Join the #BusinessRevolution in agriculture with Wikifarmer-connect buyers & suppliers, access fair pricing, and promote sustainable trade.
Every year, World Fair Trade Day, celebrated on the 10th of May, shines a spotlight on businesses and communities working to make global trade fairer, more inclusive, and more sustainable. This year’s theme, #BusinessRevolution, calls for bold innovation and transformative practices that put people and the planet first. In agriculture, where traditional supply chains often leave small producers at a disadvantage, digital transformation is paving the way for a new era of fairness and transparency.
What is Fair Trade?
Fair Trade is a global movement and certification system focused on creating equitable, ethical, and sustainable trade partnerships. It ensures that farmers, workers, and producers-especially in developing countries-receive fair prices, work under safe conditions, and follow environmentally friendly practices. Products with the Fair Trade label meet rigorous social, economic, and environmental standards, empowering producers, supporting community development, and promoting transparency throughout the supply chain. Choosing Fair Trade means supporting fair wages, gender equality, and a more sustainable world.
Why traditional agri-food trade needs change
The exchange of agricultural goods has been ongoing for millennia, developing in tandem with improvements in ethics and technology. Nevertheless, true equity in this trade remains an unfulfilled goal.
Traditional trade presents several challenges, particularly due to the numerous intermediaries involved. Farmers often depend on multiple middlemen, each taking a portion of the profits, which diminishes the farmer's earnings from their goods. Another major issue is the lack of transparent pricing. Without clear information, producers frequently remain unaware of their products' true market value, often receiving less than half of what their goods are worth.
Another significant challenge of the traditional trading system is limited market access. Small farmers often depend on local buyers, which restricts their ability to reach global markets. This limitation stems from a lack of resources and the considerable distances between farmers and central trading hubs. Additionally, traditional systems often fail to promote sustainable or ethical practices. For instance, there are typically no controls for soil and water management, nor are there strategies in place to reduce carbon emissions throughout the supply chain.
Beyond the Fair Trade certification: Strategies for the farmers' welfare and the future of food security
Coffee, recognized for its Fairtrade certification, has offered smallholder farmers stable prices, community investment, and resilience against market fluctuations. However, many of these advantages arise from fundamental principles: direct market access, fair pricing, and support for diversification. For instance, cooperatives in Colombia and Guatemala have leveraged fair pricing and community premiums to enhance infrastructure, education, and food security, enabling farmers to better cope with climate and economic challenges.
Despite the benefits of certification, external factors such as tariffs and market volatility can jeopardize farmers' livelihoods. A decline in demand may force growers to absorb price increases, leading them to sell at prices below Fairtrade standards. This situation significantly threatens food security, highlighting the urgent need for systemic solutions beyond certification.
A digital agriculture marketplace for fairer trade
After examining all the challenges trade of agricultural products face today, Wikifarmer has established a B2B marketplace that connects farmers and buyers directly in a digital and safe environment, bringing Wikifarmer Marketplace to the forefront of the agricultural #BusinessRevolution. By digitizing traditional agricultural trade, the Wikifarmer ecosystem brings innovation and free access to knowledge on sustainable practices from field to fork.
Wikifarmer Marketplace fosters a direct farm-to-business supply chain by building direct connections between farmers and buyers, including retailers, food producers, and food services. This reduces the number of intermediaries in a safe and transparent environment. This digital model leads to increased profits for farmers, more competitive prices for buyers, and enhanced transparency throughout the food supply chain.
The platform offers innovative tools such as Price Insights in the Wikifarmer Marketplace and Market Insights in the Wikifarmer library to promote transparent agri-food pricing and information. By delivering real-time market data, pricing trends, and weekly market updates, Wikifarmer empowers farmers to make well-informed decisions and negotiate equitable terms. Simultaneously, buyers gain valuable insights into sourcing options and can select products that align with their ethical and value-based considerations.
A great number of farmers are located away from big commercial centres of the agrifood sector. Not only talking about regions full of challenges, such as Africa, due to the large distances and limited evolution in certain sectors, but this can also happen in Europe. Wikifarmer Marketplace opens up international markets to local producers, allowing them to compete globally while supporting rural economies, livelihoods, and farmers' welfare.
Beyond trading, Wikifarmer offers educational resources through its ecosystem with the Library and the Wikifarmer Academy. As an open-access platform, Wikifarmer Library offers multiple articles with best practices, sustainability guides, and crop management tips, helping farmers improve quality, yields, and environmental stewardship. Wikifarmer encourages responsible farming and trading through its platform policies and community standards, supporting the broader goals of the fair trade movement.
Join the #BusinessRevolution
Wikifarmer exemplifies how one can advocate for fair trade principles. Utilizing technology, promoting transparency, and providing education, the Wikifarmer ecosystem creates a more just and sustainable agri-food supply chain. This World Fair Trade Day encourages participation in the #BusinessRevolution—supporting farmers, empowering communities, and opting for a more equitable future for everyone. The well-being of farmers is crucial for the advancement of agriculture and food security. Whether through certification or innovative platforms like Wikifarmer, facilitating direct market access, fair pricing, and skill development is essential for ensuring farmers' livelihoods and the resilience of our food systems.
Sources:
https://www.fairtrade.org.uk/media-centre/blog/farmers-behind-your-fairtrade-coffee/
https://cgspace.cgiar.org/server/api/core/bitstreams/8f6e8663-51e3-4dc6-b6fc-74461d588379/content
Further reading
Streamlining agri-food trade: Overcoming digitization challenges
Cocoa Sustainability and Farmers' Empowerment
How can supply chains be more ethical? - Why is it important to have an ethical supply chain?
