small scale producers

Oxfam has been part of the global Fair Trade movement since its inception. We believe the current trade system is far from just or sustainable. Trade justice offers an alternative approach: one that requires shared responsibility according to everyone’s capabilities and considers privileges, as well as systemic change in the economic, gender, climate and political realms.

The COVID-19 pandemic and the Thai government’s immediate responses have significantly affected workers and small-scale producers in the seafood sector. This briefing note identifies these impacts, offers reflections on the remaining challenges and further measures to support small-scale producers and workers during the ongoing pandemic.

Oxfam assessed seven global agribusinesses against foundational indicators of its original Behind the Brands campaign scorecard to measure the strength of companies’ sustainability policies. This report introduces the “agribusiness scorecard” and presents the results.

The ability of small-scale farmers to earn a living income is critical to ensure their viability and economic success. This paper argues that closing the living income gap for small-scale farmers requires tackling the underlying imbalance in risk and market power that many of them face when engaging in global food value chains.

Asgedech Wolde Tensay won the 2015 Female Food Heroes award in Ethiopia for her exemplary efforts to increase productivity in her farm by using new technologies. Born and raised in a small village far from the capital Addis Ababa, she dreamed of a very different life to the one she is living now.

Carolina Chelele won Season 5 of Female Food Heroes in Tanzania and has become a community leader. Now that she's a winner, the mother of four and the sole provider for her household educates family members and other people in her village about different farming methods.

Monica Maigari is a smallholder farmer and teacher from Madakiya, Nigeria. In 2014, her accomplishments as a farmer and women’s advocate won her recognition as an Oxfam Female Food Hero. Since then, she has deepened her local community involvement while sharing her expertise with influential audiences.

On a planet with enough food for everyone, 821 million people – one in nine – go hungry day after day, year after year. It doesn't have to be this way. The Female Food Heroes competition is an innovative Oxfam project which shows how local women farmers can help end world hunger.

The Aquaculture Stewardship Council (ASC) is a certification initiative which aims to promote responsible aquaculture. Oxfam regards ASC as an initiative to transform the sector, but there is a need for urgent improvements on social aspects such as fair contracts for farmers, decent labor rights in the industry, and effective and transparent stakeholder consultation.

Did you know that some fishermen in Southeast Asia report working at sea for up to 14 hours a day and 27 days a month, earning as little as $0.50 per hour?  Whether it is fished or farmed, sold in local markets or stocked on supermarket shelves, too much of the food we buy is produced at the expense of human welfare. Learn more and take action.