We're supporting Fairtrade Fortnight

Visit Portsmouth is proud to support Fairtrade Fortnight – which aims to increase support for and awareness of the people responsible for growing some of our favourite food and drinks. Portsmouth has already established itself as a Fairtrade City, by pledging to support some of the poorest producers in the world, and this is something we hope will continue.

The coronavirus pandemic has impacted jobs and livelihoods across the world. Among those most keenly feeling the impacts are food producers in developing countries, who are already dealing with exploitation and underpayment – on top of the stresses of climate change. In fact, the farmers and growers who have contributed least to global warming are the ones most disproportionately affected by it.

As well increased danger of floods, hurricanes and drought, climate change is also making crops more difficult to grow and more prone to diseases. Fairtrade is working hard to help farmers diversify and to find disease-resistant crop varieties. However, this isn’t a quick and cheap fix, so support is needed from us here in the UK. One of the best ways to lend your support is also one of the simplest – by making sure the goods you buy carry the Fairtrade Mark.

Support Fairtrade Fortnight

This year, Fairtrade Fortnight takes place from 22 February to 7 March.

The event was created to give people in the UK a chance to really discover the stories of the people behind items we might otherwise take for granted – such as the food and drink we consume, or the clothes and jewellery we wear.

As well as supporting the national campaign, Portsmouth’s Fairtrade group will be hosting events of its own, including an online talk: Climate, Fairtrade and You. It can assist local organisations looking to host virtual coffee mornings or help with themed religious services. The website also has a great library of resources for schools – perfect for teachers or even parents wanting to factor Fairtrade into their home schooling.