ILKLEY Fairtrade Group is inviting people to enjoy a wide range of free events in the Fairtrade Foundation’s 'Choose the world you want' festival.

The festival is a chance to learn more about how the climate crisis is impacting farmers and food supplies in developing countries, and how we can help.

The events will be part of Fairtrade Fortnight, which begins on Monday, February 21st. The online festival includes presentations by Fairtrade farmers from around the world, about the climate mitigation and adaptation measures they are undertaking and the extra challenges they face with low pricing and lack of funds. The festival also includes sessions for schools on topics such as sustainable fashion and the Fairtrade system, as well as wine tasting with the Co-op, and a Fairtrade master class baking demonstration.

Chair of Ilkley Fairtrade Group, Karen Palframan, said: “We hope the festival events enable people to learn more about all that Fairtrade does to help achieve economic, social and environmental sustainability for farmers and workers. We urge everyone, including businesses, to buy more Fairtrade products and view this as climate action. Every single purchase of Fairtrade items such as tea, coffee, chocolate, bananas and wine, supports sustainable farming and can help farmers tackle climate change in countries such as Ghana, Peru and Kenya. The Covid pandemic, together with the postponed climate crisis funding from the last two UN COP climate summits, have exacerbated the many challenges that producers were already facing, so they are struggling more than ever."

Fairtrade is committed to fighting the climate crisis. Fairtrade Standards require producers to protect the environment by improving the soil, planting trees, conserving water and avoiding pesticides, while Fairtrade's programmes include climate academies for farmers to share best practice. At the same time, Fairtrade makes training available to producers so that they can use the latest agricultural methods, such as intercropping and shade-grown coffee, to adapt to conditions.

Two Fairtrade coffee mornings are being held in Ilkley during Fairtrade Fortnight, where visitors can find out more about Fairtrade and also buy a range of Traidcraft goods: The are at Christchurch Lower Hall on February 26th, 10am - 12 noon and on March 4th at St. John's Church, Ben Rhydding, 9am - 11am.

All the festival event details and booking links are available at www.fairtrade.org.uk

For further information about Fairtrade or Ilkley Fairtrade Group, contact the group via Facebook @ilkleyfairtrade or email ilkleyfairtradegroup@gmail.com