IMAGE: ecofriend.com
A
ccording to the 2013 UN Commission on Trade and
Development's (UNCTAD) report entitled 'Trade and
Environment Review: Wake up before it's too late', a
key element of future food security may rest with small-scale
farming, which needs to be an integral part of the solution to
the environmental impact of industrial agriculture.
The overwhelming majority of coffee, cocoa and sugar
production in developing countries - three of the main
products Fairtrade certifies - is grown on small-scale farms,
and a report by the German Agency for International
Co-operation confirms that, globally, 500 million small-scale
farms feed about two billion people. Empowering such
farmers into becoming more professional and sustainabilitysavvy can have a significant impact not only on food security,
but also on the well-being of our environment and the
economy.
In South Africa, while the value of empowering rural
farming communities is still fairly underestimated, the
growth in the sale of Fairtrade labelled products shows
that consumers want to support farmers that are local and
that use sustainable farming methods. And where there is
demand, there will be supply.
Fairtrade
certifies
small-scale
farmers
against
internationally recognised Fairtrade Standards, which
promote
both
socio-economic
and
environmental
development. Fairtrade's environmental principles focus on
adopting sustainable farming practices, in so doing protecting
producers' health and safety, maintaining soil fertility and
conserving water resources. In essence, Fairtrade places
small-scale farmers into the area of agro-ecological farming,
which links ecology, culture, economics and society in a way
that sustains farming production, healthy environments and
viable farming communities. Last but not least, it bans the
use of Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs) and dangerous
chemicals.
Is small scale-farming
the answer to a
greener, more
food-secure future?
Arianna Baldo,
Executive Director of
Fairtrade Label South
Africa, reports.
According to UNCTAD's report, the productivity benefits
achieved through the use of GMOs are largely lost when
compared to agro-ecological practises. Another consideration
around GMO farming is the prevalent use of the herbicide
known as glyphosate, which is also used as a weed
killer in cities. The International Agency for Research on
Cancer (IARC) has recently classified glyphosate as 'probably
carcinogenic to humans'. These concerns, recently backed
by the World Health Organisation as well, have led Fairtrade
International to seriously consider the inclusion of glyphosate
in Fairtrade's Prohibited Material List. The revision process
is currently in the consultation stage, and advice is sought
from both farmers and industry experts such as the Pesticide
Action Network. While opinion on the use of chemicals such
as glyphosate is still divided, if there is a way to empower
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