ISEAL Alliance

Against the backdrop of increasingly unpredictable climatic conditions across the world, Fairtrade farmers are faced with challenges that threaten their livelihoods. The frequency and magnitude of hurricanes and typhoons, the quickening of desertification, the increased frequency of floods and droughts, and the loss of biodiversity all can be linked to a changing climate.

Though scepticism still exists, there is general consensus in the scientific community that we are experiencing a significant shift in the earth’s climate. This shift has particular significance for people living in the developing world who depend primarily on both subsistence and commercial agriculture for their livelihoods. Fairtrade farmers are clearly feeling the effects of climate change.

Yvette Konstadopoulos is a wine farmer in Western Cape South Africa, in an area that receives less than 20mm of rain each year, and is heavily reliant on the Orange River to ensure her table grapes crop. She says:

“Two floods came down the river at different times and that put 15 rows of grapes underwater. We were very lucky really, as the floods came two weeks after we had harvested the last of our table grapes. If that had occurred in the middle of the harvest we would have lost a lot of produce, and this would have had a very harsh financial impact on us. The destruction of a full crop can put you out of business, and that would put a lot of people out of work in the community.”

An unpredictable climate poses significant challenges to farmers everywhere but this is particularly problematic in developing countries where a decline in agricultural output can plunge a whole region into economic crisis. This is apparent in Southern Africa where record droughts have had a catastrophic impact on agriculture, resulting in the displacement of populations as farmers seek alternative sources of income.

Unfortunately there has been very little governmental recognition of the impact that climate change is having on farmers’ livelihoods and initiatives coming from the Conference of Parties (COP) haven’t really provided much in the way of concrete commitments from governments. Hence, much work still needs to be done to put in place policies that adequately address the impact of climate change and help to cushion the economic blow to farmers.

Fairtrade Africa is engaging in climate change policy processes in an effort to bridge the gap between the challenging effects felt by Fairtrade farmers on the ground and government policy on climate change. To find out more please visit www.fairtradeafrica.net