You may or may not have heard of fair-trade coffee before. If you love coffee then you need to understand the role that fair-trade has in your favorite cup of joe. Fair-trade means that you have the right to know where your product came from. In this case, you get to know where your coffee beans were grown.
Fair-trade coffee helps make sure that coffee farmers from all over the world are paid a fair price for the coffee that they grow. This not only helps farmers, but also the economies of the country they live in.
Giving Farmers Freedom
Most fair-trade coffee farmers grow their harvests and have contracts with global buyers. This means that these farmers can manage their harvest and compete internationally as a business.
Gaining reasonable compensation for their products allows these farmers to take care of their families by providing quality education and health care. They are also able to put their money back into their land to ensure that it remains healthy and fertile. This has great benefits for the environment!
Through fair-trade, coffee farmers are empowered. They have control of their life and business while giving back to their community, economy, and the environment.
Why Do We Need Fair-Trade?
It may seem like fair-trade is common sense and should always be practiced. Unfortunately, this is not a reality. Many farmers throughout the entire world are not receiving proper compensation for their products.
Corporations take advantage of farmers in developing countries who may not have direct access to the global marketplace. When this happens, farmers are forced to sell their crops at a price well below what they are worth. This can cause massive amounts of debt for these farmers. In turn, it forces them to sacrifice their land and their career.
This not only destroys the lives of these farmers but also destroys their communities. Without receiving reasonable compensation, their economies dwindle. Sacrificing land often means sacrificing years of heritage that was found in the field of agriculture as well. Farming communities are suffering due to a lack of fair-trade and are causing low-quality products and alternative farming that is harmful to the environment.
Benefits to Fair-Trade
There are numerous benefits to fair-trade for all parties involved. Below is a list of benefits that are gained from fair-trade practices in the coffee industry.
- Better labor conditions: Workers are guaranteed safe work conditions and reasonable wages. There is no forced child labor under fair-trade.
- Fair price: Farmers are guaranteed to get a fair price for their coffee beans. Organic beans are offered an even higher price!
- Direct trades: There are no middlemen used in the buying process to ensure direct business.
- Environmental health: Fair-trade farmers are not allowed to use GMOs or other chemicals on their crops. This is to ensure the health of their coffee beans and the earth. Instead, they use sustainable methods to protect their ecosystem. These methods include planting crops of different species, conserving water, and adhering to proper waste disposal methods.
- Community enhancement: Farmers are encouraged to participate in different projects that are designed to enhance the social and professional aspects of their lives. These programs include quality improvement, scholarship, and healthcare.
By adhering to fair-trade, everyone comes out a winner and no one is forced to suffer. Coffee farmers can improve the lives of their loved ones, their community, and continue to protect the land that has often been in their family for years.
The environment continues to be protected against harmful chemicals and large-scale farming that leads to pollution and waste. The crop yields are of higher quality and have more nutrients when produced under fair-trade. And coffee lovers lose absolutely nothing in the process!