Photo: antwerpenR / Flickr

For many people, the day starts with a large cup of freshly brewed coffee. Whether you make it at home, buy it from your local Costa or Starbucks or get it at the office, quality coffee is a must. From your ordinary Java to the exotic Kopi Luwak or the rare Pure Jamaican Blue Mountain, it comes in many blends and aromas. But how many of us worry about making sure that those who produce it receive a fair compensation?

Why should we care?

In the current economic climate, small coffee farmers are often paid a pittance for their beans. And thanks to the various middlemen and distributors involved, by the time those beans make their way to our lips, they’re sold for almost 12 or more times as much. The concept of fair trade is about fixing this inequality. Fairtrade is about reducing poverty which comes as a result of an inequitable playing field in world trade.

In the UK, if you see coffee with the Fairtrade mark, you can be sure that it has been sourced from producers in developing countries. Thanks to international fair trade regulations, these small producers are given access to international markets from which they were previously excluded. To conform, these small, family-owned farms must respect high international standards of labour, environment and business conduct.

How are we affected?

If you’re worried about the quality and taste of fair trade coffee, you shouldn’t. There is no difference between them and non-fair trade coffee. This is ultimately about doing the right thing and ensuring ethical practices in trade and food production. If small farmers are paid more for their beans, their workers get better wages and they are able to provide for their families.

This fair trade concept really began in the 1940s, when communities in Europe were trying to rebuild themselves. It really took root in the 1980s after the coffee crisis that spread around the world.

The fair trade movement is about enabling smaller communities to take care of themselves and grow economically and socially. This in turn leads to stronger and more stable countries.

So next time you sit down with friends at your favourite coffee shop, find out whether it stocks fair trade coffee. If it doesn’t, find an establishment that does. It takes very little from each of us to make a difference.

Tags: fair trade coffee