Whenever asked to lead a workshop on the topic of fair trade, I always begin by asking, ‘Why do we need fair trade?’ It may seem an obvious place to start, but in exploring this question, it usually reveals that most people almost take the notion of fair trade for granted, without having thought through the reasons why the movement began several decades ago, and why in many ways, an alternative to the conventional international trading system is needed now more than ever before. Today, in a world with enough food to feed everyone, nearly 800 million people are regularly going hungry. In a cruel twist of irony, half of those are estimated to live on small farms, working hard every day to grow the food we enjoy.
An alternative to the conventional international trading system is needed now more than ever before.
The movement
In some ways, the Fairtrade movement has become a victim of its own success. With over 5000 products available today in the UK alone, globally more than 1.5 million people across more than 74 developing countries, benefit from the international Fairtrade system. Awareness of the FAIRTRADE Mark in the UK, and especially in Scotland, is very high – nearly 80% of people recognise the familiar blue and green ‘person waving’ symbol, even if they can’t articulate exactly what the Fairtrade criteria* are. Many iconic and favourite brands now carry the symbol, perhaps leading consumers understandably to believe that the fair trade job is done. Nothing could be further from the truth.
Trade rules
The World Trade Organisation (WTO) oversees the rules governing international trade. Its key function is to allow trade to flow freely around the world without intervention, in theory bringing benefit to all. This would be all very well if all countries were on a genuinely level playing field. But this is not the way the economies of the UK and other industrial nations developed - they employed protectionist policies to prevent foreign competition and they are rather loathe to give them up. Countries in the global south starting to industrialise would benefit greatly from protecting their markets, but the WTO system insists on quite the reverse. So not very free trade after all, then.
To make matters worse, a network of bilateral negotiations is taking place behind closed doors which could have a devastating effect on democracy, public services and the environment, here as well as overseas. At this moment, the EU is drawing up a new trade deal called the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) which would allow corporations to sue governments if they make policy decisions which could harm their future profits, and could lead to privatisation of public services such as the NHS and education.
Buying local and buying Fairtrade are not mutually exclusive.
While much effort is being made to secure a ‘living wage’ both at home and abroad, there is a long way to go in terms of binding agreements between companies and unions. And nearly three years on from the Rana Plaza disaster in Bangladesh which killed 1138 workers, there are still serious health and safety issues in garment factories according to campaigning organisation Labour behind the Label. Aside from the issue of wages and working conditions, another key concern being addressed by Greenpeace relates to hazardous chemicals used in the manufacture of everything from clothing to electronic equipment. Greenpeace is calling on governments to adopt a ‘zero-discharge’ of hazardous chemicals within a generation, yet most consumers are as yet blissfully unaware of their existence.
While there are many organisations campaigning hard to right the many wrongs associated with our modern western lifestyles, being an ethical consumer is a minefield! For busy shoppers, it’s good if someone else has already done the work in investigating how products have been made. I think this is probably why the Fairtrade movement has been so successful. Although originally devised to benefit small-holder farmers and the specific challenges they face trying to sell in world markets, Fairtrade has always been a consumer led movement. It makes people feel they are instantly making a difference without having to lobby politicians and wait months for another round of trade talks. And now one can purchase such a wide range of products which meet the Fairtrade criteria, from phones to footballs!
Local or Fairtrade?
Climate change poses another dilemma. There is an emphasis on reducing ‘food miles’ and supporting local business, but buying local and buying Fairtrade are not mutually exclusive. Fairtrade products by their definition come from the continents of Africa, Asia and Latin America, and are often things which we can’t be grown here. Depending on how food is grown and transported, local produce grown in greenhouses can sometimes have a higher carbon footprint than that grown in a naturally hot climate. Besides, unless we are willing to give up Fairtrade favourites like bananas, coffee and chocolate, would we not be as well to support more sustainable livelihoods for people who are already bearing the brunt of climate change impacts?
Sit down for breakfast. Stand up for farmers.
This Fairtrade Fortnight (29th February – 13th March) the focus returns to those with whom it began – small-holder farmers who produce so many of the basic foodstuffs we take for granted. This year’s theme for the fortnight is ‘Sit down for breakfast. Stand up for farmers.’ In the now oft heard words of Martin Luther King, “… before you finish eating breakfast in the morning, you’ve depended on more than half the world.” Quite so.
*For details of the Fairtrade criteria, and Fairtrade Fortnight, see www.fairtrade.org.uk
