Fair trade is a potentially tremendous development tool aimed at alleviating poverty based on the motto “trade not aid”. It is estimated that in 2011, the total number of farmers and workers participating in certified fair trade reached 1.2 million. This success has been achieved by encouraging the involvement of non-traditional fair trade actors such as corporations and supermarkets. Although positive in terms of growth, this strategy has brought new practices that ultimately question the ability of fair trade to keep delivering on its core promises. This called for a thorough assessment of the impacts of fair trade, its strengths and weaknesses.
