Fair Trade and Development in African Agriculture

In this chapter I explore the diverse experiences that small-scale producers and workers have in engaging the Fairtrade system by highlighting the territorial specificity of how Fairtrade is embedded in local contexts across Africa. I examine cooperatives dating from the colonial period and chart the process of economic and political liberalization over recent decades. I highlight how this has both facilitated fair trade opportunities and presented challenges. I also discuss the experience of the hired labor model, noting its interrelation with small-scale production in some sectors, and examine how employment on Fairtrade farms affects women.