workshop 3 -summary

Fairtrade involves an increasing dependency on foreign trade and participation of developed and developing countries. It focuses on helping producers in developing countries by marginalizing a minimum price for the products.

            Article 23 of the 1948 Universal Declaration of Human Rights justify that every human are subject to fair and favourable remuneration for work. This can be promoted through the fair trade with fairer contribution of commercial revenue into international trade of developing countries.

         Fairtrade connects disadvantages producers and consumers promote fairer trading conditions and empower producers to combat poverty, strengthen their position in world .However, it only empowers and certifies small-scale farmer organizations.

Fairtrade is now well-marketed in the commercial sector. As a result, Fairtrade has a strong global grassroots consumer base and sales of fair trade certified products is experiencing a massive growth over the years. There’re more producers benefited by Fairtrade scheme.

Fair trade seems to fulfill the establishment of fairtrade initiatives to be ‘fair’ as it creates a transparent equity between producers, sellers and consumers, also to empower small-scale producers to walk out of poverty.

However,contradicting report states out that the Fairtrade is unfair. The higher price set for fair-trade goods, come at the expense of the great majority of farmers who unable to qualify for Fairtrade certification.

            Further, Fairtrade does not aid economic development. It only keeps the poor in their place, sustaining uncompetitive farmers on their land and holding back diversification, mechanization, and moves up the value chain. This indirectly denies future generations the chance of a better life. This will impair Fairtrade to continue its establishment to fight against poverty.

           Along with the arguments, it was suggested that the fair-trade shall not be deemed as unfair as it starts from a good initiatives to give benefits. Appropriate reforms are indeed crucial for a promising future in the fair-trade trading scheme.

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