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The Fairtrade Foundation will be asking young Christians to create their own piece of Fairtrade cotton artwork at this year’s Greenbelt Festival (27-30 August) to help celebrate the 5th Anniversary of Fairtrade certified cotton in the UK and help raise awareness of unfair trade practices.

For an estimated 100 million rural households in 70 countries the primary source of income comes from producing cotton. Many of these households include small-scale farmers and most of the world’s cotton, around two thirds, is produced in the developing world. In fact, cotton makes up 40% of West Africa’s export income but because of cheap, subsidised cotton from the USA dumped on world markets, farmers are finding it increasingly difficult to make a living because of the unstable world prices for cotton.

Faaiza Bashir, Faith group Campaigns Officer: ‘From Fairtrade coffee mornings to choosing Fairtrade certified cotton clergy shirts, faith groups have always been at the forefront of the Fairtrade movement. We are asking them this year to get involved in our cotton campaign to help raise awareness of the plight of cotton farmers in the developing world. We can all help by asking for Fairtrade cotton whenever possible and taking part in our campaign during Fairtrade Fortnight. The best of the murals will be displayed during next year’s Fairtrade Fortnight.’

Fairtrade certified cotton farmers are paid a guaranteed minimum price for their cotton crop, enough to cover the sustainable costs of production. The Fairtrade system gives them a greater security through advance payments available on request, long-term relationships with buyers and democratically run co-operatives strengthening the position of each, individual farmer. Fairtrade farmers also meet certain environmental standards to better protect the land, water and soil they rely on for next year’s harvest. Lastly, they receive – the Fairtrade premium – to invest in the projects they know their business or community needs most. Decisions on how the premium is spent are made democratically. So, be it a school, health centre, new seeds, investing in organic farming or a well, the decision is theirs.

The aim of the project is to create 100 pieces of artwork during the four-day festival. Cotton used in the murals is being supplied by Bishopston, a Fairtrade licensee that has been working with cotton producing communities in South India since 1978. The Fairtrade cotton used for the murals comes from Agrocel Industries Ltd who are based in Bangalore in Karnataka, South India.

Around 1,930 farmers are members of Agrocel including 77 women farmers. Pragjibhai and his brothers have farmed cotton all their lives and are now members of the Fairtrade certified Agrocel Pure & Fair Cotton Growers’ Association, in the Rapar region of Gujarat. The farm was originally owned by Mr Pragjibhai’s father. His crop is 80% cotton as well as a mixture of marigolds and vegetables as part of an organic crop rotation system encouraged by Agrocel in order to replenish the soil. He is positive about his family’s future knowing that he receives a fair price as well as the premium from Fairtrade sales: ‘Through sales of our Fairtrade cotton we have funded community projects to supply books and clean drinking water for our local school and we have built water conservation projects and installed solar powered street lighting in villages. We are very proud of what we have achieved.’

Faaiza Bashir says: ‘The ultimate aim of the cotton campaign is to change unfair trade rules that are stopping cotton farmers in developing countries make a sustainable living.’

For more information please contact Faith Mall, Media & PR Manager at the Fairtrade Foundation, on 0207 440 8597 or Martine Julseth on 0207 440 7686.


Faith Mall
Media and PR Manager
020 7440 8597/07766 504 947
faith.mall@fairtrade.org.uk
Eileen Maybin
Head of Media
020 7440 7686 07770 957 451
eileen.maybin@fairtrade.org.uk
Martine Julseth
Media and PR Manager
020 7440 7695/07825 827 791
martine.julseth@fairtrade.org.uk
Neil Martin
Assistant Press Officer
020 7440 7620
neil.martin@fairtrade.org.uk


Notes to Editors

1. The FAIRTRADE Mark is a certification mark and a registered trademark of Fairtrade Labelling Organisations International (FLO) of which the Fairtrade Foundation is the UK member. The Fairtrade Foundation is an independent certification body which licenses the use of the FAIRTRADE Mark on products which meet international Fairtrade standards. This independent consumer label is now recognised by 72% of UK consumers and appears on products as a guarantee that disadvantaged producers are getting a better deal. Today, more than 7.5 million people – farmers, workers and their families – across 58 developing countries benefit from the international Fairtrade system.

2. Over 4,500 products have been licensed to carry the FAIRTRADE Mark including coffee, tea, herbal teas, chocolate, cocoa, sugar, bananas, grapes, pineapples, mangoes, avocados, apples, pears, plums, grapefruit, lemons, oranges, satsumas, clementines, mandarins, lychees, coconuts, dried fruit, juices, smoothies, biscuits, cakes & snacks, honey, jams & preserves, chutney & sauces, rice, quinoa, herbs & spices, seeds, nuts & nut oil, wines, beers, rum, confectionary, muesli, cereal bars, yoghurt, ice-cream, flowers, sports balls, sugar body scrub and cotton products including clothing, homeware, cloth toys, cotton wool and olive oil.

3. 7 in 10 households purchase Fairtrade goods,, helping Fairtrade sales reach an estimated £800m in 2009, up from £712m in 2008. There are over 460 producer organisations selling to the UK with 872 certified producer groups in the global Fairtrade system, representing more than 1.5 million farmers and workers.

4. To find out more about Bishopton Trading go to http://www.bishopstontrading.co.uk/common/index.php