Banana split game

The banana <strong>split</strong> <strong>Banana</strong> worker 0.5p Plantation owner 2.5p Shipper 2p Importer and ripener 3.5p Supermarket buyer 6.5p TOTAL 15p* * Representative figures. The <strong>split</strong> differs slightly between countries, and between big and small plantations. Supermarket prices also differ. 5. Discussion prompts: Is their cut of the money fair? Why do they think the banana money is <strong>split</strong> like this? Who loses out most in the banana <strong>split</strong>? Now discuss why bananas are so cheap in our shops – from 15p to as low as 11p each (UK apples typically cost around 20p – and they don’t have to travel so far.) Explain that supermarkets compete over how cheap they can make really popular products like bananas. They do this even if they lose money on them, just to get shoppers through the door (“loss leaders”). Why might supermarkets sell bananas at less than they paid for them? How do you think they make up that loss? What do low prices mean for banana farmers and workers? What about shoppers? ROUND TWO: Making bananas fair 1. New roles: Hand out the Round Two role cards. Give pupils a few minutes to read their new stories and prepare their arguments. The ‘not sure’ roles can decide which way to go, or leave this till the debate. Frank the Shipper has now become a Shopper/Dad, (shipping costs stay the same whether bananas are fairly traded or not). 2. Shall we switch? Have the teams present their arguments, and hold a negotiating round over whether to switch to Fairtrade. Is it in everyone’s interest? The teacher can play an antagonist role here if needed, arguing against Fairtrade to keep things lively. You could bring different teams into the debate at different points depending on how it is going – the worker and shopper for example can try to push the others to switch. 3. Discussion prompts: If the class switched to Fairtrade, who was hardest to persuade? If teams couldn’t agree, how do you think this reflects real life? How is Fairtrade a better choice? What choices is Frank the Shopper making about how to spend his money, and what does being a global neighbour mean in this context? What other Fairtrade items can we buy? [Coffee, tea, chocolate, flowers, sugar, cotton – and gold!] Explain that they are going to try and debate a possible switch to Fairtrade Standards at Daniel’s banana plantation.

Background notes for teachers Fairtrade bananas – how it works One in three bananas in the UK are Fairtrade – that’s 1.2 billion bananas each year. The Fairtrade Foundation works with people in the banana business to make sure that 22,000 plantation owners and workers are getting a fair deal, in West Africa, South-East Asia, the Caribbean and Latin America. People sometimes ask what the ‘banana <strong>split</strong>’ is for a Fairtrade banana, to compare with the costs in this <strong>game</strong>. But for a number of reasons, it’s complicated to compare. The amount a Fairtrade banana farmer gets varies from one place to another, depending on local costs. There’s also a difference in how profits are shared from bananas exported from small farms or large plantations. Producers may not actually make more profit per banana, but they do benefit from better conditions instead. Fairtrade products typically used to cost a little more for consumers, to reflect higher wages, but this is no longer always so. In the case of bananas, some supermarkets are selling loose Fairtrade bananas as cheaply as standard ones due to intense competition between supermarket chains over prices. This creates serious problems at the heart of the banana business. <strong>Banana</strong>s are being sold at a much cheaper price by supermarkets while the cost of producing bananas is increasing, making it harder and harder for people who grow our bananas to make a living. The discussion with pupils will focus on fairness, on conditions for workers, and on our role as global neighbours. Too often in poor countries, workers are exploited, operate in unsafe conditions and do not earn enough to meet their basic needs. Fairtrade helps banana farmers and workers build a more stable future by offering three important advantages: 1. A minimum price The amount producers get for their bananas often goes up and down, but for Fairtrade producers it will never go below a certain price. This means the producers can plan ahead, whatever the cost in the supermarkets. 2. A top-up (Fairtrade Premium) Producers receive a top-up per box of bananas, which they must use to invest in their business or give to their workers for community projects. An extra dollar per box builds up to buy a school block for workers’ children, a clinic or a clean water facility. (E.g. if a small farm of 1.3 hectares produces 67 boxes of bananas per week, that’s $67, about £55 a week.) For plantation workers, some of this can be used for cash payments. 3. Good working conditions (Fairtrade Standards) For workers on larger plantations, Fairtrade Standards help improve working conditions and protect workers’ rights. This means people stay safe at work, can join a union, and get a living wage. Find out more cafod.org.uk fairtrade.org.uk bananalink.org.uk Adapted from a <strong>game</strong> originally published by Christian Aid. Data correct as of January 2017. Illustrator: Garry Lambert. Charity no. 1160384 and a company limited by guarantee no. 9387398.