THE First Minister went to see how Wales is promoting Fair Trade in Uganda yesterday.

Carwyn Jones visited the Gumutindo Fairtrade Coffee Cooperative, which was created to improve coffee quality on Mount Elgon and to provide better trade conditions for producers in the area.

The cooperative, which has received support from the Welsh Government’s Wales for Africa scheme through Fair Trade Wales, has developed significantly since its launch.

It now has around 9000 farmer members and has built the reputation of Mount Elgon coffee, shipping it worldwide.

Mr Jones met staff at the Gumutindo Tree Nursery. The cooperative is one of the four tree planting members of the successful Million Trees project.

Run by environmental charity, Size of Wales, and supported by the Welsh Government, Million Trees aims to plant one million trees in Mbale – a highly deforested area of Uganda.

He said: “Becoming the very first Fair Trade Nation was a huge moment for Wales. Our commitment to better prices, decent working conditions, local sustainability, and fair terms of trade for farmers and workers, is improving living standards for individuals and families and helping to protect the environment.”

Mr Jones also saw the effects of Bees for Development, a Monmouth based organisation, which aims to help poor people to earn through beekeeping.