Fair trade: Andrew Mitchell backs trade and growth

12 May 2012

Today, on World Fair Trade Day, Andrew Mitchell, Secretary of State for International Development, said:

"Trade drives growth, which in turn drives a country's development. Buying fair and ethically traded goods not only secures a fair deal for some of the poorest farmers but it provides an essential route to creating wealth and jobs in local communities, pulling them out of poverty."

DFID engagement with the private sector supports work to bring commercial and development objectives together in private sector activity. Fairtrade and fair trade approaches contribute to this area of work.

For example, with help from Britain, Marks & Spencer launched the first Kenyan tea to be grown and packed at source in March 2012.

Find out more about how DFID supports Fairtrade through a Programme Partnership Arrangement to deliver:

• Stronger global Fairtrade system: doubling the number of farmer and workers benefitting from Fairtrade to 2.2m and doubling the value of Fairtrade premiums passed back to producers to £110m per year.
• Broader scope of Fairtrade: opening opportunities for producers in 32 lowest income countries and 3 countries affected by conflict.
• Deeper impact of Fairtrade: increasing the number of women in leadership within producer organisations.

Find out what happened when DFID ministers visited Fairtrade companies in the UK earlier this year.