Women Farmers and Chocolate

Women Farmers and Chocolate

  

 

 

Last night, running out the door, I grabbed a chocolate bar. Ah, instant satisfaction. Chocolate is the solution to a sweet tooth, bad breakup, cake to celebrate a birthday, and more. A box of chocolates even melts hearts all over the country each year on February 14. With Oxfam’s new Behind the Brands Campaign we’re looking at how our favorite companies play a huge part in influencing the food industry. On March 8 for International Women’s Day, we’ll even go a step further and focus on women farmers in the cocoa industry. It all comes down to how some of our favorite cocoa companies like Mars, Mondelez International, and Nestlé are treating the very people who play a central role in growing our chocolate- the farmers.

Women farmers make up the majority of farmers, yet women working in cocoa fields and processing plants suffer substantial discrimination and inequality. Women play an indispensable role in the production of cocoa; they plant and care for young trees, break harvested pods, and are responsible for fermenting and drying cocoa before it is sold to traders.

 

Here’s a surprising fact that shocked me: According to Oxfam, “Additionally, unlike other commodities like soy and tea which are typically grown on huge plantations, 90 percent of cocoa is grown by small-scale farmers who work 5 hectares or less of land.”2

 

And while women increasingly occupy positions of power in food and beverage company headquarters, women working in company supply chains in developing countries continue to be denied similar advances in wealth, status or opportunity. We also know, that despite a worldwide recession, food and beverage companies are enjoying unprecedented success in selling chocolate to consumers across the globe1 In a 100 billion dollar industry, most cocoa farmers make less than 2 dollars a day. 

 

 

 

So what do we do?

 

These “big brands” are called big for a reason. They have a great deal of influence on our supply chain, but consumers have just as much of a say in the process. After all, we’re the ones who buy the products. Looking at the history of Nestlé, consumers have helped transform business practices since the 1970’s (I’m specifically pointing to the baby milk issue). http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nestl%C3%A9_boycott

 

Today, some 40 years later, consumers are taking action again. This time, you don’t even have to boycott your favorite brands. Signing with Oxfam makes your voice heard. We’re at 11939 signatures and by the time you finishing reading this, that number will have gone up. Those numbers reflect people who want to change business practices among the Big Brands. Those practices are reflected in Oxfam America’s score card on the top ten food companies. Issues like transparency, women, workers, farmers, and land were studied in-depth for 18 months. As companies change their policies, so will the score card. Corporations are responding and you can keep up-to-date on their changes: http://www.behindthebrands.org/en-us/scorecard

When I made the mad dash out the door with my chocolate, I hadn't given much thought to the farmer and many others who helped with the cultivation process. The idea that we are all interrelated isn’t a new one. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. gives a beautiful sermon on the subject in 1967:

 

“Did you ever stop to think that you can't leave for your job in the morning without being dependent on most of the world? You get up in the morning and go to the bathroom and reach over for the sponge, and that's handed to you by a Pacific islander. You reach for a bar of soap, and that's given to you at the hands of a Frenchman. And then you go into the kitchen to drink your coffee for the morning, and that's poured into your cup by a South American. And maybe you want tea: that's poured into your cup by a Chinese. Or maybe you're desirous of having cocoa for breakfast, and that's poured into your cup by a West African. And then you reach over for your toast, and that's given to you at the hands of an English-speaking farmer, not to mention the baker. And before you finish eating breakfast in the morning, you've depended on more than half of the world. This is the way our universe is structured, this is its interrelated quality.”

 

Thinking and learning about where our food comes from can have a tremendous impact. Next time you indulge in a chocolate bar think about who’s growing it. Since you’ve gotten to the end of this post though, go a step further and sign with others from around the world and make your voice heard. Tell the top three chocolate companies that the women who grow and pick cocoa deserve better: http://www.behindthebrands.org/en-us

 

 

 

Oh, and if you’re in Albuquerque on Friday, March 8 we’ve got some suprises in store on how to celebrate International Women’s Day. Email newmexico@oxfamactioncorps.org for more information!  

Happy International Women's Day from New Mexico Oxfam Action Corps  

 

 

[1] KPMG. “Food and Beverage Industry Outlook Survey” 2012. Found at http://www.kpmg.com/US/en/IssuesAndInsights/ArticlesPublications/Documents/food-and-beverage-industry-outlook-survey-2012.pdf

2 http://worldcocoafoundation.org/wp-content/uploads/Cocoa-Market-Update-as-of-3.20.2012.pdf

Note: some information in this article taken from Oxfam reports

 

 

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By Kalen Olson

Real Action in Today's World

When I started writing this, even after much formal writing on how to open up a paper/article/blog/etc. I was at a loss of how to begin. The state of the country and world sometimes feels incomprehensible.  I decided to forget all of the rules on how to grab your audience and just speak honestly. Sometimes it’s all we have.

I’ve grappled with how we can address a growing concern of a lopsided food and economic system for quite some time, but the major turning point was in 2007. I had an opportunity to visit the Dominican Republic and stay with fair trade coffee farmers. The idea that we are all connected through expanding globalization and that we’ve outsourced food production started to intrigue me with this experience. I saw that people who grow food for the United States aren’t paid fairly, which struck a chord and spurred me to learn more about what can be done to improve this system. This trip was life changing, because it allowed me to experience a new system that incorporates better practices. Once farmers earn fair wages, they become emerging leaders in their communities and are able to send their children to school- often, for the first time.

This experience drove me to talk with student groups at Washington State University on fair trade and how it can have a large impact on the food system. Also, it’s what got me involved with Oxfam America. The work Oxfam does spans policy, advocacy, and campaign work, along with partnering with other organizations to make great strides in building a better economic system to treat people fairly across the globe.

Recently, there has been an explosion of ideas on what we can do on an individual level to improve the global food system. Is it the organic movement? Fair Trade? Maybe it’s eating locally. People so badly want to find a way to make the system fairer. These questions instigated me to read everything I could get my hands on about the subject and search for answers. Earlier this month I felt so defeated and just wanted to find solutions. So I called up Brian Rawson who is the head of organizing for Oxfam America in the United States. I told him everything. About how I felt like I was trying to find solutions and didn’t feel like I had the right answers.  He stopped me, saying, “Sometimes ‘I don’t know’ is okay”.  Brian has a soothing understanding that empowers people. There’s something incredibly comforting when we feel defeated and reach out to someone else who understands. Just saying it out loud is powerful. I still wanted to keep asking questions after talking with Brian.

After this conversation, I decided to sit back and just look at the world objectively and try a different approach. I started to see things unravel, shedding layers about who we are as people to rebuild a different understanding. The more I looked at human nature, the more I saw something: everyone is looking for acceptance and love and underneath it all we are afraid. It's a beautiful thing which connects us to each other.

I also examined this incredible age of the internet. We have access to everything that’s going on in the world and feel so connected, but are at such a loss of what to do about the challenges our world faces.  I thought about who Americans are. The fact is, we are at a point where we’re losing so much faith in the government and corporations, that it's difficult to face this reality, myself included. But I also saw something else that is still true about the United States. I really do still believe in this American dream thing. In the fact that we are always working toward a better equality for people, sometimes it just takes much longer than we would like.

In the midst of this chaos there was something that remained clear: when people partner with Oxfam it makes a difference. Oxfam works to hold governments and corporations accountable to fairer practices. They put pressure on these entities to pay people fair wages and have equal opportunities. Last year, because people who supported Oxfam across the US signed petitions to government officials, it made a significant impact. For example, Oxfam previously called on Starbucks to stop bullying the poor. Starbucks listened and formed a better partnership with Ethiopian farmers. Oxfam is also working with communities to pressure oil industry members who erode the land and ignore people who live there on $2 a day. When people sign on with Oxfam, petitions are hand delivered to government offices and as a result, it helps improve policy on food and human rights, giving people involved a stronger voice. 

Often times we can spin our wheels wondering about what can be done with this complex system and the problems that come with it, that we forget there might be a powerful way to act that’s right in front of us. The digital age makes it possible to sign a letter to our government and put pressure on the decisions they make on our behalf. It matters. There are people who are up at night wondering if they can eat the next day and because of peoples’ strengthened efforts with Oxfam, they can.  It matters. People have so many opinions about whether these petitions make a difference. It makes a significant difference when you sign to make the food system more fair and hold governments and organizations accountable. Signed petitions are mailed to Oxfam headquarters and then go to Washington D.C., where you're part of a big voice on this movement to make changes.

After all of these questions I’ve been asking recently, I also discovered human beings like to be right. We love it. It makes us feel more secure because it helps us make sense of this crazy world. I decided to get rid of being right and see what was left. I wiped away everything I knew and I realized something so simple and profound: being right is a strong reflection of the time period. Being right is subjective and people make up their own version all of the time to fit their understanding of the world.

Today many people take off work because of a man who fought for human rights. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. decided it was the right thing to fight for equality on behalf of African Americans. Today it’s time to expand our definition of equal rights to understand the inequities in our global economic and food system. 

We’ve come to a tipping point where corporations and governments are not treating the people they are accountable for fairly. It’s incredibly wrong. It's the right thing for all people to be able to have food, water, and fair wages. Period. We have enough resources in the world and this is a human made problem; humans can make solutions. 

Whoever you are, wherever you are: sign a petition, attend an event to learn more, share a story, or rally your friends. You have the ability to do something. I'm learning imperfect action is incredibly more powerful than no action at all. Just give it a try and watch the results unfold. You don't have to have read all of the books on these subjects or know everything about this food movement. Caring is enough. It matters and you make a difference to so many people around the world by partnering with Oxfam. http://www.oxfamamerica.org/whatyoucando/take-action/community-action

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By Kalen Olson

Cutting Life-Saving Foreign Aid? That's Lame!

By Kalen Olson

The days are winding down as Congress members exit office and we usher in new political leaders.

Yes, it’s the lame-duck session. “Lame-duck” originally referred to bankrupt businessmen in Britain who were considered “lame” because their position rendered them as vulnerable as injured birds. Now, the term describes Congress members who are on their way out of office. That’s why the lame-duck session is an important time to make advances in policy. Senators and Representatives aren’t up for reelection, so why not try and push policy they may have been hesitant on before?

Oxfam America has a clear agenda this lame-duck session: no more cuts to foreign aid. Voters lobbied on Capitol Hill, wrote letters to Congress, and signed petitions to illustrate why foreign aid is important to thousands of people around the country.

With just under 1% of the Federal budget going toward foreign aid, it seems reasonable that Congress would approve this request. Not only has foreign aid helped eradicate polio, but, according to Gregory Adams, Director of Aid Effectiveness for Oxfam America, it has also fueled the Green Revolution and rebuilt shattered economies. In the process, we’ve strengthened alliances with Turkey, South Korea, and Poland.

Perceived and Actual Foreign Aid Spending

Further cuts to life-saving programs would represent a step backwards, and mean the difference between life and death for many of the world’s poor. Since it’s a small investment with a large return, Congress would have to be quackers to cut aid.

Community members of New Mexico petitioned, wrote letters, and visited Senators Bingaman and Udall. Co-organizer Jasmine McBeath and I stopped by Senator Bingaman and Udall’s office with foreign aid info in hand.

What I’d pictured about lobbying was quite different from what actually took place. The illusion of corporate deals transpiring behind closed doors was shattered when we met with staff members. Sharing why investment in foreign aid is necessary allowed crucial information to get into the hands of decision makers.

In the midst of sequestration going into effect December 31, Congress has to realize the long-term benefit of investing in foreign aid and get moving this lame-duck session. Now we wait.

Get your last letter in before the end of December!

The Line: An Opportunity to Promote Dialogue About Poverty in America

The Line: An Opportunity to Promote Dialogue About Poverty in America

by Carlos Navarro
(reprinted from the Bread New Mexico blog)

Bread for the World is one of  five organizations promoting The Line a documentary from Emmy Award-winning producer Linda Midgett,  Sojourners is the main sponsor of this groundbreaking feature, which chronicles the new face of poverty in America. As Sojourners CEO Jim Wallis puts it, "more and more of our friends are in poverty — in the pews, in our workplaces — through no fault of their own, and they are slipping below the poverty level."

In addition to Sojourners and Bread, the three other sponsoring organizations are Christian Community Development Association, Oxfam America, and World Vision.

After you view the trailer below, you can take a few actions to become involved. You can acquire the DVD and host a screening.  "All you need is five friends to host a screening, and we'll send you a copy of the DVD and a discussion guide absolutely free!" said Sojourners.  One screening is scheduled in New Mexico, at the High Mesa Healing Center, just north of Ruidoso on Oct. 2 at 5:30 p.m. (For more information call 575-336-7777).

You can spread the word, and if you have a Twitter account you can also send a Tweet to presidential candidates.  Click on the home page and scroll down to the bottom.

Poverty in America — It's not what you think.

The Line documents the stories of people across the country living at or below the poverty line. They have goals. They have children. They work hard. They are people like you and me.

From Chicago's suburbs and west side to the Gulf Coast to North Carolina, millions of Americans are struggling every day to make it above The Line.

Co-opts: a Win-Win For Everyone

 Co-opts: a Win-Win For Everyone

Now that you know about my pledge with Meatless Mondays, I’ll let you in on some of the meetings that led up to my decision to change the way I eat.

Last week was a very busy week for Oxfam New Mexico. We were lucky enough to welcome Brian Rawson, a Senior Organizer from our headquarters. He gave us tons of great advice, and also helped set up meetings with local groups interested in collaborating. I should have brought a tape recorder to memorize his opening words about what Oxfam does and what it means to the world, since it was so eloquently worded. 

We met first with La Montanita Co-opt, at their warehouse. It was impressive—a great place to see how everything works. The Co-opt also has six other locations, including three more in Albuquerque, one Santa Fe and another in Gallup. I learned they carry products from over 900 local producers, and you don’t need to be a member to shop there. Want to check out this week’s specials?

But it’s so much more than tasty local food. They have a microloan program for farmers and grassroots investing in the local food system. They’re training veterans to farm, partnering with UNM on a sustainability practicum and providing stability to farmers through the food-shed project. Within 300 miles of Albuquerque, the Co-opt provides storage, trucking services, and help with post-harvest handling and packing.

 
 Just like Oxfam Action Corps, La Montanita is educating the community about how to create a safe, secure food system. We are completely on board with their efforts to educate consumers about the “importance of fair prices and just treatment of people and animals through the food production, distribution, and consumption process.” 

So, whether you're an avid Growers Market fan, or you can’t name a single local product besides green chile, it’s worth your time to visit the co-opt. 

By Jasmine McBeath

Stand Up Against Poverty

Hello everyone! On September 17th the Oxfam Action Corps: Albuquerque, NM is hosting a small gathering for the international Stand Up Against Poverty Day. Stand Up is about sending a message to our leaders (as they attend the United Nations for the Millennium Development Goals Review Summit) that we expect real action on the issue staggering world poverty and the promises made to end it. Planning for this event is still underway, and more details will be forthcoming. If you and/or your organization is interested in getting involved, please contact us at nmoxfamactioncorps@gmail.com. We would love your assistance and input.

Interesting article on the Huffington Post

Model Helena Christensen wrote an intriguing post in yesterday's Huffington Post. It's a good read.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/helena-christensen/invest-in-resilience-inve_b_615726.html

Hope all is well!

Welcome!

Welcome to the New Mexico Oxfam America Action Corps weblog! Here you will find the most up-to-date news and information regarding current efforts to address climate change, as well as Oxfam America's events and calls to action here in New Mexico.

Oxfam America is raising awareness about the impact climate change has on the underprivileged. Climate change exacerbates current inequalities and poses a significant threat to stability and security throughtout the world. Oxfam America is currently mobilizing groups across the country to promote positive legislation addressing climate change immediately. Currently, the House of Representatives is considering the American Clean Energy and Security Act of 2009 (the "ACES Act" or sometimes called "Waxman-Markey" for shorthand), and we are monitoring the developments.

We hope this web log provides you with the information you need to be fully informed. Further, we hope the news, stories and comments on this site will inspire you to make a difference.

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to post them and they will be addressed as soon as possible. Further, you are always welcome to email the local Action Corps Organizers, Amy Walkowiak and Mark Pustay, at nmoxfamactioncorps@gmail.com.

Again, welcome!