Fair Trade
 

Moving On...

by Zarah Patriana

Published April 01, 2009 @ 05:39PM PT

Friends.

After about six months of working on the Change.org Fair Trade community and having it up and running, it is time to take a little break. For the past several months, this community has been a place for Fair Traders new and old to gather and learn about Fair Trade, to find out the latest news in the movement, to start discussions and debates surrounding the topic and to find out ways to make a difference. We've seen major victories, challenges, growth and some setbacks and we all did it together as a Change.org community and I am happy that you let me be part of it. Going back to the terrible nautical puns of my first entry, I've never seen myself as the captain of the ship guiding you through the Fair Trade seas, but rather it was a collective effort that every one of you made possible and for that I thank you all for the support. Thank you for sharing your thoughts, words, skepticism, questions, knowledge and especially your stories.

While the Change.org Fair Trade community is taking a break, motion around the Fair Trade movement continues. In the face of an economic downturn and the failures of neo-liberal and free trade policies becoming more apparent, Fair Trade and fairer trade policies are needed more than ever. Although President Obama has yet to make major decisions on key trade policies, we've seen his Administration give hints of reform by declaring the need for fairer trade policies. Bigger companies are starting to bring more Fair Trade into their models and the community continues to debate and shape the discussion around this involvement. Fair Trade towns continue to pop up around the world and Fair Trade sales are also continuing to rise in countries like the UK despite financial hardships. People are using the power of Fair Trade to bring some light into the darkness of conflict and people are also using Fair Trade principles to tackle climate change and the global food crisis. Fair Traders are mobilizing and having their voices heard and pushing for more talks of trade policy reform from the G20 summit to the steps of their own government. Producers and artisans are starting to build a bigger voice and fighting for a bigger stake in the game. Fair Traders are always moving and shaking and really can't be stopped.

As for me, I'm nowhere near stopping. My work with the Fair Trade movement continues through Global Exchange and through my work with different players in the community to continue to bring the movement together and strengthen our ties. So, I'll be around. I'll still be writing here, updating there and working everywhere. Just look for me. Again, thank you all for your continued support and I look forward to running into you again around the Fair Trade community.

[ No, this is not an April Fool's joke. :) ]

Pauline Tiffen on the Challenges of Fair Trade

by Zarah Patriana

Published April 01, 2009 @ 01:40AM PT

In the last post, I mentioned the larger issues that were mentioned during the London School of Economics debate on 'Who Owns Fair Trade?'. The idea of how the movement is to deal with large multi-national companies adopting the Fair Trade Mark, such as Cadbury, and what are the next steps in the evolution of Fair Trade as a business model. These questions have been essential in talks around Fair Trade lately as people have been looking to expand the movement and getting more multi-national companies involved. I advised you all to watch Pauline Tiffen's take on these issues, but I've also decided to put it in a separate post with some of the text. Pauline talks about a main issue which is the fact that the Fair Trade Mark is designated for a product and not a company and how this should be improved upon.

Fair Trade, the system of certification, has set up a beautiful way to encourage rigorous advancements amongst small scale producers. It's tough to get a Fair Trade Certification and it provides a lot of stimulus and a lot of grief to these producers. It is unequal because no major corporation has to reflect in its structures any commitment to Fair Trade. So a cooperative, in any part of the developing world, to be Fair Trade, has to prove that it is this microcosm of beauty and social order and justice. And in the meanwhile the corporation who distributes the money, makes the most margin of all, and is completely unaccountable for that margin doesn't have to prove a thing about its intentions. So I say, if we want more people involved in Fair Trade in large business and in large retailers and we want the volume, lets not get the volume at the expense of the content or the essence of Fair Trade.

Pauline Tiffen speaks at 'Who Owns Fairtrade?' debate from Trading Visions on Vimeo.

Who Owns Fair Trade?: My Response

by Zarah Patriana

Published April 01, 2009 @ 01:24AM PT

The other day, guest blogger Shayna Harris posed the question: Who OWNS Fair Trade? The question stems from a recent debate that took place at the London School of Economics where panelists from the Fair Trade movement came together to discuss this topic. When I first heard about the debate, I kept trying to work out the question and an answer in my mind.

It's a complicated question with an even more complicated answer. For one thing, the idea of Fair Trade is so diverse and as Fair Trade consultant, Pauline Tiffen stated during the debate, Fair Trade is a concept that is constantly evolving and being redefined. That - as Shayna points out - is why Fair Trade is not 'ownable'. "Redefinition, uncertainty, and plurality of interpretation is important, because it allows for ‘more jostling' so that we can push Fair Traders to do more and deepen their integrity."

I both agree and disagree with all that. Yes, it is hard to see 'ownership' over an idea and Fair Trade in essence started out as an idea. However, through the years, I believe that Fair Trade has grown into something bigger from an idea into a movement, a trading system, a value system, a unifying mechanism, a course of action, a platform for peace, justice and environmentalism, a tool of empowerment and so much more. Fair Trade is comprised of the concrete and abstract, and through the years has grown into something that isn't quite perfect and has sometimes been described as "slightly less unfair trade". Nonetheless, Fair Trade has grown from an idea into something that has been able to make some positive (as Pauline Tiffen put it) "Obama-esque" change.

So, if it is more than an idea, maybe it can be 'owned'. Panelist and CEO of the National Smallholder Farmers' Association of Malawi, Dyborn Charlie Chibonga mentioned the word 'partnership' and that is how I see Fair Trade -- a partnership. Looking at a tenet of Fair Trade, where the producers are organized into a cooperative where all the members have equal share, equal say and equal ownership, such is the Fair Trade movement. Everyone involved has some sort of ownership, from the producer to the retailer to the consumer to the organizations, to the activists. Everyone involved has a stake in the movement, is driving it and redefining it and working to build trust and integrity and is making sure that Fair Trade continues to grow and creating positive change. A great thing I have come to learn from being in the movement is the close relationships that are developed not only with the farmers or producers, but with fellow activists and consumers. There's a sharing of stories and ideas and cultures. Fair Trade is like a community -- a cooperative community of everyone working together for a common goal of developing a better system of trade that puts value on justice for people and for nature.

Of course, my response does not put into question the larger issues that were brought up in the debate such as the inclusion of multi-national corporations taking on the Fair Trade Mark and next steps of Fair Trade as a business model. For that, I highly recommend checking out what Pauline Tiffen has to say about the current status of the Fair Trade movement and the future of it. OR, you can actually ask me to send you over the text because I actually transcribed it for myself. (I know)

So, who owns Fair Trade? I would say the Fair Trade community and it is up to those in the community to continue to educate people about the movement in order to expand. It is not exclusive, but rather should be inclusive to make sure that all parties benefit equally.

[image: cartoonstock.com]

The Deal with the Doha Rounds

by Zarah Patriana

Published March 31, 2009 @ 02:05PM PT

[AP Photo]

People in the UK are gearing up for the G20 summit that is coming up in a few days and people in the U.S. are eagerly waiting for the Obama Administration to act on bringing about fairer trade policies. Recently confirmed Commerce Secretary, Gary Locke has insisted that he is pushing for 'fair trade' for better environmental and labor standards. However, US Trade Representative, Ron Kirk who also believes in fairer trade policies, has been making statements that have fair trade policy seekers worried. As guest blogger, James Ploeser pointed out in the comments section,

Here in the U.S. fair traders are watching eagerly to see if President Obama makes good on his promises to push for substantial reforms in the multilateral trading system. Some worrisome comments have emerged from some around him, including US Trade Representative Ron Kirk, that they will push to conclude the Doha round of the WTO negotiations.

Reckless pursuit of Doha conclusion means more of the same failed trade policies that have hurt workers, the environment, and done nothing to spur the sustainable development that the world is yearning for.

The Doha Round of the WTO negotiations is called the "development round" aiming to help developing countries is actually not the case. A push to conclude the Doha Rounds could be detrimental to these developing countries and will only see more of the same WTO policies of neo-liberal corporate globalization, which by looking at our current crisis has not fared well for anyone. Lori Wallach and Deborah James gave a detailed and eye-opening report after one of several failed attempts of pushing for Doha.

[T]he focus of energy should be on how the world’s governments can develop a multilateral trade system that preserves the benefits of trade for growth and development, while pruning away the many anti-democratic constraints on domestic policy making contained in the existing WTO rules. These rules are designed to create a world that operates as one single homogenized global market rather than setting terms of trade between separate nations with distinct priorities.

The critics of corporate globalization are for international trade between different, unique countries or regions when it is mutually beneficial. To strike this balance between promoting trade while respecting the laws and values of different countries, some existing international rules and institutions need to be cut back, while others need to be bolstered.

The WTO must be scaled back so that the human rights, environmental, labor and other multilaterally agreed public interest standards already enshrined in various international treaties can serve as a floor of conduct for corporations seeking the benefits of global trade rules.

The WTO experiment has failed. Replacing the overreaching WTO agenda with fair rules aimed at facilitating trade between willing countries is the only way forward.

So Ambassador Kirk, instead of pushing for the Doha Rounds, which would most likely bring more of the same, it is time to look toward alternatives that really do focus on fairer rules and true representation of people and the environment. You know, that fair trade policy you were talking about.

Head on Over to...

by Zarah Patriana

Published March 30, 2009 @ 11:34PM PT

Quick updates on things you should check out.

Viva La Causa, Viva Cesar Chavez

by Zarah Patriana

Published March 30, 2009 @ 01:40PM PT

[portrait by Robert Shetterly]

Growing up in California, you really get to learn, see and feel the importance of the work of farm worker, civil rights activist and labor leader Cesar Chavez. In school, we were told about the story of Cesar Chavez and the United Farm Workers and the work and fighting done for California farm workers and farm workers across the United States.

During his life, Cesar Chavez organized campaigns and boycotts that were felt throughout the country. From his calls to boycott grapes to lettuce, Chavez was able to mobilize people -- activists, ordinary people to celebrities -- to join the cause to fight for economic and social justice. By the 1980s, Chavez and the United Farm Workers were able to achieve major victories for thousands of farm workers who were finally able to organize into unions, negotiate for higher wages, get family health coverage and pension benefits. Issues of child labor were also fought, women's complaints of sexual harassment were heard and campaigns against pesticide were brought to victory.

Cesar Chavez's fight to bring the struggle of the small farmer and the underrepresented worker in general is one that lies closely to the heart of the Fair Trade, labor and food justice movements. The G20 protests in London over the weekend are in the same spirit of what Chavez fought for throughout his life. Putting people first and giving power to the underrepresented are as important today as it was in the days of Chavez -- but now it is desperately needed on a local and global level. People continue to struggle in the face of poverty, people continue to be exploited and people continue to profit off the hard work of others. But now, in the face of crisis and on Cesar Chavez Day, we should look back at his words and continue to fight for justice and see that our needs are heard and met. The exploitative system has brought about this crisis and its time for the people to take back the power.

We have suffered unnumbered ills and crimes in the name of the Law of the Land. Our men, women and children have suffered not only the basic brutality of stoop labor, and the most obvious injustices of the system; they have also suffered the desperation of knowing that the system caters to the greed of callous men and not to our needs. Now we will suffer for the purpose of ending the poverty, the misery, and the injustice, with the hope that our children will not be exploited as we have been. They have imposed hungers on us, and now we hunger for justice.

There's no turning back...We will win. We are winning because ours is a revolution of mind and heart. [Cesar Chavez]

World leaders? Are you listening?

[photo: Cathy Murphy, former staff worker for United Farm Workers]

Glimpse of the 'Put People First' March

by Zarah Patriana

Published March 30, 2009 @ 07:23AM PT

The Fairtrade Foundation pointed out this YouTube video of Saturday's Put People First march. The march gathered over 35,000 people from a variety of organizations to come together to send a clear message to the world leaders meeting at the upcoming G20 summit that business as usual is no longer going to work.

The video is a birds-eye view of the march where you can see the Fairtrade Foundation's bananas in the center-right of the screen, where they eventually join in on the march. The video also lets you hear a powerful speech outlining the goals and message of the rally.

According to the Put People First team, an exciting alliance has been born and the march is not the end of the campaign, but only the beginning to keep pressure on world leaders to find a fair and sustainable way out of the recession.

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