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What Tanzania's coffee farmers can teach the world: a performance-based look at the fair trade-free trade debate

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  • Bradley D. Parrish

    (University of Leeds, UK)

  • Valerie A. Luzadis

    (State University of New York, USA)

  • William R. Bentley

    (State University of New York, USA)

Abstract

Questions remain about the effectiveness of fair trade, especially in comparison with free trade approaches to development. Both strategies seek to benefit smallholder farmers in lower-income countries, who are vulnerable to declining and fluctuating commodity prices and rising production costs. This study examines two prominent market-based interventions, Fairtrade certification and TechnoServe business development, as they are implemented at two coffee producer organizations in Tanzania. Qualitative and secondary quantitative data were collected using rapid appraisal methodology during three months of field research. The data were analyzed using the sustainable livelihood framework. This study concludes that both intervention strategies yield potentially valuable results for smallholders in multiple domains, but each is distinctly suited to specific market conditions. Implications of the study's findings are discussed in terms of an emerging consensus on intervention strategies. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and ERP Environment.

Suggested Citation

  • Bradley D. Parrish & Valerie A. Luzadis & William R. Bentley, 2005. "What Tanzania's coffee farmers can teach the world: a performance-based look at the fair trade-free trade debate," Sustainable Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 13(3), pages 177-189.
    • Handle: RePEc:wly:sustdv:v:13:y:2005:i:3:p:177-189
    DOI: 10.1002/sd.276
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. LeClair, Mark S., 2002. "Fighting the Tide: Alternative Trade Organizations in the Era of Global Free Trade," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 30(6), pages 949-958, June.
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    Cited by:

    1. John Cranfield & Spencer Henson & James Northey & Oliver Masakure, 2010. "An assessment of consumer preference for fair trade coffee in Toronto and Vancouver," Agribusiness, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 26(2), pages 307-325.
    2. Vincent Terstappen & Lori Hanson & Darrell McLaughlin, 2013. "Gender, health, labor, and inequities: a review of the fair and alternative trade literature," Agriculture and Human Values, Springer;The Agriculture, Food, & Human Values Society (AFHVS), vol. 30(1), pages 21-39, March.
    3. Gingrich, Chris D. & King, Emily J., 2012. "Does Fair Trade Fulfill the Claims of its Proponents? Measuring the Global Impact of Fair Trade on Participating Coffee Farmers," Journal of Cooperatives, NCERA-210, vol. 26, pages 1-23.
    4. Paúl Sarango-Lalangui & José Álvarez-García & María De la Cruz Del Río-Rama, 2018. "Sustainable Practices in Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises in Ecuador," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(6), pages 1-15, June.
    5. Pradyot Ranjan Jena & Till Stellmacher & Ulrike Grote, 2017. "Can coffee certification schemes increase incomes of smallholder farmers? Evidence from Jinotega, Nicaragua," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 19(1), pages 45-66, February.
    6. Behrooz Gharleghi & Asghar Afshar Jahanshahi, 2020. "The way to sustainable development through income equality: The impact of trade liberalisation and financial development," Sustainable Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 28(4), pages 990-1001, July.
    7. Verena Bitzer & Pieter Glasbergen & Bas Arts, 2013. "Exploring the potential of intersectoral partnerships to improve the position of farmers in global agrifood chains: findings from the coffee sector in Peru," Agriculture and Human Values, Springer;The Agriculture, Food, & Human Values Society (AFHVS), vol. 30(1), pages 5-20, March.
    8. Karla Utting, 2009. "Assessing the Impact of Fair Trade Coffee: Towards an Integrative Framework," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 86(1), pages 127-149, April.
    9. Filippa Pyk & Assem Abu Hatab, 2018. "Fairtrade and Sustainability: Motivations for Fairtrade Certification among Smallholder Coffee Growers in Tanzania," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(5), pages 1-18, May.
    10. Mujawamariya, Gaudiose & D’Haese, Marijke & Speelman, Stijn, 2013. "Exploring double side-selling in cooperatives, case study of four coffee cooperatives in Rwanda," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 39(C), pages 72-83.
    11. Elder, Sara D. & Zerriffi, Hisham & Le Billon, Philippe, 2012. "Effects of Fair Trade Certification on Social Capital: The Case of Rwandan Coffee Producers," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 40(11), pages 2355-2367.
    12. Walter J. V. Vermeulen & Stefan Seuring, 2009. "Sustainability through the market - the impacts of sustainable supply chain management: introduction," Sustainable Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 17(5), pages 269-273.
    13. Alastair M. Smith, 2009. "Evaluating The Criticisms Of Fair Trade," Economic Affairs, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 29(4), pages 29-36, December.
    14. Peter Dobers & Minna Halme, 2009. "Corporate social responsibility and developing countries," Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 16(5), pages 237-249, September.
    15. J. McMurtry, 2009. "Ethical Value-Added: Fair Trade and the Case of Café Femenino," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 86(1), pages 27-49, April.
    16. Helene Naegele, 2019. "Where Does the Fairtrade Money Go? How Much Consumers Pay Extra for Fairtrade Coffee and How This Value Is Split along the Value Chain," Discussion Papers of DIW Berlin 1783, DIW Berlin, German Institute for Economic Research.

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