In the Mists of Development: Fairtrade in Kenyan Tea Fields

Dolan, Catherine

Abstract

Increasing numbers of consumers see themselves as ‘partners’ in poverty reduction, purchasing Fairtrade products to offset inequalities in the global economy and to ensure that producers in developing countries enjoy the same basic rights and freedoms as their Western counterparts. Yet the extent to which ethical consumption is restructuring commodity chains in a way that diminishes hierarchies between producers and consumers remains an open question. Drawing on a qualitative research project of ethical sourcing in African agriculture, this paper discusses the extent to which key tenets of the fair trade system—empowerment, transparency, equal exchange, and democratic participation—are realized among Fairtrade tea producers in Kenya. It suggests that while such ideals embrace the aspirations of sustainable development, their achievement remains distant from the experience of many producers, for whom ethical outcomes are shaped by an array of conflicting interests, both within and beyond the commodity chain.

Citation

Dolan, C. (2008). In the Mists of Development: Fairtrade in Kenyan Tea Fields. Globalizations, 5(2), 305-318. https://doi.org/10.1080/14747730802057787

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Publication Date: Jun 1, 2008
• Deposit Date: Feb 4, 2015
• Journal: Globalizations
• Print ISSN: 1474-7731
• Electronic ISSN: 1474-774X
• Publisher: Taylor and Francis Group
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 5
• Issue: 2
• Pages: 305-318
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/14747730802057787