Fair Trade: An alternative economic model

Globalization. Its supporters say it's opening up world markets to producers from Montreal to Maputo. Its detractors claim globalization does little more than allow producers to acquire their goods from developing countries by exploiting desperately poor people.

But there's a growing movement dedicated to making sure that producers in developing countries are paid a fair price for the goods we consume.

Called fair trade, it's a strategy for poverty alleviation and sustainable development. Its purpose is to create opportunities for producers who have been disadvantaged or marginalized by the traditional economic model.