Widdersdorf churches bring light into the autumn darkness with fair fruit!

Widdersdorf churches bring light into the autumn darkness with fair fruit!

Not only is nature thriving in Widdersdorf, but also awareness of fair trade practices. The ecumenical environmental group “Laudatosi” from the Catholic parish of St. Francis and the Protestant parish of Ichthys has joined forces over the last two years to order organically and fairly produced fruit directly from small farmers in Rosarno, Calabria, Italy. This commitment not only aims to bring delicious fruits such as oranges, tangerines, lemons, kiwis and avocados to the plates of Cologne residents, but also to give local small farmers a fair chance. The Kölner Stadt-Anzeiger reports that ksta.de highlights the initiative as a response to the difficult market conditions for these farmers.

Other Cologne communities and initiatives are also behind this sustainable project, including the Protestant parish of Cologne-Klettenberg and the Solidarity Agriculture Widdersdorf (SoLaWi) with its “Gemüsekoop”. Gisela Theis, presbyter of the Widdersdorf Evangelical Community, ordered twice this year: once in spring and once in autumn. In total, almost 1.7 tons of healthy fruit were delivered to the SoLaWi barn. This is done not only to meet one's own needs, but also to send an important message of humanity and justice.

The challenges of small farmers

The situation for many small farmers in Italy is anything but rosy. According to domradio.de, they often receive prices that are far too low from large supermarket chains, which means that they cannot cover their production costs. At the same time, many of the harvest workers in Calabria are refugees from Africa, often without valid work papers. They have to live in miserable conditions, often on plantations under plastic tarpaulins, and only earn between 35 and 40 euros per day.

In order to meet these challenges, the SOS Rosarno initiative is committed to improving working conditions for migrants. Through direct marketing to consumer associations, the middleman is bypassed, which helps small farmers achieve fair prices. This initiative ensures that workers receive a minimum wage, have social security and find decent accommodation. “The House of Dignity” is one such project that not only offers living space, but also trauma therapy for the affected harvest workers.

The vision of light in the autumn darkness

People in Widdersdorf are proud to be part of this positive change. The selling price of 3.50 euros per kilo of oranges ensures that part of the money goes into a donation account that is used to support initiatives in Calabria. The price of 2.80 euros per kilo benefits the farmers, while the difference helps to improve the living conditions of the workers. At this point the connection between consumption and social responsibility becomes particularly clear.

The initiative not only brings fresh fruit to the plates of Cologne residents, it also brings hope and light into the autumn darkness. So anyone who wants to do something good is invited to join sustainable and fair trade in order to not only make themselves happy, but also others. A good knack for fair taste – that is the motto of the Widdersdorf churches and their partners.