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Report 2 (of 6): Banana Public - Costa Rica
Introduction
For the residents of the Talamanca region in Costa Rica, the traditional methods of producing cocoa – their main source of income – used to have one major drawback: cacao was a mono-culture. And in 1979 what everyone feared happened: cacao became infected with a fast-spreading fungal disease which virtually eliminated the local agriculture economy. Farmers were forced to clear the land to raise cattle, cut the trees for timber, and introduce intensive farming methods to produce short cycle cash crops.
Recognising that this would only lead to the destruction of the region, a local initiative re-introduced indigenous techniques, diversified farming and developed ecotourism to conserve the environment and protect livelihoods. It has been so successful that it has been awarded a UN Equator Initiative Award.
Talamanca lies in the south-east of Costa Rica, bordered by Panama and the Caribbean. It is the country's poorest region in socio-economic terms and the richest area in terms of biodiversity and tropical forest ecosystems. Stretching from the highest point in the country to sea level, the 3000-square-kilometre region is home to 35,000 people and to many plant and animal species that are found nowhere else in the world. The area that straddles Costa Rica and Panama, La Amistad International Park, was declared a World Heritage Site in 1983.
Yet Costa Rica has one of the highest deforestation rates in the world. Tropical rainforests maintain almost all their nutrients in the trees and animals, unlike temperate forests where much of the nutrient wealth is in the soil. Consequently, when a forest is cleared almost all the nutrients are lost and the original forests cannot be regenerated.
To stop tree harvesting and selling of land a local NGO, Asociación ANAI, and later another two organisations, the Association of Small Producers of Talamanca (APPTA) and the Talamanca Caribbean Biological Corridor (CBTC) came up with an initiative to encourage farmers to put into practice methods that both conserved the environment and generated income.
The Talamanca Initiative
Known as the Talamanca Initiative, these three partner organisations, each with its own programme and specific objectives, share the common goal of improving the quality of life in Talamanca through the preservation and environmentally ethical use of its outstanding biodiversity and unique ecosystems. A common core belief is that the key to conservation and sustainable development is the successful management of these issues by the local people. It is based on five core principles:
- No inherent contradiction exists between economic development and environmental conservation. If communities and nations are to thrive, development and conservation must take place together.
- The best stewards of the tropical lowlands are the campesinos (local people from rural lands) and Indian farmers who have dedicated their lives to these lands.
- All natural tropical areas that are not protected will be radically altered during our lifetime. We must work to protect these areas and preserve their biodiversity for future generations to enjoy.
- The natural forest and other unique primary ecosystems are Talamanca's most economically valuable asset in the long term.
- A successful strategy to address these issues must successfully integrate environmental, social, economic and organisational needs.
These principles guide the planning processes and are applied in the daily practical work.
Finding Suitable Farming Methods
The first step was to find an alternative to cocoa as a source of income. Talamancan farmers knew that diversification was the answer to sustaining their livelihoods, as it protects both the crops and families from disease, but the problem was how. The region is characterised by a humid tropical climate with frequent torrential rainfall, steep slopes and limited infrastructure.
ANAI's vision was to minimise destructive practices by establishing diversified agroforestry systems which would not only mimic the function of the natural forest (as does traditional cocoa farming) but also produce enough income from a small area to enable each farmer to preserve a portion of natural forest. This combination of agroforestry and natural forest would also provide for the sustainable harvest of wood or other products such as medicinal plants, for watershed protection, tourism and the farm family's own recreation.
ANAI began by planting crops on their experimental farm in 1980, eventually planting more than 150 species of fruit, nut and spice crops that they identified from the world's lowland rainforest areas as having potential to be integrated into Talamanca's small farm systems. This included bananas and many types of fruit trees which are not commonly known such as araza, sapoti and jackfruit.
Using the information gathered during the crop trials, ANAI helped local farmers establish tree nurseries in every community of Talamanca, an innovative approach that allowed the distribution of the new crops and new varieties of cocoa to communities far from the nearest road.
Bananas proved to be one of the main crops
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Galvanising Community Movement
ANAI learned early in the process that most people and communities had little experience in coming together in groups to make decisions and solve problems, so the nurseries became a focal point for completing work, learning about crops and allowing the community to work together. Large numbers of people became engaged because participation resulted in tangible and intangible benefits for them and their families.
ANAI's leadership helped to catalyse the formation of multiple grassroots organisations. Over three years, ANAI met weekly with farmers from each community, and monthly with representatives from all the communities, designing a regional programme to address sustainable development and conservation issues. This eventually led to the formation of grassroots organisations including APPTA, an association of farmers; CBTC; Finca Educativa, a regional training centre; and the community savings and loan groups. The ensuing practical activities created a culture of collective work which had far-reaching positive impacts.
The initiative now involves the collaboration and co-operation of more than 20 grassroots organisations, 1500 families, small producers and Costa Rica's Ministry of the Environment and Energy. Participants include men and women of all the social and ethnic groups of the southern Caribbean region of Costa Rica, including Afro-Caribbean, indigenous, and mestizo peoples.
Between 1985 and 1990, more than 2 million cash crops, food crops and trees for timber were planted on the region's family farms, creating a larger and much more diverse resource base. The variety of plants and trees mimicked the variety in natural forests and so helped to support biological diversity – a key to sustaining insect life and allowing the surrounding forest to thrive.
Commercialising Crop Diversification
To make crop diversification economically viable APPTA developed local processing infrastructure and marketing strategies. Markets were secured by applying for and receiving fair trade and organic certification from internationally recognised organisations. ANAI:
- Identified the potential for growing and marketing organically grown crops
- Found and developed markets, locally and worldwide
- Helped to establish the first organic certification programme for small farmers in Costa Rica, and arranged for certification of the first 500 farms
- Assured the continuation of the organic certification process by facilitating the creation of ANAO (National Organic Agriculture Association.
This approach has been so successful that over 1000 farmers have established organic agro-ecosystems, combining commercial crops with food security strategies. APPTA has become the largest volume producer and exporter of organic products in Central America, generating an annual income of US$500,000 to date, which is channelled into the local economy through a large number of family farmers. In fact, demand for organic cacao has outgrown supply, so the programme is being expanded to neighbouring countries to meet demand.
Training and Education
In 1991, a locally run regional training centre (Finca Educativa), known as the Educational Farm, was established in the Talamanca Indigenous Reserve. It was constructed by the people who use it and is managed by a local board of directors and executive committee. It serves over 2000 people per year, providing courses and workshops in agriculture, health, appropriate technology, conservation – for example, the concept of endangered species, reforestation, and the relationship of individual animal species with their habitat. Leadership training programmes have focused on empowering local people to function as community leaders, and this has served, among other things, to strengthen community-based organisations. Environmental education in local primary schools has been undertaken since the early 1990s.
As a result of the high participation, the Talamancan people have an exceptional awareness and interest in the environmental issues that challenge the region.
Forestry
To conserve the forest and avoid the extraction of logs at the lowest negotiable price, the initiative developed low-impact operations that would produce a value-added product in the community. In addition, they:
- Purchased land as a last resort to save land from immediate deforestation
- Provided legal assistance in matters ranging from resolution of land tenure disputes to enforcement of forestry and wildlife laws
- Replanted native species
- Developed management plans.
Members of ASACODE, a local group which focuses on sustainable forestry, are all trained to develop management plans for selective sustainable logging, navigate the complex permitting process, harvest trees so as to minimise damage, extract logs using animal traction (water buffalo), and process the wood at their own sawmill. Unlike conventional loggers, ASACODE members also consider conservation needs and alternative options, such as non-traditional forest products or ecotourism. As a testament to the success of their work, the farms being managed by ASACODE were recently certified as meeting all the criteria for sustainability set out by SMART WOOD, an international certification agency for sustainable forestry. ASACODE are now concentrating on forest management and ecotourism.
| Talamanca Marine Turtle Conservation Programme
The nesting sea turtles have appeal for tourists. For years, people took sea turtle eggs from nests and sold them throughout Costa Rica, a tradition that has had a serious impact on the endangered reptiles. Virtually all the sea turtle eggs were being lost to poachers and domestic animals.
The Talamanca Marine Turtle Conservation Programme started in 1992. ANAI worked with the local community to design and implement a new approach, which both protects the turtles and provides income. Traditional conservation measures, which attempt to protect turtles and their eggs, are normally undermined by locals incensed at losing an important source of income. This problem affects most of the world's turtle beaches and in Talamanca the community initially resisted limitations on their access to the eggs. To address this, it was necessary to:
- Create better economic alternatives that are dependent on the conservation of the sea turtles
- Educate, train and empower the community
- Patrol the beach nightly to protect eggs from poachers from outside of the community.
Now sea turtle conservation has become an economic motor for the local community, generating six times more income than was previously generated from the harvesting and selling of turtle eggs, through the provision of services to the project volunteers and ecotourists. It has brought stability back to the endangered turtle populations; losses are less than 5 per cent and local people are strong supporters of the research and conservation programmes that have made this possible. The model is being shared throughout Central America and the Caribbean. |
Developing Ecotourism
Costa Rica had been exploited in the past by businesses and entrepreneurs that developed the land for tourism with little regard for the environment or the local people. In contrast, the Talamanca Initiative recognised the potential to draw further income into the region by developing a sustainable ecotourism market.
The growth of tourism in Talamanca has exploded since 1985 and has been recognised as a double edged sword, representing both destructive elements and opportunities. Therefore, the emphasis has been placed on proper planning and management of activities by local people.
The early work of two ecotourism lodges informed and guided ecotourism activities by other groups. The pioneers demonstrated that locally controlled ecotourism can make their organisations stronger and more sustainable.
In 1998, 17 associations and businesses formed a network to facilitate close organisational relations, product development, information and idea sharing, training, collaborative planning, production of promotional media, and participation in ecotourism fairs.
There are now five ecotourism lodges, which are all owned and managed by community organisations. The revenue earned goes directly to the families in the community who have set up small family businesses.
The tangible benefits from conservation have been an essential part of the process of developing support for conservation among the rural poor. Recently the Talamanca Network decided to create a conservation fund, into which they will contribute a percentage of all ecotourism income. In the community of Manzanillo, within the Gandoca Manzanillo National Wildlife Refuge, the local people were almost completely opposed to its creation in 1985, and initially struggled to be able to finish deforesting their portion of the Refuge, a process which began when a road to Manzanillo was constructed in 1984. Now, almost everyone is an avid defender of the Wildlife Refuge in particular and biodiversity conservation in general, because the community's greatly improved livelihoods revolve around nature tourism.
Where Next?
The Talamanca Initiative has achieved some extraordinary outcomes over the last twenty years., only some of which are mentioned in this report. This is a living example of how conservation can improve the local economy and quality of life. Many people are actively creating a better present and future. They have taken responsibility for maintaining a healthy environment, strong local organisations, local economic stability, and respect for the different cultures that thrive in Talamanca. The current generation have grown up knowing how to respect the environment, meeting their economic needs while developing in harmony with nature and society.
People have made a commitment that is not limited by time or funding and they will continue to share their success with others. The initiative aims to consolidate what has been achieved. They have specific strategic objectives to increase widespread adoption of sustainable development initiatives, consolidate the Talamanca-Caribbean Biological Corridor, strengthen grassroots organisations and promote integration of conservation and development in other areas through sharing of their experiences. This will be done through programmes that are carried out in close collaboration with Talamanca's people and their organisations.
Acknowledgements
ITDG would like to thank ANAI and the UN Equator Initiative for providing information and helping to produce this case study.
Further Information:
Hands On
Series 2:
From the
Farm;
Food Works;
Pepa
da Oro - Ecuador
Series 3:
The
Equator Initiative – Pure Gene-eous
Series 4:
The Equator Show ANAI is a Costa Rican non-profit association, founded in 1978, dedicated to uniting biodiversity conservation and equitable socio-economic development that improves the lives of both current and future generations.
Postal Address: Apdo 170-2070, Sabanilla, Costa Rica.
Tel: (506) 224 3570
Fax: (506) 253 7524
E-mail: anaicr@racsa.co.cr
Website: www.anaicr.org/
APPTA is a farmers' co-operative and a regional level community-based organisation, whose members are indigenous, campesino, and black Caribbean farmers.
Tel: 506 751 0158
Email: apptager@racsa.co.cr
Postal Address – see ANAI
CBTC is a consortium of indigenous and other community-based organisations, with the Costa Rican government's Ministry of the Environment as a non-voting member.
Contact through ANAI.
The Agricultural Biodiversity Coalition promotes and encourages the sustainable and equitable use of agricultural biodiversity for local food and livelihood security.
http://www.ukabc.org/
Eco-Index Lists further facts about the project
http://www.eco-index.org/search/results.cfm?ProjectID=368
United Nations Development Programme - The Equator Initiative
http://www.undp.org/equatorinitiative/
The World Conservation Union Is a union of governments, NGOs and scientists who aim 'to influence, encourage and assist societies throughout the world to conserve the integrity and diversity of nature and to ensure that any use of natural resources is equitable and ecologically sustainable.'
http://www.iucn.org/
Rue Mauverney 28
Gland 1196
Switzerland
Tel: +41 (22) 999-0000
Fax: +41 (22) 999-0002
E-mail: mail@hq.iucn.org
Press release of the creation of the Moheli Marine Park
http://www.iucn.org/info_and_news/press/mohelinp.pdf
Participatory Approaches to Planning for Community Forestry
FAO and Theo M.P. Oltheten
US$32, FAO, 1995
The community toolbox. The idea, methods and tools for participatory assessment, monitoring and evaluation in community forestry
D. Davis Case, T. Grove, C. Apted
US$19, FAO, 2001, ISBN: 9252044159
This title can be bought from the FAO or EarthPrint
Collaborative management of forests for conservation and development
J. Fisher
US$12, WWF, 1995, ISBN: 2-8317-0277-1
Explores various approaches to forest management, including community forestry and joint forest management as well as those concerned with protected areas. Covers key issues of theory and implementation and methodologies for implementation.
Participatory techniques for community forestry: A field manual
W.J. Jackson and A.W. Ingles
US$18, IUCN, 1998, ISBN: 2-8317-0384-0
Provides a wealth of practical tools and methods for field workers who work with local communities in developing collaborative management of forests. While the manual focuses on participatory techniques for community forests in Nepal, many of the techniques can be readily applied to other forms of collaborative natural resource management
The International Ecotourism Society provides a wide range of information on aspects of ecotourism. There is also an online bookshop with a variety of publications.
http://www.ecotourism.org/
733 15th St NW, Suite 1000
Washington DC 25005-2112
USA
Tel: +202 347 9203
Fax: +202 387 7915
E-mail: ecomail@ecotourism.org
The World Tourism Organisation is an inter-governmental body entrusted by the United Nations towards the promotion and development of tourism. It gives general information on tourism. There is also a bookstore.
http://www.world-tourism.org/
Books from ITDG Publishing :
Ecotourism and Sustainable Development
Martha Honey
£18.95, Island Press, 1999, ISBN: 1559635827
Ecotourism: An Introduction
David A. Fennel
£18.99, Routledge, 1999, ISBN: 0415201683
The UNEP's website contains information about the concept of ecotourism and its use as a sustainable development tool.
Ecotourism: Principles, Practices & Policies for Sustainability
This can be downloaded for free on the internet.
(www.uneptie.org/pc/tourism/library/ecotourism.htm)
US$15, UNEP, 2002, ISBN: 9280720643
The book can also be bought from UNEP or EarthPrint.
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