Monthly Archives: November 2012

322. Recommendations for the future of FT4All

2012-11-29 Comments Off on 322. Recommendations for the future of FT4All

The world’s first Fair Trade Certification pilots with independent smallholder coffee farmers are winding down in Colombia.  CRS supported one of those pilots. Based on that experience, we offer three recommendations for future pilots: two to ensure they generate the kind of rigorous, results-based evidence we believe should drive decisions about the future of Fair […]

321. Observations on the FT4All pilot

2012-11-27 Comments Off on 321. Observations on the FT4All pilot

This week, CRS is issuing a series of observations based on our experience in Colombia with the first Fair Trade Certification pilot with independent smallholder farmers, and recommendations for the future of Fair Trade for All.  From our perspective, the pilot has been the source of some encouragement as an approach to smallholder organization where […]

320. The future of FT4All

2012-11-26 Comments Off on 320. The future of FT4All

When we announced here back in May that CRS would support a Fair Trade for All pilot project with independent smallholder farmers in Colombia, we identified “influence” as a leading motivation: We believe we are uniquely positioned to independently document the impacts of FT4All’s pilots and influence the evolution of the Fair Trade model. Nearly […]

319. Please call me by my true names

2012-11-19 Comments Off on 319. Please call me by my true names

CRS has been working to support smallholder coffee farmers — both in the coffeelands and in the U.S. marketplace — for the better part of 10 years.  For most of that time we have kept a low profile, working quietly to help farmers increase coffee productivity, quality and income at origin and  expand the market […]

318. The Coffeelands Blog turns 3

2012-11-12 Comments Off on 318. The Coffeelands Blog turns 3

Last week, the Coffeelands Blog marked the third anniversary of its first post. It has been a good year for the blog.  Unfortunately, that is due in part to the fact that it has been such a difficult year for Fair Trade.

317. Questions on the great Robusta debate

2012-11-08 Comments Off on 317. Questions on the great Robusta debate

Over the past two days I have summarized recent contributions to the current debate over the appropriate role for Robusta coffees in the specialty market and provided some context for our promotion of quality-differentiated Robusta.  Today, some questions about aspects of the great debate that left me scratching my head.

316. CRS and the great debate

2012-11-07 Comments Off on 316. CRS and the great debate

Yesterday I referred here to some recent salvoes in the escalating debate over the appropriate role for Robusta coffees in the U.S. specialty market.  Today, some reflections on our modest role in support of the fine Robusta project.

315. The great (Robusta) debate

2012-11-06 Comments Off on 315. The great (Robusta) debate

Over the past few months, a debate over the state of the market has raged between people with very different visions of how that market will evolve into the future.  The tenor of the debate has been respectful, but charged, marked by references to class warfare, crony capitalism, core values and special interests. I am […]