Make Poverty history
Since 2006 Streetly Methodist Church has supported the MAKE POVERTY HISTORY campaign that aims to change international trade rules, cancel debt and increase aid to the world's poorest countries. 1.3 billion people in the world live on less than one US dollar per day.
We need to campaign for fair trade because international trade rules are heavily weighted against poor countries. The UN estimates that about 700 billion dollars a year are lost because of unfair trade. That's 2 dollars for every one dollar given in aid.
Fair Trade
40% of the world's population live in low- income countries but they account for only 3% of world trade.
Poor countries cannot compete with the huge subsidies that the US and Europe pay to their farmers, for example the US pays its corn farmers 10 billion dollars a year. International trade rules prevent poor countries from banning imports so their markets are flooded with cheap goods from abroad and they cannot sell their own crops.
Sometimes farmers do not even get back the money they have invested. For example between 1994 and 2001 coffee bean prices fell by 90%. The price of coffee in supermarkets was virtually unchanged during this time. Coffee beans change hands up to 150 times between the tree and the supermarket shelf. When you buy a cup of cappuccino coffee for £1.75, only about 5p goes to the farmer.
Changing trade rules is hard because rich countries have a much greater voice
at world trade talks. They insist on 'free trade' with poor countries while
protecting their own markets by imposing tariffs on imports.
Until we can change the rules of international trade you can make a difference by checking out the Fairtrade Mark when you shop. 39% of shoppers in the UK now recognize The Fairtrade Mark. It first appeared on coffee, tea and chocolate in 1994but its design was later changed to the current symbol, which is recognized throughout the world.
The Fairtrade Mark guarantees farmers a fair and stable price for their products. They are assured of covering the cost of running a farm and they can plan for the future and pay their workers a fair wage. This can make the difference that allows people to have a roof over their heads and adequate health care and to send their children to school.
Fairly traded goods are steadily increasing their share of the market in the UK. 4% bananas bought are now fairly traded. In all about 500 fairly traded products are available from UK supermarkets. They include: apples, pineapples, mangoes, grapes, bananas, citrus fruits, marmalade, chocolate hazelnut spread, mango chutney, tea, beer, wine, roses, footballs.
