Moe Ohn, a farmer from Htant Hpa Yar village in Hopong town, Green Gold cooperative, happily picked the coffee at a plantation in Shan state, Myanmar.
Thanks to the hard work of farmers like Ms. Moe Ohn, Green Gold has become the first coffee cooperative in Myanmar to be awarded a fair trade certificate.
Green Gold was established in 2015 with the support of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and the governments of Finland, Germany and Switzerland.
Green Gold is in southern Shan State, a region famous for conflict and one of the largest opium producers in the world.
The Green Gold Cooperative consists of nearly 1,000 small-scale farmers who have grown opium. They come from the Shan and Pao ethnic groups, which have had conflicts in the past.
Currently, these farmers, including Moe Ohn, are cooperating to plant arabica coffee High Quality.
This coffee was served in Parliament in France in March 2019. Green Gold has partnered with Malongo, a French coffee company to sell coffee in Europe.
For Moe Ohn and her family, fair trade certifications ensure they get a fair price for their product.
Farmers also receive an additional premium, which can be used as a direct investment for social benefits (schools, roads, health centers), strengthening cooperatives or for improving Good production conditions.
All members of the Green Gold cooperative have the same responsibilities, decision making and contribution rights.
Members must know the objectives of the cooperative, know the basic principles of the Fair Trade standard and participate in all stages of production.
Cooperatives must provide services to their members, including processing facilities, technical assistance and help with the sale of the final product. Empowering members and achieving financial autonomy of the cooperative is the key.
Citizens benefit from Fair Trade certification
Moe Ohn and other women in cooperatives like Moe Du, Nang Htwe and Nang Lon, benefit directly from the fair trade certification.
In terms of fair trade, women are empowered and equal in all levels of organization and in plantations.
They encourage the protection of children and prohibit child labor, promote teamwork with human values such as solidarity, responsibility and standard compliance.
Environmental and health problems are reduced because of an increase in knowledge and awareness of appropriate chemical management in plantations.
“UNODC is delighted that Green Gold has received certification and recognizes the importance of working with farmers to develop alternatives to growing poppy,” said Troels Vester, UNODC Director. at the Myanmar branch said.
In addition to supporting cooperatives to achieve the necessary fair trade conditions, UNODC has also assisted farmers in obtaining land ownership certificates, including women's land ownership and forestry education.
Opium planting causes serious deforestation in Shan State, so UNODC has trained farmers on sustainable forest management and replanted 700 hectares of valuable forest.
For coffee lovers, fair trade ensures that coffee is consumed ethically and traceability. All coffee is sourced from members of cooperatives and quality is guaranteed.
Fair trade certification has promoted organic agriculture, agroforestry systems, ban on dangerous pesticides and genetically modified products (GMOs).
For farmers in Shan state, they now have an alternative to growing opium.
Certification helps meet a number of cooperative sustainability goals, including goal 1: Not being poor; objective 5: Gender equality; objective 8: Jobs and economic growth; goal 12: Responsible production and consumption and goal 16: Peace of justice and strong institutions.
For producers as well as consumers, the contribution to trade fairness is honorable.
Small-scale farmers benefit from trading and farming activities.
For consumers, it is a responsible way to contribute to a more sustainable livelihood and a cleaner environment.
