Choosing and asking for Fairtrade is one way to ensure that farmers and workers in the developing world get a good deal.

Climate change, rising food and fuel costs and volatile markets mean they face an uncertain future, but we can help by buying products that ensure they are paid a fair rate, and have good working terms and conditions.

Fairtrade Fortnight, which runs until March 10, raises awareness and highlights work being done.

The theme this year is Go Further for Fairtrade, urging people to buy products, and sign a petition calling on Prime Minister David Cameron to champion a better deal for smallholder farmers at this year’s G8 meeting.

“It challenges groups and individuals to buy Fairtrade products such as coffee or bananas,” says Karen Palframan, chairman of Fairtrade Bradford.

“The fortnight is our annual opportunity to raise the profile of Fairtrade and explain how it helps to alleviate poverty in developing countries.”

Across the UK, sales of Fairtrade goods topped £1.5 billion last year – an increase of 19 per cent on the previous 12 months – and are rising.

Karen is delighted that this year Yorkshire became the first Fairtrade region in the UK. “Bradford Fairtrade zone has played its part in achieving that, along with all the other Fairtrade status towns, institutions and businesses,” she says.

Along with Bradford city, the zone includes the Fairtrade towns and villages of Bingley, Baildon, Shipley, Ilkley, Haworth, Burley-in-Wharfedale and Thornton. “We have the backing of Bradford Council and other town and parish councils.” Karen is pleased that the district is once again playing host to Fairtrade farmers, with a visit from Palestinian olive farmers Manal Abdallah and Abu Rafat. “The Fairtrade Foundation is actively trying to support farmers in areas affected by conflict and war, such as Palestine and Afghanistan,” Karen adds.

The olive farmers are visiting Keighley – where efforts are being made to bring Fairtrade status to the town – this morning for a Fairtrade breakfast at Central Hall, then the Treehouse Cafe, Great Horton Road at 6pm. Tomorrow they will meet staff and pupils at Ermysted’s School in Skipton.

The farmers represent the community interest organisation Zaytoun, which has created a UK market for artisan Palestinian produce.

Keighley resident Richard Dillon, who is among those working to bring Fairtrade status to the town, says the events will raise awareness of Fairtrade and what it represents.

Richard has met Keighley’s town centre manager Philip Smith and given a presentation to traders highlighting the advantages of stocking Fairtrade goods. “It not only benefits the communities producing the goods but helps to create a more sustainable food production system,” says Richard, who is is an elected member of the Co-operative Group, representing West Yorkshire at meetings.

The group is addressing many global issues, one being poverty. “It is one of the the Co-operative’s big social programmes,” he adds, “It starts from our own doorsteps, and stretches across the world, and part of that is Fairtrade – the Co-operative was one of the first supermarkets to support and implement Fairtrade foods.

“This year we are going further and working with many smallholder farms to bring them together so that they can pool their resources. For example, we have brought together a large number of Kenyan tea farmers and they are producing tea for the Co-operative.”

McMillan nurse Richard practices what he preaches. “I use a lot of Fairtrade goods, particularly coffee, tea and sugar, and I enjoy red wine.” He goes on to explain how Co-operative Fairtrade red wine enabled a community in Argentina to build a school. “Previously the children had to travel miles and board. Now they can study and stay at home.”

l Fairtrade Bradford is inviting schools to design and make olive or lemon trees from Fairtrade product packaging, with a view to exhibiting them in Bradford on World Fair Trade Day, May 11. For more information, contact Karen on 07703 778261. Photographs of the trees can also be e-mailed to the Fairtrade Foundation. To sign the petition, visit fairtrade.org.uk.