The Reality of the climate crisis for the farmers behind our food. Climate in Colour logo and Fairtrade Foundation logo. Blue pattern background with two farmer figures

Impact and Challenges,

Infographic: The reality of the climate crisis for the farmers behind our food

The Fairtrade Foundation has partnered with Climate in Colour to create an infographic exploring how the climate crisis is affecting farmers and workers in low-income countries.

Climate in Colour, founded by Climate Researcher Joycelyn Longdon, is a platform which makes climate change conversations more accessible and diverse. Joycelyn worked with the Fairtrade Foundation and illustrator Chioma Ince on a 10 slide infographic for Fairtrade Fortnight.

Discover the impact of the climate crisis for farmers in the infographic below.

  • The Climate Crisis disproportionately affects people and communities living in poverty [1]. Smallholder farmers, who have contributed the least to climate change, manage over 80 percent of the world's 500 million farms and rely on this land for their livelihoods [2]. However, these farmers are more likely to earn low incomes and live in vulnerable locations that are prone to climate-related disasters - they are less resilient to the impacts of climate breakdown.
  • Extreme climate-related disasters, such as the hurricanes that hit Central America in 2020, severely undermine food security and farmers’ ability to earn a living. We rely on many of these farmers for the things we love to eat and drink. In the UK, nearly half of the food we buy in our supermarkets comes from abroad, and of this number between 10-15% [3] comes from low-income countries, predominantly grown by smallholder farmers and workers.
  • Case Study: Sugar Farming. Malawi is the fourth poorest country in the world (according to the IMF) and in 2019, sugar farmers in Malawi awaited a bumper harvest after 2 years of dry weather. What they experienced instead was a devastating climate disaster, Cyclone Idai, which wiped out any remaining crops they had and ruined livelihoods [4].
  • Case study: Cocoa Farming. Many cocoa producers are also being affected by rising temperatures, especially those living in Ghana and Côte d’Ivoire in West Africa – who produce over half of the world’s cocoa. By 2050, most regions in these countries will become too hot to grow the crop, meaning the farmers will earn less money and suffer from food insecurity. ‘Climate change is a global issue. We, the farmers, have to deal with its consequences every day. For instance, this year we lacked food because of the heat...’" - Ebrottié Tanoh Florentin, a cocoa farmer and General Secretary of his co-operative CEAA in Côte d’Ivoire.’
  • How Fairtrade Supports Farmers. Being part of Fairtrade can offer a lifeline to farmers. It means more money going directly to farmers to support them through unpredictable weather patterns and problems on their farms. With fairer pay, Fairtrade farmers can: Put money aside for when disasters hit; Invest in diversifying their crops: if a crop is hit by disease or fails due to unpredictable weather, by diversifying their production, farmers have other crops to earn income from; Invest in sustainable farming practices.
  • Fairtrade farmers are also part of the solution. They: Protect biodiversity through composting, organic production, and reduction of methane emissions; Get trained in climate mitigation. Local Fairtrade staff in Africa, Asia, and Latin America organise workshops and training for farmers on climate-friendly production practices; Reduce the use of harmful pesticides. Fairtrade provides training and support on organic pest control and natural fertilisers.
  • The effects of the Climate Crisis compound issues like poverty and have been further exasperated by Covid-19. Working with over 1.7 million farmers and workers, Fairtrade has witnessed the impact unfold on a daily basis. According to the Kenya Flower Council, in April 2020 an estimated $300,000 a day was being lost to the industry as a result of Covid-19. Approximately 90% of flower workers in Kenya were affected; losing their jobs, receiving less pay, or working fewer hours.
  • It's not fair to expect farmers and workers to shoulder the costs of adapting to the climate crisis, especially when they are denied decent incomes for the sake of lower produce prices. 1. Buy Fairtrade products to support the right for farmers to be paid fairly for their work, meaning they have the chance to fight the challenges of the climate crisis right now. 2. Support the Fairtrade movement to work with policy makers, businesses and government to influence systematic change to protect the most vulnerable.
  • Sources and Further Resources. [1],[2] FAO - Addressing The Climate Change and Poverty Nexus. [3] Fairtrade.org - The Key Workers Beyond Our Borders. [4] Fairtrade.org - WHY FAIRER TRADE IS CRUCIAL TO FIGHTING THE CLIMATE CRISIS. [5] Stories.Fairtrade.org - The Future of Farming - Is it too late to keep growing? Fairtrade has some great YouTube videos platforming the voices of low-income farmers sharing the impact the Climate Crisis has had on their livelihoods as well as a video on why Fairtrade cares about the Climate Crisis at all. Climate Crisis: Fairtrade Cocoa Farmer Speaks Out; Peru Coffee Farmers Speak of the Climate Emergency; How Fairtrade is tackling the climate crisis

Find out how you can support Fairtrade farmers

Check out Climate in Colour on Instagram

What is Fairtrade Fortnight?

Event: Creativity against the climate crisis

Hear Joycelyn Longdon speak more about her work and her partnership with Fairtrade alongside a panel of artists, musicians and writers.

Bridgerton actor and Fairtrade Foundation Patron Adjoa Andoh hosted this panel event on how creativity can be used to power up climate campaigning.

read more