WHO ARE WE?
We are one of the working groups established by Oxfam's volunteers. Oxfam is itself a non-profit organisation concerned with equitable distribution of resources.

CONNECTION WITH OXFAM
Our work is to support the overall aim of Oxfam which works towards the eradication of world poverty and the promotion of a more just society. Promoting Fair Trade in Toronto will raise awareness among Canadians that international trade is not only about increasing corporate profits, but is also about respect for workers' rights and the environment.

HOW WE PROMOTE FAIR TRADE?
Working in partnership with communities, businesses, farmers, NGOs and governmental organisations.

WHAT ARE OUR GOALS?
Economic development in a sustainable environment through the promotion of tropical fairly traded/organic agricultural products in Canada.
Our goal is to encourage Canadians to be concerned about the conditions under which the products that they consume have been developed or manufactured. The goal is to encourage them to vote with their dollar for the more socially just alternative that respects workers' rights and the environment in addition to increasing corporate profits.

WHAT ARE THE PRINCIPAL OBJECTIVES OF OUR ACTIONS?

• Increase the availability of fairly trade products
• Develop public awareness about international trade
• Respond to consumer demands for ethically sourced products

WHAT IS OUR CURRENT ACTION?
Promoting the introduction of fairly traded Caribbean bananas in co-operation with WINFA, an association of 488 farmers. Our assistance goes from the opening of a niche market, the promotion of fairly traded bananas, find solution to reduce cost through lobby, to the advocacy of sustainable agricultural practice, in particular organic farming.

Background Information
The banana is the foundation of the agricultural and rural-based community life of the Windward Islands. Bananas are primarily grown on small farms in hilly areas, usually owned and worked by local family farmers. Bananas are the main export industry of the Windward Islands. In particular, the Islands have been dependent on exporting bananas to the European Union under the auspices of the Lome Convention trade agreement; which permits duty-free access of bananas from the Caribbean to the European Union and guarantees Caribbean farmers a higher price relative to market.

Subsequent pressure from multinational organisations has motivated the World Trade Organisation to replace the Lome Convention and force these small farmers to compete on the global market with large multinational corporations. The banana market is mainly controlled by a small number of these large corporations. They grow bananas on huge plantations that are often very damaging to the environment as well as plantation workers. The industry has a reputation for extensive use of pesticides and chemicals in growing the bananas. This presents a real threat to the environment as well as the to human health. In addition to their work being hazardous, the workers are generally not paid very well.

The afore mentioned factors enable the multinational corporations to have high yields of bananas that sell at a lower price relative to the bananas grown by the small farmers of the Windward Islands. The small farmers of the Islands have lower yields due to the fact that the farms are small, on steep and difficult terrain. They cannot compete with the lower price of the multinationals. Many small farmers have lost confidence in the banana industry resulting in a mass exodus of farmers in the past 5 years. This is ultimately threatening the social cohesion and economic development of the Windward Islands.

Our support of the Windward Islands farmers will promote fair trade as a more humane alternative to the existing international trade and uphold the following principles:

• Trading directly with democratically run co-operatives
• Paying a fair price for the product
• Offering affordable credit
• Develop long-term relationships based on trust and mutual respect

WINFA (Windward Islands Farmers Association) was setup in 1982 as an informal association of farmer groups to support the small scale farmers. It was later established as a formal umbrella organization of farmer associations from all four Winward islands in 1987. Banana is the major crop amongst the WINFA farmers. A 'banana desk' was established in 1992 to deal specifically with the issues of banana farming.
The WindWard islands usually refer to islands of Martinique, Dominica, Grenada, Saint Lucia and Saint Vincent (see attached map).

Due to their historical ties to Britain and France, the Winward islands have enjoyed a favourable market for their bananas. With the arrival of the WTO, free trade and the growing dominance of the large scale US producers (from Latin America), the Windward island banana farmers are fighting to keep their preferential trade agreements with their 'colonial' partners intact. In light of these developments WINFA has taken up an active advocacy role in defence of the banana farmers in the region. A 'Fair Trade' desk was established in 1997 to specifically deal with the issue of eroding prices for their banana crop - the small scale farmers in the islands simply cannot compete with the giants (Dole, Chiquita, Del Fyffes, Del Monte and Noboa). WINFA is actively campaigning to promote the sale of "Fair Trade" bananas from the Windward islands. Fair Trade bananas from the Windward islands are being sold in supermarkets in England and some European countries.

Website: www.fairtradetoronto.com/winfa