Farmers are driving us forward

Fairtrade’s work is anchored in partnership with farmers and workers. That means shared governance, mutual learning, co-creation of the Fairtrade Standards and collaboration to shape new programs that support farming communities.

What does this look like in practice? Our team recently joined the annual Banana and Cocoa Forums where policy experts, commercial partners and Fairtrade staff met with farmers and farming community leaders to discuss fairer, more sustainable futures for these two important industries. Highlights below!

Sharing Responsibility in Banana Trade
In Santa Marta, Colombia, more than 300 banana industry leaders discussed challenges and paths forward for farming communities who produce one of the world’s most beloved fruits. The takeaways? Average prices don’t meet the real costs of production, farmers need traders and retailers to help shoulder the burden of sustainability, and Fairtrade certification is the model that supports them best. Read more reflections on the banana forum here!

Achieving Sustainable Cocoa Production
On the other side of the Atlantic, more than 250 cocoa farmers and other industry stakeholders gathered in Côte d’Ivoire for the annual Cocoa Forum. The hottest topics of discussion included the financial implications of new legislation, the support needed from Fairtrade and others for on-farm adaptations, and updates on the work Fairtrade Africa has done to build more resilient farming communities through the West Africa Cocoa Program. Hear more directly from cocoa farmer, Emmanuel Nana Sarpong, in this recent piece.

What we're reading

• Biodiversity matters
• Child labor can be tackled one step at a time
• Fairtrade Premium reaches record high
• California looks to define regenerative agriculture
• Introducing the "Beyond the B" podcast
• Global cocoa prices hit $10,000 again on Futures commodities markets
• 20 podcasts on food, farming and sustainability

Connect with us at the INFRA Annual Conference

• July 15-18 — We’ll be at the INFRA Annual Conference and Tabletop Buying Show in Saint Paul, MN! Let us know if anyone from your team is exhibiting and we’re happy to connect.