A Tale of Fairtrade Spice Growers SOFA: The Small Organic Farmers’ Association, in Sri Lanka.

SOFA – the Small Organic Farmers’ Association in Sri Lanka. It was set up in 1997 to grow organic tea, but farmers were also growing spices. In 1998, SOFA’s tea was Fairtrade certified. In 2006, the spices were Fairtrade certified. There are approx 2000 farmers in SOFA, organised into local branch societies: 22 tea farmers societies and 15 spice farmer societies.

Tea Picking in Sri Lanka

In 2007, SOFA members grew 2,500 tonnes of spices 640 tonnes of green leaf tea, which was processed into 130 tonnes of green and black tea. This earns enough income for the farmers and their families to live on.

Vanilla

The average farm size is 1.5 acres. Farms are called Forest Gardens. They are full of tea bushes but many different plants are also grown - coffee, vegetables and medicinal plants. Spices grown include: cloves, pepper vines, vanilla, ginger, turmeric, cardamom, nutmeg, cinnamon.

A Forest Garden growing cardamom

Cardamom

Nutmeg and mace

Nutmeg sorting

Peppercorn vines

Cinnamon trees

Cinnamon sorting

SOFA farmers are paid the Fairtrade minimum price for every kilo of spices they grow and sell. Farmers use their earnings to care for their families and farms. Then SOFA Association receives an additional payment, called the Fairtrade Premium, for every kilo of tea and spices produced and sold as Fairtrade by SOFA members. The Fairtrade Premium is used for economic, social or environmental development projects, chosen by the Association members.

Fairtrade Premium has been used for clean water projects. Clean Water

Infrastructure projects: Bridge Repairs These are very important to the vanilla growers and their families, because they must walk long distances to access services: 3 miles or more to primary school, 15 miles to high school; 15 miles to the nearest clinic or pharmacy; 50 miles to the nearest hospital (12miles on foot first, then a bus). So when bad weather destroyed bridges in 2012, this was a major problem, but SOFA was able to help, by using their Fairtrade Premium.

A well-maintained farm lane through a Forest Garden Maintaining lanes through the farms

Building a Cultural Hall. In 2008, the Fairtrade Premium was used to build a Cultural Hall at Thotulagalla, as a local venue for special ceremonies, weddings and festivals for the local Tamil community, for generations to come. In the past, community members had to travel long distances to hire community halls for these occasions, which was expensive and time-consuming.

Schooling and education Local schools provide education up to the age of 18 years The farmers decided to use part of their Fairtrade premium to provide: Donations of books to pupils Free sports clothing for children’s sports Extra GCSE and A level classes Computer training, both computers and teachers, for all ages – and free to members. University grants

Schooling and education Local schools provide education up to the age of 18 years The farmers decided to use part of their Fairtrade premium to provide: Donations of books to pupils Free sports clothing for children’s sports Extra GCSE and A level classes Computer training, both computers and teachers, for all ages – free to members. University grants

Using the Fairtrade Premium for healthier living Medical facilities, including health camps. The cow project: all families were given a cow, providing milk for their health and food security, plus manure to improve their farm’s soil fertility. Another project distributed low-carbon, cleaner gas cookers amongst the community; smoky, inefficient fires produce smoke that is a major cause of poor health - and increases carbon emissions

So, when we choose to buy a Fairtrade certified product, we pay a fair price for the farmers’ work - a price which also enables farmers to improve the lives and futures of their families and communities.

Vanilla drying and sorting

Turmeric