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Trade can be an engine for poverty reduction, but only if the rules work to benefit poor people and developing countries. Oxfam is working to influence agreements on trade and investment rules so that they take into account the asymmetries in development that exist between rich and poor countries. In this way, trade could provide better opportunities for poor people to make a decent living, gain access to affordable health care, and enjoy basic human rights.

Oxfam is advocating a new trade policy that spreads the benefits of trade in developing countries by placing development at its core.

OXFAMExchange Winter 2009
These are extraordinary times
Working together to end poverty and injustice
An overview of Oxfam America and our approach to poverty relief and lasting social change.
Oxfam in Central America, Mexico, and the Caribbean
All across this diverse and beautiful territory, new faces of leadership are emerging. Women, rural communities, and small farmers are adding their voices to the political dialogue, calling on their governments: Hear us now.
OXFAMExchange Spring 2006
Challenging Injustice
Oxfam in South America
To their government officials and to the corporations who want to exploit their lands and natural resources, the indigenous and rural people of South America have a simple, yet important message: "We are here."
OXFAMExchange Winter 2005
Come Together: Building a movement to overcome poverty and change the world
OXFAMExchange Fall 2002
What's in your coffee? Oxfam's coffee campaign. Plus Afghanistan, Make Trade Fair campaign, and the Hopi people's struggle for clean, safe drinking water.
OXFAMExchange Spring 2002
Oxfam launches the Make Trade Fair campaign
More publications
What Happened at the G20?
Initial analysis of the London summit
Ending the R&D Crisis in Public Health
Square pegs in round holes
How the Farm Bill squanders chances for a pro-development trade deal
Shut Out
How US farm programs fail minority farmers
Impacts of Reductions in US Cotton Subsidies on West African Cotton Producers
The World is Still Waiting
Broken G8 promises are costing millions of lives
All Costs, No Benefits
How TRIPS-plus intellectual property rules in the US-Jordan FTA affect access to medicines
Signing Away the Future
How trade and investment agreements between rich and poor countries undermine development
Pricing Farmers Out of Cotton
The cost of World Bank reforms in Mali
How Does the USDA Farm Bill Proposal Measure Up?
Oxfam America Testimony on US Trade Agenda
Seeking Common Grounds
Oxfam's proposed reforms of the International Coffee Agreement
Fairness in the Fields
A vision for the 2007 Farm Bill
Patents versus Patients
Five years after the Doha Declaration
Song of the Sirens
Why the US–Andean FTAs undermine sustainable development and regional integration
Grounds for Change
Market volatility and declining terms of trade, along with inadequate access to infrastructure, financial resources, and market information, put sustainable livelihoods out of reach for millions of rural families.
A Recipe for Disaster
Will the Doha Round fail to deliver for development?
Public Health at Risk
A US Free Trade Agreement could threaten access to medicines in Thailand
What happened in Hong Kong?
Initial analysis of the WTO Ministerial, December 2005
Fish Trade, Food, and Income Security
An overview of the constraints and barriers faced by small-scale fishers, farmers, and traders in the Lower Mekong Basin
Blood on the Floor
How the rich countries have squeezed development out of the WTO Doha negotiations
Truth or Consequences
Why the EU and the US must reform their subsidies or pay the price
Africa and the Doha Round
Fighting to keep development alive
Congressional Testimony: The Implementation of DR-CAFTA
The Coffee Crisis Continues
The new Oxfam report assesses the current state of the coffee crisis and calls on the US government to help coffee farmers take full advantage of improved market conditions.
Kicking Down the Door
The new Oxfam report highlights the inequities in global trade policies and calls for meaningful attention to development issues in ongoing trade negotiations.
A Raw Deal for Rice Under DR-CAFTA
Finding the Moral Fiber
In the briefing paper Finding the Moral Fiber: Why Reform Is Urgently Needed for a Fair Cotton Trade, Oxfam calls for a timetable for the elimination of all trade-distorting cotton subsidies.
Like Machines in the Fields
Workers without rights in American agriculture
Investing in Destruction: Glamis Gold
From Cancun to Miami
The FTAA Threat to Development in the Hemisphere
Mugged: Poverty in Your Coffee Cup
In this report, Oxfam calls for the major players in the coffee industry to support a Coffee Rescue Plan to overcome the current crisis and create a more stable market.
Cultivating Poverty
The impact of US cotton subsidies on Africa
More research
Oxfam America Organizing Guide
Tips for taking action in your community
Oxfam America House Party Guide
Tools for hosting a high-impact event
Take Action: Global Food Crisis
Already 854 million people on our planet suffer from hunger. Now, as food prices climb high and fast, conditions are becoming worse and threatening the well-being of millions more people.
More tools for activists
Thank you from Oxfam and Ethiopian coffee farmers
Starbucks and Ethiopia finalized a trademark agreement, ending their dispute and bringing both sides together in partnership to help Ethiopian farmers.
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Looking to Sacha Inchi for their future

Looking to Sacha Inchi for their future

How indigenous farmers are growing an ancient plant that promises to bring new opportunities—and money—to the central Amazonian jungle.

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WTO Development Round fails, but Make Trade Fair campaign continues

WTO Development Round fails, but Make Trade Fair campaign continues

Rich countries fall short of promise, but must now contend with worldwide community demanding fairer trade.

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Coffee growers earn a better price, protect the environment

Coffee growers earn a better price, protect the environment

Oxfam America invests in eco-friendly coffee processing, and helps farmers grow a world-class crop.

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Tadesse Meskela helps connect consumers and Ethiopian coffee growers

Tadesse Meskela helps connect consumers and Ethiopian coffee growers

Market factors cut coffee farmers out of their fair share of profit for a commodity that's worth an estimated $80 billion a year in retail sales.

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Starbucks campaign: Anatomy of a win

Starbucks campaign: Anatomy of a win

How Oxfam and Ethiopian farmers coaxed a groundbreaking agreement out of Starbucks.

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Celebrate Fair Trade in your community

Celebrate Fair Trade in your community

Check out these resources for bringing Fair Trade products and crafts to your community.

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"Black Gold" illustrates coffee farmers' plight

"Black Gold" illustrates coffee farmers' plight

Documentary film tells the story through Oxfam's Ethiopian partner.

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An Ethiopian coffee advocate speaks

An Ethiopian coffee advocate speaks

Keynote Address from the United Students for Fair Trade Convergence 2006 in Denver, Colorado

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A new resource for students and teachers on coffee, communities, and conservation

A new resource for students and teachers on coffee, communities, and conservation

Oxfam America collaborated with the Community Agroecology Network (CAN) to publish the "Field Study Handbook: Guide to Internships in Coffee-Producing Communities."

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Small scale coffee farmers make headway in new international coffee charter

Small scale coffee farmers make headway in new international coffee charter

After long period of negotiations, a successful conclusion.

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Cotton farmers get organized

Cotton farmers get organized

Small farmers in Mozambique mobilize for greater control of the cotton production chain.

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Ethiopians, North American roasters move forward with trademark initiative

Ethiopians, North American roasters move forward with trademark initiative

In second meeting in three months, two sides discuss how to implement Ethiopia's control of its coffee brands.

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Fixing up the land, little by little

Fixing up the land, little by little

Farmer Lucas Izapo says it could take three or four more years to recover his land. Part III of III

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Coffee cooperatives still rebuilding after Stan

Coffee cooperatives still rebuilding after Stan

How Guatamalan coffee cooperatives are recovering from heavy rains. Part I of III

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"We emerged from the crisis, and then came Stan"

"We emerged from the crisis, and then came Stan"

Just as coffee growers started to emerge from the coffee-price crisis, rains from hurricane Stan hit. Part two of a three-part series.

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Ethiopian farmers meet with importers and roasters

Ethiopian farmers meet with importers and roasters

In Addis Ababa, both sides discuss how Ethiopian farmers can gain more control over their coffee names, and get a bigger share of the profits.

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A simple guide to patents and trademarks

A simple guide to patents and trademarks

Patents and trademarks—otherwise known as IP (intellectual property)—and why it is so important for poor countries.

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Ethiopian coffee farmers show commitment to trademark initiative

Ethiopian coffee farmers show commitment to trademark initiative

Hundreds turn out and ask Starbucks to respect their rights.

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Access to medicines means access to life

Access to medicines means access to life

During a US tour, Thai activists explain how a trade agreement could limit access to affordable HIV and AIDS drugs.

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New fair trade company takes on the top bananas with Oxfam's support

New fair trade company takes on the top bananas with Oxfam's support

Tropical fruit importer has a simple mission: improve the lives of poor banana farmers and workers.

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"The" Trade Debate

"The" Trade Debate

DR-CAFTA became a symbolic debate about free trade in the Americas—and the world.

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Resistance in Central America

Resistance in Central America

Central Americans worked hard to change the content of DR-CAFTA, as well as the way it was being negotiated.

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Partners in Central America and US unite to fight DR-CAFTA

Partners in Central America and US unite to fight DR-CAFTA

Oxfam America supports groups in North and South, which participate in lobby visits and farmer exchanges.

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Oxfam America president to Congress: Vote 'No' on US-Peru FTA

Oxfam America president to Congress: Vote 'No' on US-Peru FTA

Agreement would be bad for farmers, access to medicines, and sustainable development.

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Interview: Victor Campos

Interview: Victor Campos

Victor Campos, 46, a civil engineer specializing in environmental issues, works for Centro Alexandro Von Humboldt, an Oxfam partner from Nicaragua.

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Interview: Mario Rodriguez

Interview: Mario Rodriguez

Mario Rodriguez, 40, an economist specializing in intellectual property, works for CIDECA, an Oxfam partner in Guatemala.

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A popular campaign

A popular campaign

US-based activists played a significant role in forcing Congress to examine the merits of DR-CAFTA.

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Coffee farmers demand role in international organization

Coffee farmers demand role in international organization

Small growers seek help from ICO to resolve economic problems of rising debt and lower prices for their product.

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Cambodian rice farmers go organic

Cambodian rice farmers go organic

As health food's popularity grows, an Oxfam partner in Cambodia establishes the first certified organic rice mill in the country.

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Coffee farmers' determination inspires action

Coffee farmers' determination inspires action

Despite challenges, coffee campaign manager finds reasons for hope.

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Losing the family farm

Losing the family farm

During US tour, Thai farmers warn Americans what's at stake if the US-Thai Free Trade Agreement is approved.

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During second leg of US tour, Coldplay campaigns to Make Trade Fair

During second leg of US tour, Coldplay campaigns to Make Trade Fair

Coldplay and Oxfam America promote awareness of trade rules that keep millions of farmers in poverty.

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Keeping the drumbeat on development

Keeping the drumbeat on development

Through the Big Noise petition, more than 17.8 million signatures strong, Oxfam campaigners built up pressure before the WTO meeting in Hong Kong.

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Keeping our commitments

Keeping our commitments

Raymond C. Offenheiser, president of Oxfam America, describes what was at stake at the December '06 WTO meeting in Hong Kong.

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G8 pledge just the beginning

G8 pledge just the beginning

Oxfam, ONE campaign will continue to push to Make Poverty History.

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Notes from the Big Show

Notes from the Big Show

Oxfam America's Gawain Kripke traveled to Hong Kong for the World Trade Organization's meeting in December.

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Farmers in the US speak out

Farmers in the US speak out

Farmers in the US and Central America had similar concerns about DR-CAFTA.

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"An energizing experience"

"An energizing experience"

Sharing this experience with some of the most impassioned and successful activists from across the United States refueled my own activist energy.

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Interview: Jose Angel Tolentino

Interview: Jose Angel Tolentino

Jose Angel Tolentino, 43, an economist specializing in international trade, works for FUNDE, an Oxfam partner in El Salvador.

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