As Fairtrade fortnight kicks off we ask what it means to the average consumer. Is it a much-needed payment guarantee to farmers in developing countries, or a well-intentioned initiative that is missing its mark?

I used to think it was great and the initiatives were really helping. But recently I talked to a number of friends from South Africa who have been all over Africa, and their view is very different. They say that forming "fairtrade co-operatives" actually disadvantages independent farmers, because they have to either become part of the co-operative (which may not be accepting new members!) or be unable to trade. Those who don't own any land or farms and depend on working on corporate-owned farms also have no benefit from fairtrade.

These friends of mine used to work as missionaries in the poorest communities and they told me a story... one community they were working with depended on hand-outs of reject milk powder from the nearby Nestle factory, but when regulators cracked down on Nestle and stipulated it was "unethical" that milk that wasn't fit for selling was being given to people, they had to stop doing that and the result was that people in that community starved, some to death.

I don't know, now. I buy fairtrade when I can, but I don't actively seek it out any more.