Fairtrade Premium overview

On top of a Fairtrade Minimum Price for most products, the Fairtrade approach includes a Fairtrade Premium – an additional sum of money that farmers and workers invest in projects they choose.

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Tea farmers from the Sukambizi Association in Malawi used some of their Fairtrade Premium to construct the Ruo Mbia bridge, easing the ability of community members to cross the Ruo River.
Image © Francesco John Mpambe Jnr

Investments of the Fairtrade Premium often target needed improvements in the community, or training and resources to enhance their businesses and operations.

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Children taking part in Coobafrio's football school, financed through Fairtrade Premium.
Image © Linus Hallgren

Funding safe activities for kids

Fairtrade producers want to enrich their communities through their work.

The Fairtrade Premium gives them extra funds to bring their ideas to life.

In the banana-growing villages of Santa Marta in Colombia, there aren't many after-school activities for children – aside from hanging out in billiards halls.

To provide local kids with more options, members of the Coobafrio cooperative decided to invest some of the Fairtrade Premium they earned from their banana sales into some fun and healthy alternatives. The cooperative established a football school (seen here), an athletics club, a big band, and other after-school activities that give kids safe places to play and learn.

Use of Fairtrade Premium by small-scale producer organizations 2020

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Use of Fairtrade Premium by hired labour organizations 2020

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