The farmers who grow your coffee and chocolate have a message for the UK Government.
“Protect our forests - but don't make us carry the burden alone.”
The UK is introducing new rules to tackle deforestation. Smallholder farmers need the right support, training and tools to nurture and protect forests - not extra costs and paperwork that could put their livelihoods at risk.
Farmers have written to the UK Government, asking for assurances that businesses will support them with the training, tools and resources they need – and take shared responsibility for making the new rules work.
It's a partnership that benefits everyone. When businesses invest in strong, long-term relationships with farmers, farmers are better able to adapt to climate change and invest in the future of their farms - while businesses have more resilient supplies of the products we all enjoy.
Over one hundred farmer groups signed the letter - now they need you to add your voice.
Interview conducted by Fairtrade Foundation with Martin Kinyua-Mutira, Secretary Manager of Kenyan coffee growers Mutira Farmers Co-operative Society.
Add your voice to the farmers’ open letter.
The UK can set a global example by stopping illegal deforestation while building supply chains that are also fair, inclusive and sustainable.
But it will only work if farmers are part of the solution, not shut out by unfair rules.
This letter must be the moment their voices start being heard.
Add your name to the letter and show the UK Government that the farmers have the backing of the people who enjoy their produce every day.
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Dear UK Government,
We are the people who grow the cocoa in your chocolate and the coffee in your morning cup. We may live thousands of miles away from Britain, but every day our lives are connected to yours through the food you import.
We know how important our forests are. We want to protect them too.
Forests give us shade, protect our crops, and help our farms survive. They are home to wildlife and to our communities. They are part of the future we want for our children. That is why we welcome the UK's new rules to stop products linked to deforestation from entering the UK. But we are worried about what happens next.
These new rules will mean that farmers like us must provide more information, collect more evidence, often multiple times for different businesses, and take on new costs simply to keep selling our crops to the UK.
For a small farmer, this is not a small thing, and we are worried that we will be asked to carry the biggest financial burden in these changes.
We are already facing rising costs, unpredictable weather, and harvests threatened by a changing climate we did not create. Many of us have very little money to spare. We cannot afford to pay alone for a problem that stretches all the way from our farms to some of the UK's biggest businesses. The companies buying our crops need to play their part.
Protecting our forests must be done in partnership with support from UK businesses to protect our livelihoods through practical support and shared costs.
Today, we are asking you to make the rules work for us as well as forests, to give us a voice in the decisions that affect our futures, treat us as equal partners and ensure that the UK businesses we work with support us, with training, tools and through shared responsibility for meeting this new law.
When you sit down with a cup of coffee or break off a piece of chocolate, remember that it began with a farmer like us. We want to keep growing it, we want to protect our forests, and we want our children to be able to farm too.
Work with us. Listen to us. Support us.
Make sure the UK's new deforestation rules are fair for farmers as well as forests.
Signed,
105 Fairtrade Producer Organisations
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COOPADE/COOP-CA, DRC
Cooperative kawakanzururu, DRC
Burka Yadot Farmers Cooperative Union, Ethiopia
Adikanfo Co-operative cocoa farming and marketing union, Ghana
ASETENAPA CO-OPERATIVE COCOA FARMING AND MARKETING SOCIETY LIMITED, Ghana
Asunafo North Cooperative Cocoa Farmers and Marketing Union Limited, Ghana
Fanteakwa Dist CCP Co-op Cocoa Farmers and Marketing Union LTD, Ghana
Kukuom Cooperative Cocoa Farmers and Marking Union Ltd, Ghana
CABAG SCOOPS, Ivory Coast
CAESI COOP-CA, Ivory Coast
CASIB COOP-CA, Ivory Coast
CAYSI SCOOPS, Ivory Coast
CEDA COOP CA, Ivory Coast
CNEK COOP CA, Ivory Coast
COOBADI-COOPCA, Ivory Coast
COOP CA IVOIRE GUEMON, Ivory Coast
COOP CA PAPEDI, Ivory Coast
COOP-CA AHS, Ivory Coast
COOP-CA CAGB, Ivory Coast
COOP-CA CAPUT, Ivory Coast
COOP-CA CNIBO, Ivory Coast
COOP-CA EBLEGBA, Ivory Coast
COOP-CA KF, Ivory Coast
COOP-CA-QUALOG, Ivory Coast
COOPAA COOP-CA, Ivory Coast
COOPAMA COOP-CA, Ivory Coast
COOPAME COOP-CA, Ivory Coast
Cooperative agricole des frères units de la marahoué, Ivory Coast
Coopérative Agricole DJIDJIYA DE BLOLEQUIN (COOP CA CADB), Ivory Coast
COOPERATIVE AGRICOLE SABABOU DE GRAND-LAHOU, Ivory Coast
COOPÉRATIVE AGRICOLE SIMPPLIFIEE NONGOTAHABA DE VAVOUA, Ivory Coast
COOPLAGUI COOP-CA, Ivory Coast
DAVO COOP CA, Ivory Coast
ECAPA-GZ COOP CA, Ivory Coast
ECOJAD COOP-CA, Ivory Coast
ECOOD COOP CA, Ivory Coast
ECOPAS, Ivory Coast
Entreprise Coopérative des Agriculteurs de Méagui (ECAM COOP-CA), Ivory Coast
ESCOPAG COOP-CA, Ivory Coast
NOVAGRI COOP-CA, Ivory Coast
SCAEDA, Ivory Coast
SCAFKO SCOOPS, Ivory Coast
SCAGG COOP-CA, Ivory Coast
SCAM COOP CA, Ivory Coast
SCANFI-SCOOPS, Ivory Coast
SCAPEN DIVO, Ivory Coast
SCINPA COOP-CA, Ivory Coast
SCJPAB COOP CA, Ivory Coast
SCNV, Ivory Coast
SCOABEG COOP-CA, Ivory Coast
Scoop Ah, Ivory Coast
SCOOPA-CA, Ivory Coast
SCOOPRADI COOP CA, Ivory Coast
SCOOPS 2AP, Ivory Coast
SCOOPS ECAB, Ivory Coast
SCOOPS RADEE, Ivory Coast
SCOOPS SCOOPAG, Ivory Coast
SCOOPUF COOPCA, Ivory Coast
SOCAB SCOOPS, Ivory Coast
SOCABEN COOP CA, Ivory Coast
SOCAS COOP CA, Ivory Coast
SOCIETE COOPERATIVE AGRICOLE BINKADI DE DAGADJI, Ivory Coast
Société Coopérative Agricole de Touadji1, Ivory Coast
SOCIETE COOPERATIVE AGRICOLE ENTENTE SIMPLIFIEE DE BETTIE (SCOOPS-SOCAEB), Ivory Coast
SOCIETE COOPERATIVE AGRICOLE GUELANIN DE BANGOLO, Ivory Coast
SOCIETE COOPERATIVE AGRICOLE SIMPLIFIEE UNION SOLIDAIRE DES PLANTEURS DE KOUIBLY, Ivory Coast
SOCIETE COOPERATIVE AVEC CONSEIL D'ADMINISTRATION DJOUMAN DE KONGO-KOUASSIKRO, Ivory Coast
SOCIETE COOPERATIVE DIGNITE DE GUIBEROUA, Ivory Coast
SOCIETE COOPERATIVE ESPOIR D'ALEPE (COOP-CA ESPOIR), Ivory Coast
SOCIÉTÉ COOPÉRATIVE KAPATCHIVA AVEC CONSEIL D'ADMINISTRATION, Ivory Coast
SOCIETE COOPERATIVE, ENTREPRISE DES PRODUCTEURS AGRO-FORESTIERS DE GUIGLO, Ivory Coast
SOCOOPACDI COOP CA, Ivory Coast
SOCOOPAG COOP CA, Ivory Coast
SOCOOPAGOS COOP-CA, Ivory Coast
SOCOOPAM-COOP-CA, Ivory Coast
SOCOPANS COOP-CA, Ivory Coast
SOCOPASG COOP-CA, Ivory Coast
SOVA SCOOPS, Ivory Coast
UPAS COOP-CA, Ivory Coast
UPRAD, Ivory Coast
VINOG SCOOPS, Ivory Coast
Kamurai Farmers Cooperative Society Ltd, Kenya
ABATERANINKUNGA BA SHOLI cooperative, Rwanda
Bwishaza coffee cooperative, Rwanda
Dukunde Kawa Musasa Cooperative, Rwanda
KODUKAK, Rwanda
KOTWIBAKABO, Rwanda
Misozi Coffee Company Ltd/PDCRE, Rwanda
Agri Leone Cooperative, Sierra Leone
Heuwolacheo Farmers' Cooperative, Sierra Leone
Indigenous Multipurpose Cooperative Society, Sierra Leone
Kasiyatama Cocoa Farmers Cooperative, Sierra Leone
Lanaya Cocoa farmer's cooperative, Sierra Leone
Liloma Agricultural Cooperative, Sierra Leone
Mubao-Nga Cocoa Farmers' Cooperative, Sierra Leone
Munafa COCOA farmers Cooperative, Sierra Leone
Ngoleagorbu Cocoa Farmers Union, Sierra Leone
Strong Roots Cooperative, Sierra Leone
Tegloma Cocoa Farmers cooperative society, Sierra Leone
Ankole Coffee Producers Cooperative Union (ACPCU) Ltd, Uganda
BANYANKOLE COFFEE SERVICES COOPERATIVE SOCIETY LIMITED, Uganda
Bushika Integrated Area Cooperative Enterprise Limited, Uganda
Mt. Elgon Agroforestry Communities Cooperative Enterprise Limited, Uganda
Bundibugyo Abamwe Cocoa and Vanilla Growers Cooperative Society Limited, Uganda
Bundibugyo Improved Cocoa Farmers Cooperative Society Limited, Uganda