PROFESSIONAL ENGLISH II

UNIT II: Globalization in Economy and Communication

FAIRTRADE READING ACTIVITY- WEEK 2

STUDENT’S NAME: cruz esteban SECTION: ___________

PROFESSOR: JUDIT SARMIENTO PÁRRAGA DATE: ____/_____/____ SCHEDULE: ___________

Read the text to find the key information. Read each part of the text carefully twice. Look back at the
text to find my evidence.

Maka Keita, cotton farmer from Mali in Africa

Maka is a cotton farmer in Doora village, Mali, West Africa. The village cotton
farmers are fairtrade farmers, and were certified in 2005.

Cotton prices were going down and down until they were below the cost of
making it. People in the village were demotivated and it was very depressing. But
now, we can make a reasonable living. My family can eat and we have better
health.

In the past, children had to walk 10 km to go to school, so really it was difficult. We have now been able to build a
school. At first it had two classrooms. When we had more money and wanted to expand, we asked the
government to help us and now there are five classrooms in total, and every child in the village can go to school.

We have also built a food storage facility so that we can have a year-round food supply, and we have installed a
pump for drinking water. We have built a new road, enabling us to travel further than 5 km outside of the village
without difficulty.

Fairtrade means we have to use better farming methods. Before, empty chemical containers would be used to
carry water for us to drink. In some cases, this led to death. Now, we get rid of waste properly. We don't burn
bushes any more as the smoke was polluting the local area and killing lots of animals.

I encourage everyone to buy more Fairtrade products if they want to help improve millions of lives.

Gerardo Arias, Coffee Farmer, Costa Rica, Central America

Gerardo is a coffee farmer in Llano Bonito, San José, Costa Rica. He is in charge of the local
fair-trade council.

In 1980, the price of coffee fell so low that it didn't cover the cost of production. Many
farmers abandoned their land and went to the cities to find work. Some even left the
country. In the mid-90s, I decided to go to America to make money and support my family.
After eight years, I had earned enough to buy the family farm in Costa Rica. But coffee prices
were still so low that I was forced to go back to the America for another two years to earn more money.
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UNIT II: Globalization in Economy and Communication

Prices for coffee kept changing, causing us to lose a lot of money. We did not have a local school, good roads or
bridges. Now we have a fair-trade council, prices are stable and we receive the right amount of money for our
coffee. We spend the money on schools, roads and bridges, and improving the old factory. We have sponsored
an education programme so that our kids can stay in school.

Since Fairtrade, our farms have become more environmentally friendly. Our coffee is now produced in a
maintainable way. We have planted trees and reduced the use of pesticides by 80% in 10 years. We used to cut
50 acres of forest down every year to burn in the ovens at our factory. Now we have a new oven which is fuelled
by rubbish, including coffee skins and the skins of macadamia nuts that we buy from farmers on the other side of
Costa Rica. It is a win-win business.

When you are shopping, look for the Fairtrade label - you can be sure that the money is going straight to the
farmers. It will help us, but it will also help people around the world, because the benefits of protecting the
environment are for everyone. It is a matter of helping each other.

AFTER REAADING:

1) From the fair-trade stories, find 2 words which suggest people weren’t happy. (1 mark)

 they were not happy because their children walk a lot to go to school

 they were not happy because their work was not profitable

2) How can you help support Fair trade? (3 marks)

Helps the quality of life to the most needy people, such as giving funds to build schools, to make water and food
reserves

3) In the fair-trade stories: Order these statements from Gerardo’s story from first to last: (2 marks)

(a) He had to go back to America

(b) They spent money on roads and bridges

(c) He went to America to earn money to buy his farm

(d) He bought his family farm

C-D-A-B

4) They now cut down 50 acres of forest every year to burn in the ovens in the factory. (1 mark)

True False X .

5) From the Fair-trade facts: Can you list 2 producer countries? (1 marks)

 Costa Rica (San Jose)

 PROFESSIONAL ENGLISH II
UNIT II: Globalization in Economy and Communication

 Africa(Mali)

6) How many lives worldwide are benefiting from Fair trade? (3 marks)

Millions of lives are benefited, be they agricultural farmers, shoemakers or other trades, because fairtrade helps
the neediest people and, as we know, one tenth of the population lives in extreme poverty in the world

7) What was common to make life difficult for the farmers before Fair trade? (3 marks)

The common thing was that the purchase price was higher than the sale price

8) What do you think about Fair trade? (3 marks)

Is good since it helps the quality of life of the most needy people, providing food, water or studies.

In my opinion it is a very generous job.

9) Write the names of two people benefited by Fairtrade. (2 marks)

 Gerardo

 Maka Keita

10) Fairtrade helps to protect the environment. (1 mark)

True X False .
 PROFESSIONAL ENGLISH II
UNIT II: Globalization in Economy and Communication

Video available:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PLKTGWH398Q