WASHINGTON, D.C., July 8, 2025 – Americans can peek into worlds they likely would never see through two video series filmed by small-scale farmers and shared on Fairtrade America’s social media channels.

The video series, filmed by Felix Tetteh, a 27-year-old cocoa farmer from Ghana, and Ana Polo Aguilar, a 35-year-old banana farmer from Ecuador, provide a rare look at the hard work and long journey it takes to make chocolate and bananas appear in grocery stores in the U.S.

• Watch all videos featuring Tetteh on this YouTube playlist
• Watch all videos featuring Polo Aguilar on this YouTube playlist

Most Americans are far removed from the origins of their food. According to 2022 data from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, on-farm employment made up about 1% of 22.1 million jobs in agriculture, food and related industries. And Americans’ widespread access to the Internet, smartphones and computers means grocery shopping can be completed in just a few clicks.

However, whether Americans realize it or not, climate change is affecting their groceries – both in terms of price and the amount of product available. In 2024, cocoa and coffee shortages caused by shifting weather patterns caused commodity prices to skyrocket to record highs, resulting in higher retail prices for shoppers in 2025. And, recent research from Christian Aid predicted that 60% of the areas best suited for growing bananas could be lost by 2080. Many cocoa and banana farms are producing less and, gradually, the dual challenges of climate change and decades of damaging agricultural practices will result in less land suited for farming.

Tetteh’s and Polo Aguilar’s farms are certified by Fairtrade, which means that they implement practices that foster sustainability on their land and within their communities. In return, their cooperatives can market and sell their product as Fairtrade, an alternative form of trade where they receive a set Minimum Price and Premium for their goods that helps stabilize their livelihoods and businesses. They also have greater access to resources, like agricultural inputs and professional development trainings, through their affiliation with Fairtrade.

As a profession, farming has always carried significant risk, but the shifting weather patterns driven by climate change are making it even more uncertain. This, in combination with a long history of exploitation at the hands of powerful food corporations and greater awareness of and access to other career options, is making younger generations turn away from farming. This is a problem because research from the past decade shows that the average age of small-scale farmers who grow most of the world’s cocoa, coffee and bananas is somewhere between 50 and 60 years old. Anecdotally, people in these rural, farming communities worry there will not be enough farmers in younger generations to meet the world’s demand.

Fairtrade America aims to raise awareness of the threats small-scale farmers and our access to food face by sharing Tetteh’s and Polo Aguilar’s stories. Broader recognition of and appreciation for the hard work that goes into our food can help create a fairer, more sustainable future for us all.

Americans who want to help promote fair trade can:

• Follow Fairtrade America on YouTube and Instagram
• Re-post Tetteh’s and Polo Aguilar’s videos on their own social media accounts
• Choose products with the Fairtrade Mark when grocery shopping

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Notes to Editors:

Raw video files, static images, and bios available on Google Drive.

Tetteh and Polo Aguilar can be reached for interviews. Scheduling needs may vary.

Press Contact:

Liz Davis, [email protected]

About Fairtrade America: 

Fairtrade America works to rebalance trade, making it a system rooted in partnership and mutual respect rather than exploitation. It's about businesses, shoppers, farmers and workers all working together so we can all experience the benefits of trade. Fairtrade America is the U.S. branch of Fairtrade International, the original and global leader in fair trade certification with more than 30 years of experience working for fair trading practices in more than 30 countries across the globe. A non-profit 501(c)3 organization, Fairtrade America is part of the world's largest and most recognized fair trade certification program —part of a global movement for change. Learn more at fairtradeamerica.org, and by connecting with Fairtrade America on Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn.