Many innovations can boost the agricultural production of small-scale farmers. However, in order to actually transform food systems, changes in trade systems are also needed. Farmers in developing countries struggle when competing with subsidized products from developed countries. From 1986 to 2007, the OECD countries averaged an annual support to their own farmers equivalent to 31% of the value of their agricultural production. Many countries in recent years have revised their form of subsidies from direct hand-outs to support being dependent on environmental performance. Nevertheless, a massive 601 billion US dollars were transferred to agricultural producers each year across 49 countries measured by the OECD in the period 2012-2014. These subsidies in wealthy countries depress the prices in developing markets and discourage local production. At the same time, high that is to say, on the order of 50%, tariffs on agricultural products are common both in North-South, and South-South trade. This makes it even more difficult for developing countries to break the patterns of trade. Inspired by these trade asymmetries, the company Fairtrade has been established as an alternative approach to conventional trade. Fairtrade is an organisation with a label that signals that the producers and consumers have formed a partnership. In Costa Rica, the first Fairtrade-labeled coffee producer was the cooperative CooCafé. Their coffee roaster is located on the outskirts of San José. From there, manager Susana Chacón Bustos introduces us to what she sees as the greatest benefits of Fairtrade: If we weren't certified trade, it would be really difficult to be able to sell coffee at a good price, especially, as the recent global prices are really low prices. Of course, the things you do now are not always going to have success, but no matter what there are the same bills to pay. Instead at Fairtrade, we have a base price that makes us able to compete, which then means that the producer will receive the prize that he really deserves for his work. CooCafé consists of 7 smaller cooperatives located in all different parts of Costa Rica with a total of 3000 smallholders producing many different kinds of coffee. For these farmers, the most important thing with Fairtrade is not only that the price is better than when they sell conventionally, but also that there is a stable minimum price. This makes it easier to plan ahead: Coffee is, what we call, a commodity. That is to say that the price of the product here is based on what the New York Stock Exchange indicates. Today, the New York Stock Exchange indicates that the price of coffee is very low. Thanks to Fairtrade, we can establish a minimum of 160 cents per pound. Currently, it's only 100 in the New York Stock Exchange, and so having that minimum base price allows us to be stronger and more helpful to the producer, because then we can sell the coffee at a much higher price and much better depending on the quality. And, Costa Rican coffee deserves it and has a good price, which we then return to the producer. Because, in the end, we only want to be a benefit to the producer. Any surplus CooCafé makes is reinvested in the farmers, so that the production becomes more sustainable and profitable. CooCafé works for Fairtrade. Everything we do is is really for Fairtrade, and that's because it has brought many benefits to our cooperatives, For example, one of them is the purchase of a small hydroelectric system for the wet stage of processing. So now, electricity bills are much lower, because they take advantage of the water. But also, seeing how the producers live in remote areas, because some are poor, their children have to walk far to go to school or college, a foundation has been set up to help the families. We also have many coffee seedling projects, which the cooperative helps make and then give those to farmers so they can increase their productivity with some more resistant plants. Then, with the increase of productivity, more coffee will be sold at good prices thanks to Fairtrade and the benefits will repeat themselves. The two foundations Hijo del Campo and Café Forestal are financed by the Fairtrade income of CooCafé. The first foundation helps children of farmers get a better education, and the second invests in climate adaptation on their farms. Better knowledge and green investments are exactly what small-scale farmers need in order to sustainably boost their production.