Organic and fair-trade certified commodities catering for niche markets
are growing rapidly and offer potential benefits for small-scale farmers
and the society at large. It is vital to assess if it is technically and
economically feasible to meet the growing consumer demands of food
safety, quality, and ethics, especially by smallholder and marginal
producers. Organic and fair-trade certified commodities are
predominantly produced in the developing countries of Asia, Africa, and
Latin America to cater to the environmentally and socially conscious
consumers in Europe and North America. Thus these systems reflect an
interdependence between the developed and the developing nations in
promoting eco-friendly and sustainable development, an aspect this book
considers in depth. The potential of applying both systems in
combination for small-scale farmers in developing countries and the
willingness of consumers to pay more for a product that is both organic
and fair-trade certified are explored through case studies.