About Fair Trade
Six Principles of Fair TradeBack
Empowerment
Smallholder farmers form a democratically-run cooperative and make corporate decisions on how the Fairtrade Premium they received should be invested in their community. This is a vital aspect towards having the farmers who have always lacked negotiation power to get started in learning how to negotiate, and to make them accountable for their own decision, which allows them to have hands-on experience through practice. Fairtrade officials and our connected fellow organizations will work with them and guide them in their decision making process in order to ensure the Premium is not wasted or watered down in the process. The projects we have taken part in usually surround infrastructure development (schools, hospitals, transportation) and personal development (modern farming techniques, concepts of organic farming and equality).
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Mr. Daniel Kinne is a second-generation farmer. He is a representative from the Highlands Organic Agricultural Cooperative.
“Whenever we have a meeting with the Fairtrade farmers, we can feel both their hope and worries for the future.” The future of farming is one of their main concerns. The next generation of Fair Trade farmers, who benefits from the social premium, is able to attain a higher education level. We should be glad about it. However, considering the effect of severe climate change and extreme weather on plant growth, such as floods and droughts, the next generation farmers question about whether they should embark on farming. Uncertain about their future, some farmers have been trying to solve the problem by combining ‘Organic Farming’ and ‘Crop Diversification’ to achieve sustainable farming. These practices not only can maintain soil fertility and mitigate the effect of climate change, but also enables the next generation farmers to showcase their ability and knowledge and provide a platform for them to experiment.
Highlands Organic Agricultural Cooperative is an association of coffee growers located in Papua New Guinea that plant coffee beans in organic ways. Under Organic Farming, the production levels have increased year by year, growing from 200 tons of green beans in 2005 to over 1,200 tons by the end of 2012. Mr. Daniel Kinne introduced organic composting and soil management to the local farmers and explained the importance of protecting trees and the earth.
“Fair trade is the way to go and we will stick with it. The future ahead of us will be bright.” explained Daniel. Under the Fair Trade System, the quality of life of farmers is improved with the help of Fairtrade Premium and they receive more professional training to take steps towards a brighter future.