Fairtrade Fortnight – A festival of Climate, Fairtrade and You
For two weeks starting Monday (22nd February) thousands of individuals, companies and groups across the UK are going to come together virtually to share the stories of the people who grow our food and drinks, mine our gold and who grow the cotton in our clothes, people who are often exploited and underpaid.
Fairtrade Fortnight 2021 will highlight the growing challenges that climate change brings to farmers and workers in places like Kenya, Ethiopia and Honduras. Threats such as drought and flood reduce their crop yield, impact their livelihoods and lead to poverty and starvation.
The sad truth is that it is these communities who have done the least to contribute to climate change who are the ones most directly affected by it.
Fairtrade is about recognising that we have a responsibility to these communities and that, by buying fairtrade products, we can support the farmers and workers so that they not only can adapt and survive but also build a more sustainable future – not just for themselves but for us all.
What is Fairtrade
The Fairtrade Mark is a stamp of approval. It guarantees to the consumer that farmers have been paid a fair price for their produce and as a result allows them to become income-secure with the ability to plan and invest in their future.
Fairtrade has been around for more than 25 years. The first Fairtrade certified product was launched in 1994 – the year I was born – and what better, a chocolate bar, Green & Black’s Maya Gold.
Today, close to 2 million farmers and workers in almost 1,500 producer organisations spread across 73 countries contribute to the Fairtrade network.
The result is that you can find more than 4,500 Fairtrade products to buy in the UK – everything from bananas, flowers, footballs, shaving oils, face creams and many others.
Fairtrade Textile Standards
But it’s not just farmers who benefit from Fairtrade certification. Think of your smartphone – did you know most smartphones contain a small quantity of gold? In 2011 Fairtrade set their sights on an industry with often notorious practices such as unfair pay, child labour and poor working conditions. Today Fairtrade certified co-operatives ensure the miners receive Fairtrade Minimum Price as well as the Fairtrade Premium to invest in improving the future.
Fairtrade Fortnight Festival
Fairtrade Fortnight 2021 is a free festival of online events and activities to entertain, educate and inspire us all to choose the world we want to see…
Just click on the image below to go to their Festival website and explore the fun, interesting and uplifting events and activities that they have lined up.
WOW’s Pick of Fairtrade Festival Events
As you will see from the Fairtrade Festival Website there are so many fabulous events and activities happening over the next two weeks that it is difficult to choose a favourite, but here are a couple that caught our eye –
Bake Fairtrade Espresso Mocha Brownies with Waitrose and Will Torrent
25 February 6:30 pm – free to watch on Youtube
This is going to be a virtual bake-a-long, run by award-winning patisserie chef and chocolatier Will Torrent. You’ll be shown how to cook delicious Fairtrade Espresso Mocha Brownies step-by-step, and also hear from Fairtrade cocoa producer, Leocadie.
For more details click here
Meet the Farmers behind your Tea and Coffee
11:30am Sunday 28 February – Zoom
Two Kenyan Fairtrade farmers on the frontline of the climate crisis, in conversation with Fairtrade Foundation CEO Michael Gidney.
To find out more and register click here
1 thought on “FairTrade”
Excellent. Very comprehensive and informative and well-timed.