Fair trade and poverty alleviation

This dissertation is of a very high overall standard. Its main strengths are its coherent methodological framework, its extensive use and critical evaluation of literature and the quality of its analysis. The fair trade issue is treated perceptively, particularly in relation to the qualitative evaluation of the implications for fair-trade producers. There is also scholarly attention to detail. Much of the material is drawn from disparate sources that have not been generally juxtaposed in the existing literature. The dissertation therefore provides a distinctively different perspective on the issues. Andrew Harrison, Teesside University This paper analyses the impact of fair trade networks in promoting poverty alleviation in developing countries. One of the Millennium Development Goals by the United Nations aims to reduce global poverty by half until the year 2015. On that account, this study presents a critical evaluation of how participating in fair trade networks can facilitate sustainable economic, social and environmental development among small farmers in developing countries. The results of several impact studies are discussed in relation to national and international trade liberalization policies. It provides detailed information on the fair trade movement and their main organisations, its strengths and limitations within the free market. Using a variety of case studies and detailed information on the fair trade movement, this paper will appeal to students, practitioners and any conscious consumer.