Fairtrade Hot Topic of the Day for Local Schools
March 9, 2020
Over 200 local Year 10 students recently gathered at Wallace High School to learn more about Fairtrade activity during Fairtrade Fortnight.
To celebrate being a Fairtrade city, Lisburn & Castlereagh City Council invited guest speaker Hugo Javier Guerrero, the youngest member of one of the more successful coffee farming families in the mountainous Piura region of Peru, to talk to local students about the importance of Fairtrade in improving communities in developing countries.
Hugo was welcomed to the council area by the Mayor, Councillor Alan Givan, Councillor Uel Mackin, former Chairman of the council’s Fairtrade Steering Group and Dr Stange, All Party Group on Fairtrade. The event was MC’d by two teachers from Wallace High, Johnny Reid and Barbara McKee.
Speaking at the event, the Mayor, Councillor Givan said: “The council is keen to promote the fact that Lisburn Castlereagh is a Fairtrade city, and we are delighted to welcome Fairtrade producer Hugo to our city. As our young people are the next generation, we are keen to educate them on the importance of Fairtrade to help producers enjoy secure and sustainable livelihoods.
“Pupils from Forthill Integrated College and Friends School Lisburn joined the Wallace High pupils to hear first-hand about Hugo’s passion for producing quality organic coffee. Hugo spoke about the importance of tending the coffee crops and ensuring the ground remains free of weeds and being treated with their own natural fertilisers. His family are very keen to work with other families in the local Fairtrade cooperative to share ways to improve the farming and harvesting of the coffee.”
Local retailers Tesco and the Belsize Road Co-op supported the event through the provision of Fairtrade produce for the pupils.
Hugo Javier Guerrero commented: “I have been lucky to have travelled after my education and the agricultural skills I learnt I have brought back to our family farm and shared with many other producers in the area. Due to the changing climate and increased temperatures in Peru, I am experimenting on our farm with different crops and grafting disease resistant plants with the quality Arabica coffee that fetches a higher price at market. It is very important to ensure that should we need to diversify our crop and change our soil management that it is sustainable and meets the expectations of the Fairtrade cooperative. We are all proud to be Fairtrade farmers, supporting our families and our communities.”
The council actively supports Fairtrade values where possible. Fairtrade farmers are sociably responsible and by purchasing Fairtrade products, we enable them to undertake vital business, environmental and social projects in their own communities.
The Mayor added: “We need everyone in the Lisburn Castlereagh community to get behind the farmers and their families, not just during Fairtrade Fortnight but all year round. Our Fairtrade Steering Group are working to ensure that Fairtrade status for the city continues to develop and gain support. If you want to get involved please contact us by email to sarah.mckenna@lisburncastlereagh.gov.uk ”
The pupils took part in an interactive quiz on Fairtrade winning a number of giveaways and Fairtrade Maltesers.