Green Week 2017. Fair living conditions, fair consumers, fair trade

Until 29 January, a special exhibition by Germany’s Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) showcases how a world without hunger is possible with fair trade and innovation.

‘Fair living conditions, fair consumers, fair trade’ – this is the theme of the special exhibition by Germany’s Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) at this year’s International Green Week in Berlin. Also taking part is the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH alongside many other BMZ partners. The joint exhibition in Hall 5.2 showcases how a world without hunger is possible with fair trade and innovation.

Germany’s Development Minister, Dr Gerd Müller, opened the exhibition on 20 January. ‘Together with our development experts around the world, we are working towards socially and ecologically fair production models for food and clothing. By this means, we are enabling our partner countries to take great steps forward in their development, securing the future of the people at the start of the production chain, and making a major contribution to environmental and climate protection. The progress we have made here is impressive. From our green innovation centres to the textile alliance, we are living proof that fairness opens up more possibilities and that every single one of us can contribute in our own way.’

Visitors to GIZ’s stand can find out more about sustainably farmed cocoa, cashew nuts and moringa. As Christoph Meier, Vice-Chair of the GIZ Management Board, explains, ‘Most of the world’s poor live in rural areas. If we make this our starting point, we can achieve the biggest impact. With sustainable farming and in-country downstream processing, we will not only improve the food status of the rural population but will promote economic development.’

Between 2010 and 2015 alone, GIZ has helped put an end to hunger and malnutrition for some eleven million people. At its stand, GIZ informs visitors of the support it has provided to cashew farmers in Africa on behalf of the German Government, and how this has improved cashew cropping and marketing and greatly increased farmers’ income. To date, these measures have benefited more than 400,000 smallholders, enabling them to raise their net cashew-based income by around USD 160 – with some farmers now earning twice what they did before.

GIZ’s stand also features its activities in the cocoa and moringa sectors. The moringa tree has many uses and plays a key part in food security in Burkina Faso, Togo and Benin. Added to a morning meal or to any kind of sauce, the powder obtained from its dried leaves is a great source of protein – as people can find out for themselves at the stand where, in addition to fairly traded chocolate and cashew nuts, they can also sample a moringa smoothie.