Fair-Trade

What is Fair Trade?

• Fair Trade is based on a partnership between producers and consumers
• When the farmers sell on fair trade terms it helps them get a better deal for their produce
• That allows the farmers to get better money and plan a future for them and their family
• Fair trade offers consumers a powerful way to reduce poverty through their every day shopping

Task 1

Compare and Contrast

Cocoa

• The Fair trade cocoa origins are: Bolivia, Costa Rica, Colombia, Ecuador, Ghana, India, Papua New Guinea, Peru, and lots more
• In the store Countdown the Chocolate brand Whitaker's chocolate which is fair trade costs $1.72 per 100 grams while non fair trade $1.50 per 100 grams
• Cocoa is grown on trees in hot rainy weather and is considered a tropical plant

Coffee

• The main Fair trade coffee growing countries are: Brazil and Vietnam
• Also in the store Countdown the fair trade coffee costs $4.99 per 100 grams while the non fair trade coffee only costs $3.70 per 100 grams
• Coffee is also grown on trees like cocoa

TASK 2

QUESTIONS

• Why is cocoa not always a fair trade product?
• Is child labor used on cocoa farms?
• How are the workers treated on Cocoa farms?

Why is cocoa not always a fair trade product?

Untitled Slide

• Even though I have given Cocoa as an example for fair trade products unfortunately only 1% of the worlds cocoa bean production is fair trade
• 70% of the worlds cocoa production is grown on small farms Western African countries such as Ghana and the Ivory Coast
• On average cocoa farmers earn less than $2 per day which is below the poverty line

Is child labor used on cocoa farms?

Untitled Slide

• Most children laboring on Cocoa farms are between the age of 12 and 16 but reporters have found children at the age of 5
• Most children of Western Africa begin working at a very young age to help their families and some children get "sold" to traffickers or farm owners by their own relatives because the relatives have no other choice because they need the money
• Some children work there for a few months but others work there through adulthood

How are the workers treated on cocoa farms?

Untitled Slide

• The health and safety measures are not established in order to avoid work-related injuries.
• Workers don't have the right to join an independent union to collectively negotiate their working conditions
• The salaries aren't equal or higher than the regional average or than the minimum wage in effect and very often below the poverty line