Spring Break
Groups says Fair Trade essential on campus
By: Daniel Divine
Issue date: 2/4/08 Section: News
Fair Trade Coffee was the topic Thursday night at an educational seminar and dialogue presented by the Association of Social Entrepreneurs. Guest speakers from the student body, former students and local business owners shared their perspectives and insights on the Fair Trade movement.
"We are dealing with issues of the global scale and we need to ask what can we do to help out," said Andrew Pittz, president of ASE and a senior sociology major.
Blaze Currie, a senior agricultural leadership and development major, spoke of his work in the Norman E. Borlaug Institute for International Agriculture and the institute's projects in Rwanda's coffee sector. The Borlaug Institute provides researchers, policymakers and faculty from developing countries with the ability to strengthen sustainable agricultural practices through scientific training and research opportunities.
Currie said the institute and Texas A&M have been in Rwanda for three years building a coffee industry.
"Specialty coffee is like the wine market," Currie said. "This cash crop is a huge industry in Rwanda."
He said it becomes precarious for communities when they grow coffee instead of food, and explained the difficult up-keep of the organic coffee market once institutes or universities leave Third World countries. He provided the guiding question from his situation: "Can Rwanda afford the resources?"
He ended with a disclaimer "organic is great but we cannot dive on the bandwagon."
James Cypert, a Peace Corp volunteer, arrived in College Station several days ago from war-torn Kenya with only a few articles of clothing.
Cypert's project in Kenya consisted of implementing income-generating activities relating to small coffee cooperatives. Cypert, a graduate of the University, delved into the importance of Fair Trade products.
"You are selling social responsibility through a cup," he said of Fair Trade coffee.
He challenged consumers to ask themselves questions when purchasing a slightly more expensive cup of socially responsible coffee: "Are those five cents in my best interests? Is there a greater good at stake? Can I do something by buying a cup of coffee?"
"We are dealing with issues of the global scale and we need to ask what can we do to help out," said Andrew Pittz, president of ASE and a senior sociology major.
Blaze Currie, a senior agricultural leadership and development major, spoke of his work in the Norman E. Borlaug Institute for International Agriculture and the institute's projects in Rwanda's coffee sector. The Borlaug Institute provides researchers, policymakers and faculty from developing countries with the ability to strengthen sustainable agricultural practices through scientific training and research opportunities.
Currie said the institute and Texas A&M have been in Rwanda for three years building a coffee industry.
"Specialty coffee is like the wine market," Currie said. "This cash crop is a huge industry in Rwanda."
He said it becomes precarious for communities when they grow coffee instead of food, and explained the difficult up-keep of the organic coffee market once institutes or universities leave Third World countries. He provided the guiding question from his situation: "Can Rwanda afford the resources?"
He ended with a disclaimer "organic is great but we cannot dive on the bandwagon."
James Cypert, a Peace Corp volunteer, arrived in College Station several days ago from war-torn Kenya with only a few articles of clothing.
Cypert's project in Kenya consisted of implementing income-generating activities relating to small coffee cooperatives. Cypert, a graduate of the University, delved into the importance of Fair Trade products.
"You are selling social responsibility through a cup," he said of Fair Trade coffee.
He challenged consumers to ask themselves questions when purchasing a slightly more expensive cup of socially responsible coffee: "Are those five cents in my best interests? Is there a greater good at stake? Can I do something by buying a cup of coffee?"
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