Bitter sweet chocolate

admin — Tue, 08 Apr 2008 12:34:22 +0000

Two-thirds of the world’s cocoa is produced in Western Africa, from that around 43% sourced from Côte d’Ivoire. World Cocoa Foundation reports that around 50 million people depend on cocoa as a main source of their income. Every day many children toil in abusive labor conditions in West Africa’s cocoa fields. Iindividual cocoa farmers are at the mercy of volatile world markets, when cocoa companies pay prices so low that many cocoa farmers cannot meet their families’ basic needs. The prices can move from around 1000$ to 5000$ per ton in a matter of years. And how can cocoa farmers respond? Cut down the cocoa trees? Plant new ones? Actions that take time to implement them. Time that farmers don’t have. They have to feed theirs families on daily basis.

Our answer to that is Fair Trade chocolate where principles don’t allow:

Forced and abusive child labor
Farming families earn a price that is adequate to meet their basic human needs
Environmentally sustainable production methods are required

Buying fair trade chocolate means that you care about these problems, and that you are willing to do something about it!

The fair trade

admin — Thu, 03 Apr 2008 13:36:52 +0000

The principles and practices in fair trade:

Fair trade creates opportunities for economically disadvantaged producers through poverty alleviation and sustainable development. It helps producers who have been economically marginalized by the conventional trading system.

Fair payment

A fair price payment in the regional or local context must be agreed on through dialogs and participation. It covers the costs of production which are socially just and environmentally sound. Payment provides fair pay to the producers and takes into account the principle of even pay for equal work by all, women and men. Fair traders ensure payment on time to their associates help producers with access to pre-harvest or pre-production funding wherever possible. They often also provide money for free primary schools for worker’s children and health care for workers.

Fair development and management

Fair trade is meant to develop producers’ autonomy. Fair trade relationships provide durability, during which farmers and their organizations can improve their management skills and their access to new markets.
Fair trade requires crystal clear management and commercial relations to deal fairly, transparently and respectfully with all trading partners.

Fair trade safe and health requests

Fair trade requests a safe and healthy working conditions for workforce. The participation of children (if any) must not adversely affect their well-being, security, school obligations and need for play. It conforms to the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child as well as the law and norms in the local context.

Fair trade must properly evaluate and reward the work of women and men. Each person must always be paid accordingly for their contribution to the production practice and are empowered in their organizations, regardless of gender.

Enivornmental production

Fair trade openly and actively encourages better environmental practices and the application of long term development methods of production. Fair trade certifiers strictly disallow the use of (GMO) genetically modified organisms , promote integrated farming that improves soil fertility, and strictly limit the use of any harmful agrochemicals in favor of environmentally sustainable farming methods that protect workers health and preserve most precious ecosystems for our future generations.