Fair trade is based on the idea that trading can give people a better life:

“Trade, not aid”. 

More than one billion people are hungry. Ironically enough, three quarters of them are small-scale farmers.
Fair trade helps poor farmers and farm labourers to gain economic independence and develop their communities.

Producers involved in fair trade benefit from:

• guaranteed prices that take account of the production costs
• an extra fair trade premium to invest in their community
• better market access
• decent working conditions
• stable long-term trade relations
• advance payments when needed
• training and development of skills
• better housing, health care and infrastructure

 

Oxfam Fairtrade works only with producer organisations that are approved and monitored by the non-profit organisation Oxfam-Wereldwinkels.

The internationally most accepted definition of fair trade (by FINE*, 2001):

“Fair Trade is a trading partnership, based on dialogue, transparency and respect, that seeks greater equity in international trade. It contributes to sustainable development by offering better trading conditions to, and securing the rights of, marginalized producers and workers – especially in the South.”

* FINE is an informal umbrella association of the leading international fair trade organisations, namely FLO, WFTO (formerly IFAT, which has also absorbed NEWS), and EFTA.

> Read more in our annual report