Meet the people at the heart of Fairtrade – the people behind some of our favourite food and drinks. Meet the Fairtrade farmers and workers.
In the words of Fairtrade banana farmer Diomedes, “Fairtrade is freedom, it’s communication, it’s sustainability, it’s empowerment, it’s everything for us in a world that’s so competitive”. Below are just some of the people who grow our food. People who work hard in harsh conditions. People who deserve a fair price for their products. They deserve enough money to be able to provide for their families and to provide opportunities for their children. They deserve a living income.
Kouame Ehui Edith Laure
Edith is a leader, a cocoa farmer and member of SCAEK co-operative in Côte d’Ivoire and a single mum. Edith’s life hasn’t been easy, but her experiences have inspired her to change things for the better for herself, her family and her community. Edith has faced several tragedies in recent years. She’s overcome them to build an incredible community of women, determined to build secure futures for their families, all supporting each other.
Rosine Bekoin
Rosine Bekoin is a mum of five, cocoa farmer and member of CAYAT co-operative in Côte d’Ivoire. Rosine is slightly unusual as cocoa farmers in Côte d’Ivoire go – because she owns and runs her 2.5-hectare farm, which was passed to her from her mother. Normally it is men who own farms and earn the income from them. Rosine first sold her cocoa as Fairtrade in 2016. Having received training in quality and good agricultural practices from CAYAT, her production increased by 50 percent from 1 tonne in 2017 to 1.5 tonnes in 2018.
Ebrottié Tanoh Florentin
Ebrottié is married with 6 children, and has been farming cocoa since 1992. He is also the General Secretary of his cooperative, CEAA. Listen to him speak about the effects of climate change and low prices on cocoa farming families in the Ivory Coast. Find out more about our campaign to make living income a reality for cocoa farmers in West Africa.
Florentina Beita
Meet Florentina Beita, a founding member of Coobana, a Fairtrade certified banana co-operative based in Panama. Florentina is also a board member of the Agrofair, the biggest Fairtrade banana trader in Latin America.
What can you do to help? Read about Fairtrade Fortnight 2021
Father John Joseph
Father John Joseph is a farmer, ordained Catholic priest and qualified lawyer with over 20 years of experience working with marginalised and rural communities in India, particularly small scale farmers, tribes, women and children. He founded WSSS Organc Farmers Fairtrade Association (WOFFA) in 2008, listen to their story.
Rosemary Achieng
As a widow and a mother of three, Rosemary Achieng is all too aware of the challenges women face in balancing the demands of work and family. Here she speaks about how the Gender Committee changed her life and that of the women in her community.
You can read more about Rosemary’s story and how she, supported by Fairtrade, is helping to reduce gender inequality in the workplace in this blog.
Bassema Barahmeh
Farmer, board member of the Palestine Fairtrade Association and mother of four, Bassema Barahmeh is an expert in hand-rolling maftoul and producing organic olive oil. “It has given me independence and raised my morale. My life has transformed”.
Gilbert Ramirez
Meet Gilbert Ramirez, a sugar farmer and the co-coordinator for sugar for the Latin American and Caribbean Network of Fair Trade Small Producers and Workers (CLAC).
Patrick Kaberia
Meet Patrick, a Fairtrade tea farmer from Kenya. He explains how climate change has affected their livelihood and how the Fairtrade premium has helped his community to adapt.
Ketra Kyosiimire
Ketra Kyosiimire is an accountant and a farmer from Uganda. She explains how Fairtrade has empowered her and her community.
Diomides Rodriguez
Meet Diomides Rodriguez, who is in charge of agricultural management in Fairtrade certified banana co-operative Coobana. Find out what Fairtrade means to him.
Chito Quintero
Meet Chito Quintero, a founding member of Coobana, a Fairtrade certified banana co-operative based in Panama. Chito was one of 74 plantation workers who came together to purchase the land they were farming from a multi-national banana company to form Coobana in 1991.
Lebi Gabriel Hudson
Lebi is CEO of Fairtrade certified Rungwe Smallholders Tea Growers Association in Tanzania. He explains what Fairtrade means to him and his community.
Marcial Quintero
Meet Marcial Quintero, a founding member of Coobana, a Fairtrade certified banana co-operative based in Panama. Marcial was one of 74 plantation workers who came together to purchase the land they were farming from a multi-national banana company to form Coobana in 1991.
Samuel Maina
Meet Samuel Maina, a Fairtrade coffee farmer in the Kangema district of Kenya. Every day he tends the 168 coffee trees planted by his father years ago. He picks all the berries by hand. What happens to the berries once picked? What are the challenges? How does Fairtrade help? What are Samuel’s tips for growing good coffee? Find out when you watch this film.
It is a 360 film so use your mouse (finger on touch screen) to explore Samuel’s farm. If you have some, use virtual reality googles to feel like you’re there on the farm with Samuel and Esther. Teachers and campaigners can download this Samuel Maina’s film from our Vimeo page.
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