cooperatives earn a Premium and control it 100%. This is paid on top of the Fairtrade Minimum Price and farmer cooperatives can choose how they invest it. Many cooperatives and farmers have used the Premium to improve their businesses and production, such as investing in forest protection and agroforestry practices, as well as better facilities for crop collection, storage and transport, or processing. 🤝 Fairtrade farmers are empowered to organise democratically and become more sustainable. Farmer-owned cooperatives are central to Fairtrade. When small farmers join together and organise themselves democratically, they have more resources and more power in trade relationships and benefit from well-managed cooperatives that can plan for the future. Together with our partners and every consumer purchase, we're all making every chocolate moment sweeter and more sustainable. Indulge in Fairtrade chocolate and share the love! 🍫❤️ #theFutureisFair http://fairtr.de/lc7

#WorldChocolateDay is just around the corner. Cocoa farmers, like Emmanual, President of the Fair Trade Ghana Network, are pushing for more training and investment to provide new opportunities for farmers and manage the ongoing risks of climate change. “Today, it’s not so easy to be a cocoa farmer, especially with dying crops and a shrinking harvest that has made farming more difficult and turned cocoa into an increasingly expensive commodity. “To improve the lives of farmers and their communities and help them earn a living income, we need to stop focusing only on price and place our attention on investment.” Emmanuel sees opportunity for training in areas such as pruning, agroforestry (agriculture which incorporate the cultivation of trees), and artificial pollination (most cocoa trees are self-incompatible; they cannot pollinate themselves). When you choose Fairtrade cocoa and chocolate, you help to put the livelihoods of those farmers back at the (chocolate) heart of the matter. Here is his story in his own words: http://fairtr.de/lc4 #TheFutureisFair

We echo the deep concerns expressed by Fairtrade Africa and other advocates about the election of Mr. John Chebochok within the Kenya Tea Development Agency (KTDA) as a Zonal Director for Ainamoi of the Toror/Tegat Tea Factory. We became aware of the candidacy of Mr. Chebochok in late June, and Fairtrade Africa worked through local engagement with various stakeholders to raise concerns. The Tea Board of Kenya subsequently wrote to the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission to request the postponement of the elections until the concerns were addressed, however the election proceeded on 29 June. We applaud the advocacy conducted by local activists and organisations – including the Coalition Against Sexual Violence comprising 13 Kenyan NGOs – to try to prevent the candidacy of a person who has had very serious and credible allegations levied against him of sexually exploiting women during his employment in the Kenyan tea sector, as revealed in a BBC Panorama documentary in early 2023. While KTDA Ltd is a Fairtrade certified trader, as checked by the independent certifier FLOCERT, the subsidiary factory and satellite factory related to the zone in question (Tegat Tea Factory Ltd and Toror Tea Factory) are not Fairtrade certified. We share the serious concerns expressed by Fairtrade Africa and advocates about what this election will mean for the 600,000 smallholder tea farmers in the sector. Tea workers deserve to be safe from harassment and exploitation, and women are especially vulnerable. The election of Mr. Chebochok sends a dangerous signal that such alleged behaviour is in any way tolerated, which is even more disappointing after the wake-up call that the BBC Panorama programme initiated in the tea industry. We stand with tea workers and with local and international advocates who are calling for swift action to remove Mr. Chebochok from this position of power, in light of the public allegations against him. We urge KTDA to take seriously the concerns expressed, and to exert their influence to ensure Mr. Chebochok is removed as a director. Read the statement 👉 https://lnkd.in/eM3U9ggX

🚀 Exciting news! Our 2023 Fairtrade Annual Report is now live, showcasing how we've been 'Driving the Fairness Agenda'. 🌍 Hear from our CEO Sandra Uwera Murasa and Executive Director Melissa D. about our key priorities, highlights, and the collective solutions needed to tackle ongoing challenges. Dive into our progress on five strategic priorities below and discover some of the highlights we've achieved together with our partners. 👨🏽🌾 Shifting the balance of power to farmers and workers 📈 Growth and innovation 📣 Advocacy and citizen engagement 🚀 Digitalisation for fairer supply chains 💡 Increasing our innovation, partnerships and efficiency as a system Check it out here 👉: https://bit.ly/3xErepT

It’s a wrap! ☕ #WorldofCoffee 2024 last week in Denmark was a hub of activity. Fairtrade coffee producers from three producer networks, Latin American and Caribbean Network of Fair Trade Small Producers and Workers (CLAC), Fairtrade Network of Asia & Pacific Producers ( NAPP) and Fairtrade Africa, representatives from Fairtrade-mærket Danmark, Fairtrade Max Havelaar Switzerland, Fairtrade Sverige and Fairtrade International and several commercial partners were among the 10,000 guests from more than 160 countries. 🏆 Our Golden cup-wining coffees from around the world took centre stage during various cupping (tasting) activities within the Fairtrade booth, with the winning cooperatives present and ready to answer questions from potential buyers. We also welcomed some rich and dynamic conversations around: 🌎 Climate: Producers are being impacted by climate change affecting yields and having to adapt within their respective country contexts. 👨🏽🌾 Labour: A shortage of young people entering coffee farming is causing issues in some regions, like Honduras, such as overripe coffee cherries. 🌳 EU deforestation regulation (which comes into effect by the end of the year): Coffee producers must be supported with knowledge, training and tools to thrive in a digital, data- and technology-driven world, as well as access to finance. However, it wasn’t all bleak. In Honduras, Fairtrade coffee exporter Proexo hn demonstrated innovative technologies, such as blockchain, to improve traceability and comply with the EU deforestation regulation. And we had a full house at the panel session moderated by Fairtrade’s Monika Firl with representatives discussing a fair future for coffee, including Michael Schiedel, Rikke Ramm Eberlein, Netsanet Nega and Aske Skovmand Bosselmann.