27 FEBRUARY – 13 MARCH
Calne is hosting a special guest from Kenya on Saturday 4th March from 10:00 – 12:30 at The Town Hall, to celebrate Fairtrade Fortnight and to hear a producer’s perspective on the difference Fairtrade makes around the world.
Patrick Kaberia Muthaura from the Michimikuru Tea Company, Kenya, will meet with people from the local community, Mayors and Fairtrade supporters from across the County as part of the Fairtrade Foundation’s annual producer tour.
Patrick has been a tea farmer for 24 years and currently sits on the Fairtrade Premium committee for the cooperative that became Fairtrade certified in 2007.
Fairtrade has made a huge difference to the lives of tea farmers from the Michimikuru Tea Company, their families and local communities, by enabling them to earn a stable income and the Fairtrade Premium that they have used for school fees and to build new classrooms and maternity wards.
The Company is also implementing programmes to help farmers adapt to climate change that is affecting their crops and is being a threat to their food security.
The Fairtrade Fortnight 2017 campaign aims to inspire people to hold a Fairtrade Break and shine a light on the struggles farmers face to feed themselves and their families.
Despite working hard every day to grow the food many of us have for our daily breaks and take for granted – coffee, tea, bananas and cocoa – millions of farmers don’t earn enough to know where their next meal is coming from.
500 million small-scale farmers produce 80% of the world’s food. Out of these, 400 million smallholder farmers are undernourished.
Fairtrade works with more than 1.5 million farmers and workers in developing nations enabling them to earn a sustainable income and the Fairtrade Premium that they can invest in vital community, business and environmental projects, including programmes addressing food insecurity.
We are inviting people to come along and listen to Patrick’s compelling story, enjoy a cup of Fairtrade tea or coffee and browse the fairtrade stall.
You can find out more about Fairtrade Fortnight, and how to get involved in your local area, at WiltshireFAIRTRADE’s website:
http://www.fairtradesouthwest.org.uk/wiltshire-fairtrade.aspx