Top Fairtrade News

Hats off to the NASFAM

Congratulations to the National Smallholder Farmers’ Association of Malawi, members of which grow the nuts that go into packs of Liberation and Harry’s Nuts. They have won the highly acclaimed Yara Prize in recognition of their role in supporting smallholder farming in Africa.

NASFAM’s ground breaking work aims to improve the livelihoods of its smallholder members – most of whom are women. NASFAM gives farmers a say in policy making, helps them build their businesses and farm with an eye on the future. Dyborn Chibonga, CEO of NASFAM, and Alice Kachere, NASFAM Chairperson, received the prize at a ceremony in Oslo. Dyborn said: ‘We are delighted to accept this prize on behalf of NASFAM. Through our unique network of smallholder owned organisations, we are empowering more than 100,000 farmers to develop their businesses and be part of making the voice of the smallholder heard loud and clear in Malawi.’

The Yara Prize for a Green Revolution in Africa is awarded annually by a foundation set up by Yara International ASA, which has been doing business in Africa for 30 years. It honours significant contributions to the reduction of hunger and poverty in Africa.

Celebrating Fairtrade at No.10

Campaigners, celebrities and Fairtrade pioneers attended a tea party hosted by Sarah Brown at No 10 Downing Street on 12 October to celebrate 15 years since the first products to carry the FAIRTRADE Mark arrived on our shelves.

Guests including Harry Hill, Allegra McEvedy and Sophie Grigson rubbed shoulders with 15-year-old Fairtrade campaigners while enjoying a menu full of Fairtrade food and drink. Jake Mairs from Stockport School, Zoë Cooke from Thornleigh Salesian College in Bolton, and Jordon Day from St George’s College in Sleaford are all active and committed members of awardwining Fairtrade Schools campaigns. Justino Peck, one of the cocoa producers behind the first chocolate to carry the Mark, Green & Black’s Maya Gold, also attended the party. Along with Maya Gold, Clipper tea and Cafédirect coffee were also represented as the first products to carry the FAIRTRADE Mark.

Sarah Brown said: ‘It’s a privilege to support Fairtrade and I wish the FAIRTRADE Mark another 15 years as successful as the last.’ She also presented the Fairtrade Fortnight awards for Outstanding Achievement to Tammy Stewart Jones from Thanet Fairtrade Initiative and Robert Eggleston from Burgess Hill Fairtrade.

Get the taste of direct trade

Straight out of Ethiopia – the country that invented the stuff – is a new brand of Fairtrade coffee. Oromo Coffee Company is the first ever Ethiopian community-to-community direct trading initiative.

The company is run by members of the Ethiopian community in northwest England, who buy all their coffee directly from the smallholder coffee farmers in Ethiopia. The farmers belong to the Oromia Coffee Farmers’ Co-operative Union, made famous by the documentary Black Gold. This unique social enterprise is supported by the Lorna Young Foundation, which works with farming communities across Africa, and by roasters Bolling Coffee. The aim of the business is to trade more directly, shortening supply chains to make sure maximum benefits reach both ends of the chain.

The coffee was launched in May at a reception at Portcullis House in London, attended by James Purnell, then Secretary of State for the Department of Work and Pensions. Mr Purnell, said: ‘This is a unique initiative that could make fair trade even fairer – and the coffee tastes great too.’ For details on how to place orders, see www.oromocoffee.org/contact.asp