Skibbereen Fairtrade Town

The food festival season is at a height around now. Near us we have had Midleton Food Festival, and we look forward to Kinsale Gourmet Festival on October 7 & 8. But yesterday was the turn of Skibereen in West Cork to hold its food event, A whole week including an excellent conference on sustainable food production in Ireland. And the Fairtrade Town team were out on force showing off the new Wish4 Fairtrade snacks and confectionery in the open market.

People ask me about whether Fairtrade is better than buying local, or buying organic. And to me it seems these various important initiatives are all part of a move towards making sure we know what good food is, and where it comes from and how its paid for (including environmental costs !). So, unless we plan to grow sugar, coffee, oranges, and cotton here soon, or give up using them, Fairtrade is definitely a good option. Potatoes we can grow, and fatty foods we can give up, but a nice cup of tea and a snack bar with a Fairtrade guarentee should give us the best of all our worlds.