In the documentary Black Gold, he explains the story of Ethiopian coffee farmers struggling to get higher prices for their coffee beans. Ethiopia is the largest coffee producer in Africa and accounts for 67 percent of Ethiopia's export revenue. With over 15 million people depending on coffee cultivation and production to survive. Throughout the film, the director of the Oromia Coffee Growers Cooperative Union, Tadesse Meskela, recounts their battle for their rights. a higher salary. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why violent video games should not be banned”?Get the original essayTadese's goal is to eliminate middlemen in the coffee production chain, because at that point, the Green coffee will have passed through several channels: processing, import, roasting, packaging/distribution, retail. The farmer receives the smallest percentage of income in this process. Since Ethiopia is so dependent on coffee, most citizens were born into coffee-farming families. and have very little chance of escape. They are forced to become coffee farmers and remain stuck in poverty. Coffee beans create a unique production economy, making it extremely dependent on Western businesses and consumers. Compared to other countries where farmers receive government subsidies, Ethiopian coffee farmers do not benefit. So, slight price fluctuations will greatly affect local farmers. Many interrelated factors have created these unequal global trade relationships. Many of them have links to colonial and postcolonial relations. Through their social, economic and political policies, Western countries have forced developing countries to remain dependent on them for their survival. In international organizations such as the World Trade Organization, developing countries are not able to make their voices and problems heard. The World Trade Organization sets the rules for global trade, but it is dominated by the largest and richest developed countries. These negotiations are taking place behind closed doors and the small delegations have lost. It is essential that consumers know the situation of farmers. While large multinational corporations and middlemen profit from coffee production, the farmers themselves receive almost nothing. Consumers need to be aware and demand fair trade products. Fair trade coffee beans are labeled and available in most grocery stores. Keep in mind: this is just a sample. Get a personalized article from our expert writers now. Get a Custom Essay In the age of increased globalization, it is important to be aware of how we impact the lives of others and how we impact the planet. When we go to Starbucks and buy that steaming cup of coffee, we don't see the human lives that were put into that cup. We don't see coffee bean farmers praying for good weather. We don't see women picking coffee beans for less than a dollar a day. We don't see their children who are hungry. We only see the coffee in our cup and we are satisfied.