Fairtrade America and Fairtrade Canada have announced plans to co-host the first joint virtual October Fairtrade Month as part of the ‘We Are Fairtrade’ campaign.
The campaign aims to call attention to the positive impacts of Fairtrade and the parts that everybody plays in the supply chain, from brands to retailers to consumers, in prioritising fairer deals for farmers.
As part of the campaign, Fairtrade will host a digital event on Wednesday, 25 October at 12pm ET featuring three next-generation farmers, including Ana Polo Aguillar, a banana farmer from Ecuador, Felix Tetteh, a cocoa farmer from Chana, and Zuly Granados, a coffee farmer from Guatemala.
Granados, 27, is a fourth-generation coffee farmer and a leader in her community in Guatemala. She is the president of the AWAL NAN ‘Work of Women’ network, in which 600 women participate to defend their rights, find support, improve commercial conditions and visualise the importance of their work in agriculture.
Each speaker will share their thoughts on a range of topics, such as the effects of climate change on farming and the impact of inflation and rising costs of production.
The speakers come from Fairtrade’s ambassador program, which aims to engage and support young individuals from all corners of the agriculture and labour sectors.
The discussion will be moderated by community organiser and eco-communicator Leah Thomas.
“Fairtrade recognises the invaluable role played by farmers and workers in trade, and it is time their voices are elevated and more deeply respected,” says Thomas. “I am honored to act as the moderator of this important conversation to help connect the dots between some of the products we enjoy every day and the people who dedicate their lives to not only bringing us those items, but also who hope to create a more sustainable and just approach to farming and trade.”
Registration for the event is now open, and US and Canadian residents who register will automatically be entered to win a series of ‘We Are Fairtrade’ campaign prizes.
The discussion will be inclusive of a global audience with content presented in English, French and Spanish.
For more information, click here.