What is Fairtrade Coffee and Why Does it Matter?
While coffee has long been one of the most popular drinks in the world with many of us drinking at least a cup or two a day, the coffee industry is not without its problems. For one thing, it is a highly exploitative industry. Many of the workers who grow and harvest coffee are being paid below minimum wage or are being forced to work in dangerous conditions. Another issue is that many people have trouble affording high-quality coffee due to rising prices. In order to address these problems, the Fairtrade movement was born. But what is fairtrade coffee, what does it mean and how does purchasing products that have been certified by Fairtrade standards, ensure that coffee farmers are being paid fairly and treated humanely?
What is Fairtrade Coffee?
Fairtrade coffee is a certification program that guarantees a fair price for farmers and workers who grow and harvest coffee beans. The program under the fairtrade label is designed to ensure that farmers and workers receive a fair wage for their labor and products and that they are treated with dignity and respect.
Fairtrade coffee is certified by organizations such as Fairtrade International, which sets standards for fair trade products and monitors compliance with these standards.
Farmers and workers who produce fair trade coffee are also given access to financial and technical assistance, which helps them to improve their livelihoods and build stronger communities. In addition, fair trade coffee is often organic, which means that it is grown without the use of harmful chemicals.
Why Fairtrade Coffee Matters
The reasons to choose fairtrade coffee are numerous, but perhaps never more important than they are today. Here’s a look at some of the most compelling:
Fair wages for farmers and workers
The most important reason why fairtrade coffee matters is that it ensures that farmers and workers receive a fair price for their labor and products. This helps to improve their livelihoods and build stronger communities.
Additionally, fair wages result in more stable and productive workers, which translates to better-tasting and higher-quality coffee.
Environmental sustainability
Fairtrade coffee is often organic and grown in a sustainable way, which helps to protect the environment and promote biodiversity. With so many coffee growers struggling to make ends meet, the need to ensure that their crops are grown sustainably is ever more important.
This emphasis on the environment allows the agriculture industry to focus on promoting sustainable farming practices, while simultaneously minimising climate change news.
Fair labour standards
Fairtrade coffee is certified to meet certain labor standards, which ensures that workers are treated with dignity and respect and that they receive a fair wage.
The fairtrade certification process ensures that workers are not forced to work under inhumane conditions. This includes providing safe working environments, paying a living wage, and providing benefits such as health insurance.
Investment in communities
Fairtrade coffee also includes a premium price that is paid to farmers and workers to invest in their communities and improve their livelihoods whether it’s through education, health care, or developing clean water systems.
Puro, a fair trade coffee organisation that invests in local projects to improve the lives of farmers, exemplifies this ideal. By investing in community growth and providing farmers and workers with the tools and resources they need, fair trade coffee helps to promote long-term development and reduce poverty in coffee-growing communities.
Transparency and accountability
Fairtrade certification organizations such as Fairtrade International monitor compliance with fairtrade standards and ensure that farmers and workers are treated fairly.
This includes farming practices that protect the environment and promote sustainable agricultural practices, as well as wages that allow workers to meet their basic needs. They also monitor working conditions in coffee production facilities and ensure that fair trade standards are met.
Support for small-scale farmers
Fairtrade coffee is often grown by small-scale farmers, who are some of the most vulnerable members of the coffee industry. By choosing fair trade coffee, consumers can support these farmers and help to promote their livelihoods. This support is critical as small-scale farmers face many challenges, including limited access to markets and resources.
Especially for new farmers in the industry, fair trade certification can be a valuable asset. By paying fair prices and providing economic support to small-scale farmers, consumers can help them to continue producing coffee for future generations.
Encourages quality production
Fairtrade coffee also encourages quality production, which means that farmers and workers are more likely to invest in the long-term sustainability of their farms, whether it’s through top-tier sustainable coffee balls or through investments in infrastructure and equipment. This can help farmers to produce consistently higher quality coffee products, which means that they’re able to sell their beans at a premium price.
And due to the organic nature of fairtrade coffee, it can be sure that people are getting a product that is beneficial for them and the environment.
Consumer choice
Choosing fairtrade coffee is a conscious decision that allows consumers to support farmers and workers, promote sustainability, and make a positive impact on the world through their purchasing power.
The choice to purchase fairtrade coffee is a way to encourage the practice of fair trade and promote sustainable agriculture. And because most consumers want to know where their products come from, they can choose to buy directly from producers or distributors who offer fairtrade certified coffee.
Final Thoughts
Fairtrade coffee is a commitment to social justice and environmental sustainability. It is a way to ensure that farmers and workers have consistent access to fair wages that allow them to live with dignity while being able to provide for their families.
Coffee under fair trade labels also provides a way for consumers to take ownership of their purchasing power and make an impact on the world by supporting farmers and workers. Especially with the rise of fair trade coffee, consumers have more options than ever before to make conscious decisions about what they buy.
Whether you are looking for a way to support farmers and workers around the world or simply want to purchase a quality sustainable product, fairtrade coffee will help you do both, and go someway to a fairer, more protected planet.
About the Author
This article was written by the team at CoffeeCode, your go-to coffee blog with a focus on inspirational design, and sustainability.
