If youdidn't know by now, Fair trade is a marketing certification program that allowsits participants who adhere to their policies to display the Fairtrade label orstamp on their products. In short, it's designed to give third world farmersand workers basically a better deal on the products that they produce.

Whats in itFor Fair trade Retailers?

How is thisdone? It's all really quite simple. People who sell Fairtrade certifiedproducts on the retail end, can and do charge more for the products that theysell. Who pays more for Fairtrade products? The fact is that a lot of people doand the numbers just keep growing. It is a proven, economically viablemarketing program. In short, it pays to sell Fair trade certified products.

Whats in itFor Third World Fair trade Farmers andWorkers?

So how dothe producers and workers half a world away get their cut of the profits? Theydon't get a cut of the profits per se. However; just as the retailers must playbe certain Fairtrade rules, so too must the importers, brokers manufacturersand landowners who purchase from and employ third world farmers and workers.Its all monitored and Fairtrade regulations are strictly enforced.

RecentCritical News Reports Regarding Fairtrade

However;news reports have come to light in recent months that have questioned whetherFair trade producers and workers at the very bottom end of the economic chainare really getting a fair shake. In fact the numbers that are being thrownaround regarding wages earned by some third world Fair trade farm workers forinstance, can at first glance seem truthfully, rather small both before andafter joining Fairtrade.

What Is theReal Story?

Forinstance, one article in particular outlined how coffee plantation workers in Peru saw theirdaily wages increase from $2.40 to only $3.00 under the Fairtrade program. That?sonly an increase of sixty cents per day, which anyone can argue is not a heckof a lot of money. So what's the real story behind these reports and are thesenumbers correct?

How are NonFairtrade Field Workers Doing Today?

The realstory is that during this global economic downturn many non Fairtrade thirdworld agricultural workers have seen their wages cut on average by as much as50%.

Indeed, nonFairtrade field workers in central Mexico who just 18 months ago wereearning on average $18-$20 per day, including a noon meal and potable drinkingwater are now earning $8- $10 per day, no noon meal and they have to also nowprovide their own drinking water. Sadly for both you and them, drug productionand trafficking, in spite of its inherent dangers, is once again viewed by manyas the only way out of poverty.

The Facts OnMaking Adjustments In Third World Micro-Economies

Secondly,there are cultural/economic realities that do present themselves in many, ifnot all of the far flung regions where Fairtrade is working to implementchanges. In short, entering and making adjustments in third world marketing andproduction micro-economies and systems is a delicate task in even the mostoptimal circumstances.

Some Stand toLose From Fairtrade Policies

It isimportant to bear in mind that there are pre-existing natural economic systemsalready in place when ever Fairtrade appears on the scene with their new planand not everyone stands to gain. For instance, predatory middle men who havefor years been able to profit off the misfortune of local disempowered workerscan and most often do see their livelihoods being threatened by Fairtraderepresentatives. Also Fairtrade can be seen as a threat by non Fairtrade localfarmers who must now compete for workers, while they have less to offer them.

Put DownYour Cappuccino and Go Take a ?Real? Look!

So whilemany of the actual numbers gathered by the well intentioned people behind thesearticles that are critical of Fairtrade are correct, you can rest assured thatthey were gathered from behind a desk in an air conditioned office somewhere inthe UK, Canada or the US. The ?real facts? that tell the?real story? of Fairtrade and the positive changes that it is making on people?slives in far flung regions of third world countries must be gathered withactual ?boots on the ground?.