THE LUTHERAN WORLD RELIEF
COFFEE PROJECT

Fair Trade combats the effects of the coffee crisis

In response to the difficulty faced by not just Tanzanian coffee farmers, but millions of small-scale coffee farmers throughout the world, Lutheran World Relief launched the LWR Coffee Project, a way for Lutherans to take action in alleviating the effects of poverty in developing countries.

Some farmers are pulling up their coffee crops, unable to survive as small players in an unstable global commodities market. Others are seeing their children leave the family farm and migrate to cities in search of work, but often only finding greater despair.

LWR launched the project in 1997 with Equal Exchange, a Fair Trade organization that is committed to a set of principles known as Fair Trade. Fair Trade ensures that farmers get a fair price for their crop. They earn enough to cover their production expenses, and also strengthen their communities by supporting projects such as HIV/AIDS education and prevention, literacy training, improvements for medical clinics and the construction of new schools.

The Fair Trade model also provides farmers with much needed preharvest financing, and encourages and assists with the development of ecologically sustainable farming practices such as organic and shade-grown agriculture.

Most importantly, Fair Trade offers small-scale farmers long-term trade partnerships based on trust and respect, and closes the gap between the farmers and the consumers who drink the coffee they've grown.

Tanzanian Jubilee—
grown on the slopes of Mount Kilimanjaro Next>

 

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