Since becoming fair trade certified in 2005, Coopetarrazu, one of the largest coffee cooperatives in Costa Rica, has developed programs for its members to improve the quality of their beans and their sustainability practices.
Many farmers in the cooperative credit fair trade certifiers with everything from improved school attendance to birds returning to the plantations, according to chief financial officer Carlos Vargas Leiton. But local farmers have also benefited from growing interest by one of the largest buyers in the region, Starbucks, which uses its own certification program developed in partnership with Conservation International.
While the fair trade movement is credited with bringing the plight of the farmer to the attention of consumers, it is criticized for many of the steps it has taken along the way. Looking for alternatives to fair trade, coffee roasters and retailers from boutique shops to big brands are adopting other certifications or developing programs of their own. So what can the global development community do to support the approaches that work?
About the author
Catherine Cheneycatherinecheney
Catherine Cheney is the Senior Editor for Special Coverage at Devex. She leads the editorial vision of Devex’s news events and editorial coverage of key moments on the global development calendar. Catherine joined Devex as a reporter, focusing on technology and innovation in making progress on the Sustainable Development Goals. Prior to joining Devex, Catherine earned her bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Yale University, and worked as a web producer for POLITICO, a reporter for World Politics Review, and special projects editor at NationSwell. She has reported domestically and internationally for outlets including The Atlantic and the Washington Post. Catherine also works for the Solutions Journalism Network, a non profit organization that supports journalists and news organizations to report on responses to problems.