It is not always easy to quantify the difference which fair trade makes to producers. When John Riches was out in Malawi he was talking to Daudi Phiri, an amazingly hard-working rice farmer with 4 sons, all coming up to secondary school age.
Daudi grows enough food to feed his family on half his four acres; the other half is rice, which he sells to buy clothes, building materials, farm inputs and implements, and education. We worked out that he would have to sell 90 kgs of rice to send one son to the local high school for a year. If he is good enough to go away to the more advanced school it would cost more like 400 kgs.
So Liz thought it would be good to challenge churches, schools, and other groups to sell 90 kgs. The idea has really caught on. Over 70 groups have now taken up the challenge. They buy the rice and get posters, a Power Point presentation, leaflets and information sheets. Our current retail price for a kilo bag of Kilombero rice is £2.75 but if you buy a 90 kg challenge pack we will supply it at £2.50/kg transport paid.
To sign up or find out more, contact Kellie on 0141 -887 1881 or kellie[at]justtradingscotland.co.uk. Alternatively click on 'Contact Us' above.