COP18 (29/11/12) – Tomy Mathew, Producer Representative (Asia and Pacific) for Fairtrade International, explains how Fairtrade is enabling small-scale farmers to adapt to and mitigate the effects of climate change.
Mathew explains that by ensuring farmers receive a fair price for a variety of products, they can avoid monocrop farming, which often results from variation in market prices. By ensuring a fair price is available for all crops, farmers can grow a diverse array of spices, coffee and coconuts all on the same small farm, ensuring that Asian and Pacific farmers’ livelihoodS are more resilient to the effects of climate change.
Mathew explains how this allows farmers to take a role in mitigating climate change and protecting biodiversity. With their livelihoods secured by fairer pricing, Mathew affirms that farmers are able to become custodians of forests and biodiversity rather than threatening it.