Celebrating Fairtrade in Boise

Farming has never been easy, and, frankly, it’s not getting any easier with climate change–but Francisco Contreras and Carlixta Contreras Martínez will not be deterred. Both siblings are cocoa farmers with FUNDOPO (Dominican Foundation of Organic Farmers) in the Dominican Republic, and they love what they do. Carlixta has her own farm. Francisco has his own farm. But they regularly help each other. And they also jointly cultivate a plot that they inherited from their parents where cacao trees grow in a grove among almond trees.

We asked the siblings what their favorite aspects of their work were. Francisco named that he finds great satisfaction in pruning his cacao trees: “That’s when I see my real work, and say, ‘Wow this is my real business!’ That’s the work that really sustains me. I like the struggle of tending cocoa, that feeling of accomplishment makes me proud.”

As for Carlixta? She says, “My favorite moment in the farming process is when we harvest it and make our money! [Laughing] You know, the money we use to survive on this earth.”

She said it with a chuckle, but Carlixta makes an important point–making money as a commodity farmer is no small feat. Commodities are deeply embedded within the investment world, and their prices vacillate with market speculation. This variability can make it incredibly difficult for farmers to reliably cover their cost of production, let alone invest in their future. That’s why the Fairtrade Minimum Price is so important. It’s a price floor that is informed by the average cost of sustainable production, and it can provide critical financial stability to farmers amid a broader reality of market volatility. Francisco shares, “I have my family, I pay all my expenses, and [farming] is my only job. And I’ve been able to manage.”

But covering costs isn’t the same as investing in long-term social, economic and environmental sustainability. That’s where the Fairtrade Premium comes in. FUNDOPO members have used their Fairtrade Premium funds to finance crucial community investments like the construction of an aqueduct.

Carlixta explains, “Before we got that aqueduct we had to go to a river on horseback [for water] to wash, and we had to walk about 15km [over 9 miles] to get drinking water.” Now, more than 20 families have potable water piped directly to their homes. This infrastructure brings a tremendous savings of time and a newfound ease to tasks like cooking, washing laundry and bathing. It has also eliminated the costly alternative of paying expensive tanker trucks to deliver water to their neighborhood.

Farming in a changing climate

Farmers like Carlixta and Francisco–who only gained access to piped water in their homes in 2020–did not cause climate change. Yet they are the ones who are already feeling the brunt of it. Francisco notes, “Because of the changing weather, which is where we are mainly affected by climate change, production can be spoiled by up to 40, 50, even more than 60%. When the summer is too hot, and there’s not enough rain, the cocoa pods cannot fully develop because there’s not enough balance between heat and rain.”

The future of cocoa holds many uncertainties. One thing you can count on? Francisco remains committed to cocoa farming. We asked him if he had a message for US consumers. He responded, “We are not going to let you down, and we’ll continue to improve the quality of our production however possible and keep moving forward.”

We are blown away by Carlixta and Francisco’s dedication to growing top-notch cocoa despite all the obstacles. So, we’ve decided to partner with local artist Bobby Gaytan to put up a mural that portrays the siblings on the wall of Boise Co-op Market in Meridian, ID–where you can find Navitas Organics Fairtrade cacao products for sale. And where does Navitas source their Fairtrade cacao from? FUNDOPO–where Carlixta and Francisco are cooperative members.

Bobby Gaytan is a former seasonal migrant farmworker who moved every year with his family from South Texas, to Michigan, and then to Idaho chasing the crop fields. During his time in Texas he started admiring street art and began sketching his own urban landscapes. He received a BFA in Graphic Design from Boise State University in 2001 and started working for the Bureau of Reclamation as an illustrator shortly after. He owns a creative company called Blakbook Pages where he works on commissioned projects that include murals and illustrations. He is a community activist, and his passion is geared towards helping youth achieve their goals through creativity, hard work, and dedication. He currently serves as an Arts Commissioner for the city of Meridian.

Boise Co-op Market  is a community-owned, natural foods market committed to nurturing every body in their community without compromise. They offer responsibly sourced products and prioritize quality, ethics, sustainability, accessibility, and care in everything they do.