Exploitation in the Food System

I remember reading about child labor exploitation in cocoa farms for Nestle in the Ivory Coast.  I looked it up again and found that not only Nestle, but Hershey and Mars have also been linked to this. There are many countries around the world that have a big problem of poverty and hunger. Yet, these countries or people (most commonly indigenous) are the ones that produce our food found in the shelves of our supermarkets and favorite restaurants; products of exploitation, in most cases.  

So why is it that these people including children are being deprived of their basic rights, needs, and the payment that they rightfully deserve?  These corporations are worth billions but these types of problems exist which are not really heard of in the American media.  The government, not only from the U.S but also from other countries, seem to turn a blind eye allowing this type of exploitation to go on.  This is not only found in other countries, but it is a major problem here as well.

We have the power to demand a change in how the market works, but we seem to do the exact opposite.  We demand foods that are seasonal all year round and continue to support corporations that are exploitative.

There is a lot to say and discuss about the underlying issues regarding exploitation in the food system along with global hunger and how many of your favorite foods are the source of someone else’s abuse, but this space is too small for it, so I hope someone can write about this.  I don’t know what solutions for labor exploitation in the food system is or if there is any. It doesn't make sense that those producing our foods don’t even have food themselves.