As the UK prepares to begin its annual Fairtrade Fortnight, concerns have been raised that efforts to tackle the global food crisis will fail without urgent action to support small farmers in developing countries.
In a new report published today entitled 'The Global Food Crisis and Fairtrade: Small farmers, big solutions?', the Fairtrade Foundation has highlighted what it says is a serious situation facing growers in developing countries.
The Fairtrade Foundation also revealed that UK sales of products carrying the Fairtrade mark reached an estimated retail value in excess of £700m (€792m) in 2008, bucking the global downturn with a 43 per cent increase over 2007.
Supporting 2bn people, the estimated 450m small farms around the world are seen as vital in increasing both the production of food for local and national consumption, as well as earning crucial export income from international trade to boost wider economic growth and development.
Yet the Foundation’s report, which interviewed farmers’ groups in Uganda, Malawi, Nicaragua, India, Sri Lanka and the Caribbean reveals that many families are now having to spend up to 80 per cent of their household budget on basic food items.
According to the organisation, tocketing food, fuel and fertiliser prices have had a devastating effect on their livelihoods – in some cases, families have apparently been forced to cut out meals, take children out of school and reduce the amount of land they plant, or even sell some of their land, as they can no longer afford to farm it or buy fertilisers to keep up production.
'These are tough times for everyone, but they’re desperate times for many poor communities and small farmers in developing countries,' commented Harriet Lamb, chief executive of the Fairtrade Foundation. 'They urgently need support to keep producing the food we all eat, and to provide a future for their families. We are calling on governments and businesses to ensure this crucial small farmer sector is placed centre stage in strategies to tackle the food crisis and boost agricultural production.'
The report catalogues a notable decline in agricultural support over recent decades, including a drop in levels of agricultural aid from developed countries from US$7.6bn in 1980 to US$3.9bn in 2006.
Farmers in developing countries are said to be facing an extreme ‘credit crunch’, with a collapse in access to agricultural financial services.
The report forms the basis for a high-level conference taking place in London today (Thursday, 19 February), at which a range of government officials, international NGOs, small farmer representatives and businesses will discuss the impact of the food crisis for small farmers and the business case for future small farmer support.
Key speakers will include Gareth Thomas MP, Minister of State for Trade and Development; industry chiefs including Justin King, chief executive of Sainsbury’s; dedicated Fairtrade company bosses such as Sophi Tranchell, managing director of Divine Chocolate, as well as producer representatives from India, Malawi, Sri Lanka and Uganda who supply the UK market with a number of different products.
Fairtrade Fortnight begins on Monday 23 February and ends on 8 March. This year, the campaign theme is: Make it Happen. Choose Fairtrade
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