Impactos socioambientais da certificação fairtrade nas cooperativas de produtores familiares de café e manga no Brasil

Abstract

The inclusion of small-scale farmers in Market niches for sustainable and solidary products can contribute to add value and wide trade alternatives for family farming production. Within the range of possibilities to access these market niches, Fairtrade certification is directed to associations and cooperatives mainly composed of small-scale farmers in developing countries. In order to stamp Fairtrade label and benefit from Fairtrade market conditions, producers organizations must comply with criteria set by Fairtrade Labelling Organization International (FLO) that include organizational, social and environmental aspects, as the payment of the certification costs. The present article aims to investigate and evaluate the social and environmental impacts of Fairtrade certification of small farmers’ cooperatives in Brazil. Therefore, this study examines mango cooperatives in the Fruit Polo Petrolina/Juazeiro and coffee cooperatives located in the Region of Matas de Minas and Mountains of Espírito Santo. These regions were chosen due to its peripheral localization, high socioeconomic dependence on agricultural activities, regional relevance of family farming and low income per capita and human development indexes. The qualitative analysis is based on interviews conducted with experts, cooperatives managers, technical assistants, producers and rural worker syndicates, FLO regional consultant and visits to producers and cooperatives’ facilities.

Keywords

• family farming
• Fairtrade
• social environmental impacts
• cooperatives