Articles
Unconventional Bananas in Peru: Interview with Julio Oscar Gallegos Herrera-Rambla
Equal Exchange works with a movement of independent businesses–farmer co-ops, distributors, stores–to create a banana supply chain that is unconventional at every step. In a sensitive industry, we look to the farmer organizations revolutionizing the banana trade to envision a future in which the industry represents and benefits all stakeholders.
Why Peruvian Avocados Matter
If you’re a U.S. consumer, 8 out of 10 times your avocado will come from Michoacán, Mexico. There are various reasons for this Mexican dominance of the U.S. avocado market, like geographic proximity. However, as consumer demand has continued to boom, it has become clear that other origins are needed to provide a stable and reliable year-round supply for consumers.
RSF Social Finance Fair Trade Capital Collaborative
The purpose of this project is to directly address two of the largest challenges within the fair trade coffee supply chain: coffee leaf rust and climate change.
Fighting TR4 at Your Grocery Store: A Consumer Action Guide
Part Three explores how you and your grocery store can contribute to the fight against TR4 with six actions to take.
What’s a Farmer to Do? TR4 and Small-Scale Producers
Part Two, we explore the particular challenges that small-scale farmers face as they employ TR4 prevention techniques and how various strategies can reduce a farm’s risk of contamination. Governments, research groups, and producers have worked tirelessly to strengthen infrastructure and prevent the disease from spreading.
Banana Production in the Shadow of TR4
Part One of a three-part series exploring the threat of TR4 banana production in Latin America, and to small-scale farmers in particular. Fusarium Wilt Tropical Race 4 (TR4) is a fungal disease affecting bananas, and it poses a major threat to the crop worldwide.
“We Met Online”: Building A New Banana Partnership with AVACH During COVID-19
Equal Exchange Supply Chain Coordinator Johanna Contreras Manito recently spoke with a logistics manager, a pack crew leader, and a farmer-member at AVACH who each represent integral pieces of our Peruvian banana supply chain.
Coffee Prices: What Does Transparency Mean?
Buyers, importers, roasters and consumers of specialty coffee are having a big and important conversation right now about coffee prices. We all wonder the same thing when we drink that amazing aromatic beverage. How much of what I’m paying gets back to the producer’s pocket?
Organic vs. Conventional Coffee
Even if you already choose organic in the produce aisle, you might wonder why it matters for your brew.
PARC’s Ongoing Commitment to Small-Scale Farmers and COVID-19 Efforts
Equal Exchange is proud to partner with the Palestinian Agricultural Relief Committee (PARC). For 37 years, the organization has been committed to Palestinian farmers, cooperatives, and community groups in the West Bank and Gaza.
Power to the (Women) Farmers
In the fair trade world, farmers form the backbone of the supply chain and are essential partners for the businesses with whom they work. However, in discussions about farming, well-intentioned speakers on the receiving end of the supply chain tend to fit farmers into boxes, conjuring an image of “The Farmer” as a middle-aged (and in the U.S., white) male.
How a Bruised Banana Can Save the World
Over the past year, we have had to adjust our lives to unexpected changes, and adapt to new ways of socializing, shopping, and eating. In the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, many of us may have experienced shortages at local grocery stores, while others may have embraced meal kits and delivery services.