Driven primarily by consumer demand, the fair-trade movement is gaining popularity - as well as mainstream market share.

Chris Martin of the band Coldplay describes himself as a 'third-rate Bono' - a celebrity-turned activist, following in the footsteps of U2's lead singer, who campaigns for trade justice, debt relief and increased development aid when he's not making music. Martin's particular cause is using his fame to promote fair trade - the selling of products that provide a decent return to poor producers in the developing world. He has visited small farmers in Ghana and Haiti and, not unnaturally, says he would sooner talk about the issue in interviews than 'the colour of my socks'.

The fair-trade movement provides a straightforward, practical way for customers to support ethical trading practices with their wallets. Driven primarily by consumer demand, the movement is gaining popularity - and mainstream market share - for high-quality goods produced through ethical payment and working conditions. Fair-trade teas, coffees, chocolate and other foods are now stocked by large supermarket chains as well as speciality shops around the world. Ethically traded clothing, jewellery, gifts, arts and home furnishings can be bought from fair-trade companies, non-profit organizations and online from the producers themselves. Music lovers can even purchase CDs and concert DVDs from a fair-trade media company that guarantees at least half the revenue to the developing-country artists who recorded them.

By paying above market rates, the movement shields Southern producers from volatile market prices and allows them to cover their costs, support their households and reinvest in their communities. Many fair-trade buyers' groups also provide vocational training for producers and their families and fund local development projects.While fair trade economically enfranchises individual farmers and artisans, the growing trade-justice movement aims to reform the rules and institutions governing world trade. Globalization has encouraged economic integration: the World Trade Organization (WTO) records that global trade volume grew by 9 per cent last year and was worth over $9 trillion.

Trade barriers
When countries are able to compete freely for business, international trade can benefit everyone. But rich countries often protect their own industries from outside competition by subsidizing them or placing restrictions and tariffs on imports. Poor countries trying to export to Northern markets face average trade barriers four times higher than those applied when rich countries trade with each other. The barriers rise higher the more goods are processed, limiting poor countries to exporting raw commodities rather than more profitable value-added goods.

Low-income countries account for just 3 per cent of world trade, though they have more than 40 per cent of the world's population. By contrast, just seven nations (the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Italy and Japan), with one tenth the world's population, account for half of all exports collectively.

According to Oxfam's Make Trade Fair campaign, 128 million people would be lifted out of poverty if Africa, East Asia, South Asia and Latin America were able to increase their share of world exports by just 1 per cent each. In Africa alone, this 1 per cent increase would generate $70 billion - five times what the continent receives in aid.

People pressure
Pressure for change is now mounting as never before, as people across the world are putting pressure on governments, corporations and consumers in developed and developing countries. Rock stars and politicians, business people, grassroots campaigners and students have all joined the fight against poverty. They believe they can make a difference, whether by volunteering with non-governmental organizations, addressing heads of state, hosting rallies and charity fundraisers or simply introducing the issues with their families and friends. It is a huge task, but they are convinced that now is the time to tackle world poverty head-on, through fair and just trade.