From artichokes to zucchini and cassava to palm hearts, a wide variety of Fairtrade vegetables, roots, tubers and pulses are available. You can support a healthy diet and sustainable farming through one simple decision.
Fairtrade works with small-scale farmers, workers at plantations, and contract producers growing vegetables.
Choosing Fairtrade vegetables makes a difference
Fairtrade exists to empower farmers and workers in developing countries. When it comes to the array of vegetables at your grocery store, some may be grown locally but others may come from surprisingly far away. Adding Fairtrade vegetables to your mix supports marginalized farmers and workers to take control of their futures, while giving you an even greater variety of nutritious and tasty food.
The Fairtrade Standards cover a range of vegetables, including many lesser known crops traditionally grown in specific regions – such as spider plant or cowpea leaves from East Africa. Including such indigenous vegetables in Fairtrade has helped to spur interest from local markets, boosting incomes for the highly disadvantaged small-scale farmers who tend to grow these crops.
Many Fairtrade producers grow vegetables as part of a crop rotation or intercropping pattern, in and among their other crops. Not only do these approaches help to improve soil health and mitigate soil-borne diseases and pests, but they also allow producers to diversify their income away from a single crop.
Fairtrade has other advantages for vegetable farmers and workers, too.
The Fairtrade Minimum Price is the minimum that producers are paid when selling their products through Fairtrade. It aims to cover the average costs of sustainably producing their goods and acts as a safety net when market prices drop. Producers can get the market price when this is higher and can always negotiate for more.
The Fairtrade Premium is an extra sum of money paid on top of the selling price that farmers or workers invest in projects of their choice. They decide together how to spend the Fairtrade Premium to reach their goals, such as improving their farming, businesses, or health and education in their community.
The Fairtrade Standards are the requirements that producers and the businesses who buy their goods have to meet for a product to be Fairtrade certified. The Standards ensure fairer terms of trade between farmers and buyers, protect workers’ rights, and provide the framework for producers to build thriving farms and organizations.
We all know vegetables are part of a healthy diet. By including some Fairtrade vegetables in your shopping list, you can support a healthy livelihood for farmers and workers in developing countries, too.
The Fairtrade Premium is an extra sum of money paid on top of the selling price that farmers or workers invest in projects of their choice.
They decide together and democratically how to spend the Fairtrade Premium to reach their goals, such as improving their farming, businesses, or health and education in their community. Farmers and workers know best what their priorities and needs are.
Since 2014, Fairtrade farmers and workers have received well over half a billion euros in Fairtrade Premium.
This is a unique benefit enabled by your decision to buy Fairtrade products.
Are you a farmer, worker or business interested in Fairtrade certification?
Fairtrade products are widely available. The blue countries and territories on the map below have Fairtrade organizations that promote Fairtrade products. Their websites often include a product finder to show you the full variety of Fairtrade products near you. Even if there isn't a Fairtrade organization where you live, Fairtrade products may still be available – look for our familiar marks on products!
