March 4th - Fairtrade Fortnight
These first two weeks of March have been designated by Cafod as Fairtrade Fortnight. If you go into the Pioneer supermarket you can find coffee, tea, chocolate, bananas and other products on sale which have been produced by small farmers or groups of small farmers together and for which they have received a fair price. When I go to buy bananas, my first consideration is to get a good bargain rather than wonder where they have come from, who has grown them and if they have been given an economic price for their crops. So does it really matter whether I buy the cheapest bananas or pay more, sometimes a lot more, for what I know is a product of fair trade rather than exploitation?
Here are some thoughts I have found on this subject in literature from Cafod. Over four hundred years ago, Sir Walter Raleigh declared that " Whosoever commands the trade of the world, commands the riches of the world and hence the world itself." In today's terms that power belongs to the World Trade Organisation or WTO. Does this organisation work for the good of all and safeguard the means of livelihood of the poorest? No, it does not. The way the WTO works ensures that the rich get richer and the poor get poorer. This is totally against the teaching of Christ and the call of our present Pope for us to strive at every opportunity for social and economic justice. Would anyone be interested to watch a short video on the effects of world trade rules on one family in Mexico ? Let me know and I will fix a time and place to see it. One Mexican farmer, Vicente , says this " Our hope is nothing more than this - to be able to sell our crops for a reasonable price so that we have enough to eat. We don't ask for anything else." A very good reason for paying a bit more for my bananas. Fairtrade is all about showing that you care about the quality of life of people the world over. Buying fairtrade products shows we care about creating a fairer world, where justice prevails. We are prepared to put our money where our mouths are - and enjoy the bananas at the same time.
If you want to read more go to the Cafod website.
If you wish to comment on anything please do so, either in person, by phone or by e-mail. to Kate Heywood
