Q – Fair Trade – What Crops/Herds/Practices Adversely Affect Communities Around the World?

In a time of food shortage due to droughts, fires, and storms, as well as water crises, it’s critical to do something to assure the money gets to the right people.

There are organizations that are working to let you as a consumer know how you can help. Like World Vision

The movement helps local communities organize their artisans and farm/gig workers so they can be safe on the job, and get paid fair wages &/or participate in profit sharing plans.

It’s important to take part in these plans that actually help people vs companies. Sometimes it’s about knowing what to buy, but sometimes it’s more about knowing what NOT to buy.

fair trade principles:

• Long-Term Direct Trading Relationships
• Payment of Fair Prices
• No Child, Forced or Otherwise Exploited Labor
• Workplace Non-Discrimination, Gender Equity, and Freedom of Association
• Democratic & Transparent Organizations
• Safe Working Conditions & Reasonable Work Hours
• Investment in Community Development Projects
• Environmental Sustainability
  Traceability and Transparency
  source

…..

Study – Money gets to farmers, but maybe not all their workers?

,,,,,,

74% of these workers, farmers and artisans are women and women made up the majority of the leadership. They pioneer upcycling and social enterprise, refugee livelihoods and women’s leadership.
WFTO

…… consider crops

that take space and promote poverty – high market items
egs. coffee, tea, cocoa, pineapple, flowers, palm oil, beef, tobacco, sugar cane, salmon
source

The causes of hunger are related to the causes of poverty:

• Land rights and ownership
• Diversion of land use to non-productive use
• Increasing emphasis on export-oriented agriculture
• Inefficient agricultural practices
• War
• Famine
• Drought
• Over-fishing
• Poor crop yield
• Lack of democracy and rights
  etc.

conflict issues

Some companies and govts/groups support child soldiers and conflict sales such as diamonds.

So in many ways, buying local means you know where your goods are coming from and where the majority of their funds go.