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March 01, 2005
Fair Trade Fortnight
1-13 March is Fair Trade Fortnight.
When commodity prices fall it can have a catastrophic impact on millions of small scale producers in the developing world. Often, they may not even be able to cover what it costs to produce their crop. Many are forced into debt and others lose their land and their homes. The FAIRTRADE Mark is an independent guarantee of a fair deal for farmers in developing countries. The difference this makes to producers can be dramatic.
Among the guarantees behind the FAIRTRADE Mark are:
• Farmers receive a fair and stable price for their products
• Workers have the opportunity to improve their own lives
• Small-scale farmers gain a stronger position in world markets
• Greater respect for the environment
These are some Fair Trade goods you can buy in British supermarkets: Fruit, Coffee, Tea, Sugar, Fruit Juice, Chocolate, Roses, Wine, and even Footballs!
Over these next two weeks, please make a point of seeking out Fair Trade goods in your supermarket, and buying them. Begin a habit this week of buying Fair Trade goods, and make a difference for good by the way you shop.
And if your supermarket doesn't have Fair Trade goods, do ask the manager (gently) why not!
Fair Trade is a great way of allowing people to help themselves. While well-targeted aid can be helpful, it can never be the whole answer, and this is a great way of allowing people to improve their own lives: “The Fairtrade system demands huge efforts from farmers in Africa, Asia and Latin America as they organise into democratically run groups. This ensures that the gradual improvements which Fairtrade makes possible are sustainable, giving communities a real chance to build a brighter future – and ‘Make Poverty History’.”
At the same time, it is a challenge to us to think about the outworking of faith and justice in our own lives. If we let Jesus be Lord of the way we shop, what difference do you think it would make? How do we shop with righteousness, love, and a concern for justice for the poor? Or is that not an area that is part of our discipleship...?
Posted by Keith at March 1, 2005 03:35 PM
Comments
I will do what I can to promote this socially conscious use of our prosperity.
brad
Posted by: brad at March 3, 2005 05:27 PM
