The United Nations Sustainable Development Goal #1: End Poverty

SDG # 1 is “No Poverty: End poverty in all its forms everywhere.”

The first goal listed in the United Sustainable Development Goals is to end poverty. As one of seventeen different goals, it is clearly important to our creation of a better world.

End poverty is a lofty goal that might seem unattainable to individual investors, consumers, global citizens. But I can think of one simple way that each of us can begin to attack global poverty in our own lives.

Look for and buy FairTrade products whenever you can.

Eliminate Poverty through FairTrade

An effective way of reducing worldwide poverty is by helping small-scale food producers receive a fair price for the crops they grow. That is the goal of FairTrade, an organization with individual national chapters around the world.

After all, 780 million people live below the poverty line of $1.90 US a day (less than $2.50 CAD), and 80% of them live in rural areas and rely on agriculture for their livelihood.

FairTrade International tells us that “Small-scale farmers and workers are among the most marginalized by the global trade system.”

So, improving the income rural agriculture workers receive makes a real difference for our poorest and most vulnerable.

By looking for the FairTrade mark when you go shopping, you can help these small-scale producers get a fair, economically sustainable price for their products. Read more