Food security: how Fairtrade helps level the playing field for small producers
Paradoxically, of the one billion people classified as food insecure by the United Nations, about 500 million are smallholder farmers in developing economies. Some of these producers are exporting luxuries such as coffee, cocoa, exotic fruits and sugar for consumers in developed economies. Due to poor and volatile prices coupled with unfair trade rules, they simply don’t earn enough to feed their families all year round and often experience the problem of seasonal hunger between harvests.
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Butcher’s Shop But Not As You Know It
As ever in January we are swept up on a tide of talk about healthy eating. My modus operandi in January is actually to keep eating up the Christmas cake whilst I read and watch all the interesting stuff about healthy eating…I will reign in the calorie count come early Spring when the weather tells me to come out of comfort eating mode.
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Liberation, a Community Interest Company
Liberation Foods, became a community interest company in 2007. Co-operatives of small-scale nut producers from around the developing world decided to get together to form a UK company through which to market their produce. These co-ops were brought together by Twin, a pioneer of Fair Trade that had founded Cafédirect and Divine Chocolate.
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Alternative Proteins Set to Soar – New Report Suggests
Global demand for alternative proteins is set to double in just eight years– according to a new report by Lux Research. The market for alternative proteins – those beyond fish and meat – is predicted to grow by 14% annually to reach 38 million tonnes by 2024.
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Is Cadbury Move the End of Fairtrade? by Kate Gaskell
I thought I’d be glad to see a headline that wasn’t about Trump or Brexit, but, ‘is Cadbury move the end for Fairtrade?’ provides no light relief – not for me or the small-scale nut farmers who are shareholders of Liberation Foods. To the Liberation nut farmers, Fairtrade certification means a decent price for their crop, a price that covers their costs and enables them to keep farming. It means a Fairtrade premium to invest back into their farms, co-operatives and communities. And it means the assurance of pre-finance to secure their crops. The pre-finance loan comes on the back of the purchase contracts we place with the farmer co-ops each year – well in advance of their harvest season – to enable good planning and reliable supply. Fairtrade certification also requires our farmers to run their co-operatives in a transparent, democratic manner and thus take collective responsibility for dealing with the myriad challenges and issues that their members face.
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Midnight Run – not all those that wander are lost…
Liberation is proud to be feeding the 160 participants (or so) who will be taking part in this year’s Midnight Run on 18 July in London. Founded in 2005 by Inua Ellams, The Midnight Run is a walking, arts-filled, night-time cultural journey through cities. It gathers strangers and local artists/activists to explore, play and create whilst the city sleeps. This year, The Midnight Run celebrates 10 years of growing success and, for the first time, four simultaneous events, launching from the four corners of the capital will be taking place. The Roundhouse (North), The Albany (South), The Almeida (East) and Bush Theatre (West) will be host venues to four individual groups of Midnight Run groups as they begin the artistic walking adventure through London, with the Southbank Centre as a central Hub. The attempt to humanise and make smaller our shared world is the strongest impulse behind the Midnight Run which focuses on human connection, community and creativity – and that has to be a good thing! To find out more... read more
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