COCOA farmers from Africa are heading to Oxford to reveal why Fairtrade products are so important to their lives.

Harriet Boatemaa and Fatima Ali will discuss how being part of the Kuapa Kokoo cooperative in Ghana has improved conditions for farmers in their home country.

The visit is part of Fairtrade Fortnight, which runs until March 13.

Oxford became a Fairtrade city on March 5, 2004.

The aim was to help the Fairtrade Foundation tackle poverty by giving disadvantaged producers from poor countries a better deal.

Ms Boatemaa, 27, and Ms Ali, 29, will speak at a Fairtrade Fair in Oxford Town Hall on March 8, which starts at 10am and features a host of Fairtrade producers.

Their visit has been organised by Divine Chocolate, a firm which is part-owned by 45,000 cocoa farmers in the African country, and the Midcounties Co-operative.

Spokesman Rosanna Mayhew said: “Harriet has a seven-acre farm and is aspiring to be the youngest National President of the Kuapa Kokoo Farmers’ Union.

“Fatima is the youngest National Executive Committee member that Kuapa Kokoo has ever had.

“She is also president of her district society and has a five-acre farm.

“Farmers who belong to Kuapa Kokoo take their slogan ‘the best of the best’ very seriously, and they will be pleased ambassadors are coming to the UK to tell their story.

“The Fairtrade mark shows that ingredients have been sourced under internationally agreed Fairtrade terms and conditions.

“These include a guaranteed minimum price, an extra payment for farmers to invest in community programmes, long-term trading contracts and decent health and safety conditions.”

Oxford’s first fully Fairtrade store, Fairtrade at St Michaels at the Northgate was launched in the city centre in November 2003.

It has five people working as directors of a co-operative, with representatives from a number of Oxford churches sitting on the board.

As part of Fairtrade Fortnight, the store will be helping to collect bunting which will be wrapped around various Oxford landmarks on March 12.

Clare Matthews, one of the managers, said: “Fairtrade is a beautifully simple way for someone to help improve the lives of farmers and producers in developing countries.

“All it takes is a slight change in shopping choices to make a real difference.”

This year’s Fairtrade Fortnight slogan is Show Off your Label, which urges people to be proud of their support.

For more information about Fairtrade events in Oxford during the two-week event, visit oxfairtrade.wordpress.com