Features
Fairtrade boosts farmers’ livelihoods
Fairtrade international is enhancing market access by working alongside farmers and workers to strengthen their businesses, take greater control over their lives, and generate solutions that alleviate poverty, assure human rights, and build climate resilience.
A statement released in Nairibi, Kenya, recently by Fairtrade said it was working with farming co-operatives, 6,500 businesses and governments to make trade fair, and trigger a catalytic effect through providing livelihoods for farmers and people employed along the food supply chain while also contributing to reducing food insecurity across the globe and boosting the African economy.
There are more than 1.9 million farmers in the Fairtrade system represented by 1,880 producer organisations across the globe.
For instance, Fairtrade Africa (FTA), a member of the wider Fairtrade International movement, represents Fairtrade certified producers in Africa and the Middle East. FTA operates four regional networks: Eastern and Central Africa Network (ECAN) based in Nairobi, Kenya; West Africa Network (WAN) based in Accra, Ghana, Southern Africa Network (SAN) based in Blantyre, Malawi and the Middle East and North Africa Network (MENA).
Growth of Fairtrade farmers and workers from the year 2015 to 2020 stood at 389,324. Top seven products include coffee, cocoa, bananas, sugar, flowers and plants, tea, and cotton, which represent more than 90 percent of the farmers and workers in the Fairtrade system.
“Challenges of climate change are too big and urgent to be tackled by individuals. Fairtrade is expanding its model and engaging people and organisations to power our impact. This is Fairtrade’s most ambitious strategy to date, and it reflects the gravity of the challenges we face.
“Additionally, Fairtrade is an enabler to farmers and workers in developing countries to secure better livelihoods through tackling the injustices of the global value chain,” said Fairtrade International Global CEO, Ms Sandra Uwera.
The Fairtrade’s Base wage is set at a minimum of 70 per cent of the take-home pay needed for a living wage, which has been established by the Global Living Wage Coalition of standard setters for more than 30 countries and regions.
The changes mean wages will increase by up to 15 per cent for thousands of workers in origins where workers currently earn less than the Fairtrade Base Wage. In East Africa, introduction of the base wage in the floriculture industry has already resulted in significant increase in incomes for workers.
Fairtrade producers’ coffee sales remained stable globally. This was due to lack of travel restrictions within producing regions and a lack of shipping containers limited transport. Out-of-home sales have been slowly recovering and Fairtrade producers have been able to hold competitions, such as the Golden Cup, which have showcased the high quality of Fairtrade coffee in 14 countries, either virtually or in-person. The top markets for Fairtrade coffee in 2020 were Germany, the UK, the US, Canada, and France.
In 2020, producer sales for flowers remained almost stable, declining only two percent, despite massive logistical challenges due to the pandemic restrictions. Fairtrade flower producers showed resilience and determination during a very difficult time in spring 2020 when exports ground to a halt.
The top markets for Fairtrade flowers and plants in 2020 were Germany, the UK, Switzerland, Sweden, and Finland, while the most significant growth was seen in Germany, Austria, Sweden, and France. Fairtrade is working with its producers to deliver carbon neutral flowers – like in the case of Wild Flower Ltd.
“Farmers and workers are embedded in all levels of our governance and decision-making. Understanding the impact of our work requires transparency and traceability, with the data to back it up. We unlock the power of Fairtrade supply chains with data-led insights that provide producers and companies with the tools to demonstrate Fairtrade’s impact and support learning,” added Ms Sandra Uwera.
Some of the global brands that support Fairtrade include Guylian Chocolates, Maltesers Chocolates, Ben n Jerry Ice Cream among others. Some key customers and partners include Mars group, Carrefour Hypermarkets, Coop Supermarkets, Ben n Jerry (part of Unilever), Cargill, Barry Callebaut, B-Lab among others.
In Kenya, for example, Fairtrade Africa has supported leading brands like Kericho Gold and Dormans Coffee to source sustainable coffees and teas from Fairtrade certified value chains. Other brands include Zawadi Coffee (a women grown and owned coffee brand), Lecom from Machakos, Umoja and Sireet Tea from the Rift Valley among others.
Fairtrade changes the way trade works by putting farmers and workers first. That means better prices, decent working conditions and more trade power for small-scale producers. Leading by example, Fairtrade has producers represented in 50 per cent of its governance.
One of the issues we have been grappling with as a nation is corruption, and it has had such a devastating effect on our national development. I have been convinced that until morality becomes the foundation upon which our governance system is built, we can never go forward as a nation.
Our traditional practices, which have shaped our cultural beliefs, have always espoused values that have kept us along the straight and the narrow and have preserved our societies since ancient times.
These are values that frown on negative habits like stealing, cheating, greediness, selfishness, etc. Our grandparents have told us stories of societies where stealing was regarded as so shameful that offenders, when caught, have on a number of instances committed suicide.
In fact, my mother told me of a story where a man who was living in the same village as her mother (my grandmother), after having been caught stealing a neighbour’s cockerel, out of shame committed suicide on a mango tree. Those were the days that shameful acts were an abomination.
Tegare worship, a traditional spiritual worship during which the spirit possesses the Tegare Priest and begins to reveal secrets, was one of the means by which the society upheld African values in the days of my grandmother and the early childhood days of my mother.
Those were the days when the fear of being killed by Tegare prevented people from engaging in anti-social vices. These days, people sleeping with other people’s wives are not uncommon.
These wrongful behaviour was not countenanced at all by Tegare. One was likely going to lose his life on days that Tegare operates, and so unhealthy habits like coveting your neighbour’s wife was a taboo.
Stealing of other people’s farm produce, for instance, could mean certain death or incapacitation of the whole or part of the body in the full glare of everybody. People realised that there were consequences for wrongdoing, and this went a long way to motivate the society to adhere to right values.
Imagine a President being sworn into office and whoever administers the oath says, “Please say this after me: I, Mr. …., do solemnly swear by God, the spirits of my ancestors and the spirits ruling in Ghana, that should I engage in corrupt acts, may I and my family become crippled, may madness become entrenched in my family, may incurable sicknesses and diseases be my portion and that of my family, both immediate and extended.”
Can you imagine a situation where a few weeks afterwards the President goes to engage in corrupt acts and we hear of his sudden demise or incapacitation and confessing that he engaged in corrupt acts before passing or before the incapacitation—and the effect it will have on his successor? I believe we have to critically examine this option to curb corruption.
My grandmother gave me an eyewitness account of one such encounter where a woman died instantly after the Tegare Priest had revealed a wrong attitude she had displayed during the performance on one of the days scheduled for Tegare spirit manifestation.
According to her story, the Priest, after he had been possessed by the spirit, declared that for what the woman had done, he would not forgive her and that he would kill. Instantly, according to my grandmother, the lady fell down suddenly and she died—just like what happened to Ananias and his wife Sapphira in Acts Chapter 5.
NB: ‘CHANGE KOTOKA INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT TO KOFI BAAKO
By Laud Kissi-Mensah
Join our WhatsApp Channel now!
https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VbBElzjInlqHhl1aTU27
Emotional distortions can indeed have a profound impact on an individual’s mental health and well-being. These distortions can lead to a range of negative consequences, including anxiety, depression, and impaired relationships.
Emotional surgery is a therapeutic approach that aims to address and heal emotional wounds, traumas, and blockages. This approach recognises that emotional pain can have a profound impact on an individual’s quality of life and seeks to provide a comprehensive and compassionate approach to healing.
How emotional surgery can help
Emotional surgery can help individuals:
Identify and challenge negative thought patterns: By becoming aware of emotional distortions, individuals can learn to challenge and reframe negative thoughts.
Develop greater emotional resilience: Emotional surgery can help individuals develop the skills and strategies needed to manage their emotions and respond to challenging situations.
Improve relationships: By addressing emotional wounds and promoting emotional well-being, individuals can develop more positive and healthy relationships with others.
The benefits of emotional surgery
The benefits of emotional surgery can include:
Improved mental health outcomes: Emotional surgery can help individuals reduce symptoms of anxiety and depression.
Enhanced relationships: Emotional surgery can help individuals develop more positive and healthy relationships with others.
Increased self-awareness: Emotional surgery can help individuals develop a deeper understanding of themselves and their emotions.
A path towards healing
Emotional surgery offers a promising approach to addressing emotional distortions and promoting emotional well-being. By acknowledging the impact of emotional pain and seeking to provide a comprehensive and compassionate approach to healing, individuals can take the first step towards recovery and improved mental health.
Join our WhatsApp Channel now!
https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VbBElzjInlqHhl1aTU27
BY ROBERT EKOW GRIMMOND-THOMPSON
