At From the Field, we think about trade a bit differently. That is because we learned about trade in a different way: by first working at the farmer level for over two years as Peace Corps Environment volunteers in Madagascar, experiencing hands-on vanilla cultivation and curing.

During this time, we also had many long conversations with farmers and families about how they imagined better trade systems. It is from these ideas and conversations that we developed our FTF trade model. It includes empowering local communities to have more control over their livelihoods. It includes fostering more direct feedback between the people using vanilla and the farmers who produce it.

Overall, we take a long-term, personal approach to trade relationships, and we are continuously inspired by seeing what a real difference such a model can make.