What is Fairtrade?

Fairtrade is about better prices, decent working conditions, local sustainability, and fair terms of trade for farmers and workers in the developing world. By requiring companies to pay sustainable prices (which must never fall lower than the market price), Fairtrade addresses the injustices of conventional trade, which traditionally discriminates against the poorest, weakest producers. It enables them to improve their position and have more control over their lives.

With Fairtrade you have the power to change the world every day. With simple shopping choices you can get farmers a better deal. And that means they can make their own decisions, control their future and lead the dignified life everyone deserves.

What is Fairtrade Fortnight?

For two weeks each year, thousands of individuals, companies and groups across the UK come together to celebrate the people who grow our food, people who live in some of the poorest countries in the world and who are often exploited and badly paid. 

Nestle have announced KitKats will no longer be Fairtrade. From October they will stop buying from cocoa and sugar farmers in Cote d’Ivoire, Fiji and Malawi on Fairtrade terms.

Further details of Nestle plans to stop making KitKat with Fairtrade cocoa and sugar

The Cote d'Ivoire is a major cocoa producer and the Ivorian Fair Trade Network have written to Nestle in response to their annoucement.

23 June 2020 Fairtrade Foundation Statement ... Fairtrade producers raise their voices to ask Nestlé to keep KitKats Fairtrade

There is a petition telling Nestle’s CEO that we want KitKat to stay Fairtrade.

Letter to Nestle HQ, York ...

From Coordinator Fairtrade Falmouth Steering Group ... do not choose this moment of global crisis to exacerbate the inequalities in the cocoa industry

Letters to the CEO Nestle ...

From the Mayor of Glastonbury ... It would cost Nestle less than £0.01 per Kit Kat to maintain the Fairtrade premium to producers

From the Co-ordinator of the Sidmouth Fairtrade Group ... We know the Coronavirus is pushing many farmers to the edge, surely sugar and cocoa farmers need, more than ever the stability that Fairtrade gives them.  

From a member of Fairtrade Devon ... perhaps the most amazing outcome of the Fairtrade system, is the empowerment of the co-op members ...

A member of the SW Fairtrade Network has sent an email  ... Nestlé and Fairtrade have made a much-needed difference to farmers' lives in the past ten years ... so to change things now seems unspeakably short-sighted

A letter to the Falmouth Packet ... many residents in Falmouth and the local area support the principles of Fairtrade

A letter published in the Sidmouth Herald ... The Fairtrade certification scheme guarantees that those who produce the cocoa and sugar cane for our chocolate receive a fair price for their produce

The Global Centre has been one of the steering group partners involved in working towards achieving Fairtrade status for the County of Devon. Devon first achieved Fairtrade status on 8th October 2008 and this was successfully renewed in subsequent years.

Thanks to Devon County Council for their on-going support for Fairtrade in Devon.

To achieve County wide Fairtrade status five goals must be met...

We have collated a range of Fairtrade producers' presentations and other resources from DDE Fairtrade events from the last 10 years, for schools and community groups to use.

Chocolate 2020

• Introduction to Ghana, Cocoa and Climate Change (1.4MB ppt)
• Notes on to accompany Introduction to Ghana, Cocoa and Climate Change (pdf) 
• Devon Schools' Fairtrade Conference 2020 (2.5MB ppt)
• Kuapa Kokoo (Ernest Boateng) (3.2MB ppt)
• Kuapa Kokoo Gender Strategy and child labour (Sarah Ahemah) (2MB ppt)
• Ernest Boateng and Sarah Ahemah families (2MB ppt)
• What is Fairtrade? (1.4MB ppt)
• Fairtrade Quiz (pdf)
• Fairtrade Quiz Answers (pdf)
• Chocolate Wordsearch (pdf)
• Chocolate and my senses (pdf)
• Bookmark (pdf)
• Adinkra Symbols (pdf)
• Bird Cherry Tree (pdf)
• Poetry Competition (1.2MB pdf)
• Action Plan (pdf)

The Fairtrade Schools Award now offers schools an opportunity to gain official recognition for the work they do in promoting Fairtrade to the school community. The Schools Fairtrade website has further details.

Each year during Fairtrade Fortnight schools and colleges in Devon undertake a series of activities and events to promote Fairtrade.

Devon Development Education has been coordinating Fairtrade Schools Conferences for a number of years now for both primary and secondary schools in Devon.

Devon Development Education coordinates Fairtrade Schools conferences in Devon for both primary and secondary schools. The aims of the conferences are always to help pupils learn about the benefits of Fairtrade and how they can promote Fairtrade in their schools. The conferences offer opportunities for pupils to learn about issues around trade and Fairtrade in an engaging and interactive way. Usually the conferences also offer an opportunity to meet and hear from a Fairtrade producer.