As part of Fairtrade week, I was invited to address folk at the Reigate fairtrade group in Surrey. I was one of the two speakers and the reason we were invited was to give real life examples of where trade has helped folk in the developing world out of poverty.
The other speaker was Mahmoud Issa a fairtrade olive farmer from Palestine.Read more about him at this link
http://www.co-operative.coop/en/membership/news/Ground-breaking-move-to-stock-Fairtrade-Palestinian-olive-oil/
It was interesting to listen to Mahmoud as he raised issues that I had discussed with folk on my other blog http://ethnicsupplies.wordpress.com/2009/02/24/how-much-do-folk-in-the-western-world-know-about-fairtrade/
Mahmoud, talked about the challenges that they have had to go through to get their olive oil accepted in The co-operative a UK supermarket, some of these were part of the course you would say such as ensuring that the product is safe, is acceptable to our pallets, this would give it a head start and sustainability in the market.
One of these issues is of compensation. Mahmoud noted that one of the challenges they face in Palestine is the wall that divides Palestine and Israel. This has had the effect that sometimes, only two members of the family can be let through to go and work on the farms on the other side of the wall, sometimes too folk get stranded on the other side of the wall and can't get back for hours until it is time for the wall to be opened.
He mentioned a farm that has lost a big chunk of its farm land to the "wall", this has meant that this land is not available for agriculture. He further sited a man that fell and broke his leg whilst harvesting olives, and because he fell on the wrong side of the wall medical care was not immediately available to him. Faced with such challenges it is no wonder that it has taken them 3 years to perfect their Olive oil he continued.
Mahmoud went on to say that the ideal for him and fellow farmers would be to be able to press their own oil and perhaps now that they have access to the UK market this was achievable. One of the other challenges was lack of storage/preservation methods, which means that the farmers ended up selling their olive very cheaply to neighbouring countries who in turn label it as their own and consequently it loses it's identity.
The issues raised by Mahmoud are incidentally not unique to Palestine and in fact go some way in validating my question as HOW MUCH FOLK IN WEST KNOW ABOUT FAIRTRADE. How do you compensate someone for a broken leg whilst picking Olives?
The other is one of value addition and I think Mahmoud articulated this very well. If the Palestine farmers are able to press their own Olive oil this is bound to increase their income more so than exporting the raw product.
If you use Oilve oil as part of your diet/cooking may I threfore urge you to seek out this particular brand. I am mindful that times are hard for us all and I would like to think that through my blogs I have helped to shed light as to why fairtrade prodcuts may cost a bit more than other varieties.
Please feel free to share your views with me on this matter
2 comments:
Second everything you said here Ida. We met Mahmood and Nasser as we are working to assist them with funding. Would also urge everyone to make sure that their olive oil is truly Palestinian!
A really inspiring man I thought and I wish him the very best
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