For the Association of Small Scale Producers of Talamanca (APPTA) the challenge of bringing sustainable commercial growth goes hand-in-hand with the conservation of indigenous cultural richness and the benefits of the ecosystem. This Costa Rican organization has been functioning in Talamanca since 1987, a privileged, and at the same time, challenging location given that 55% of its area constitutes national parks whose biodiversity has been categorized as the fourth largest in the world. In addition, 31% of its area is an indigenous reserve and its cultural richness is in stark contrast to a poverty rate of 40% amongst the population.

APPTA is certified FLO and incorporates producers from the southern Caribbean of Costa Rica and northwest of Panama. The members include native Bribris and Cabecares, of mestizo and Afro Caribbean descent and a female membership of over 35%. The association currently supplies a variety of organic products to the Fairtrade market, led by cocoa, dried and puree banana, and tropical fruit pulps like araza, star fruit and cas.

More than 1200 families benefit from the work undertaken by APPTA in 36 communities of the area. APPTA producers work with agricultural practices which in addition to improving their income and quality of life, favor the conservation and rational use of natural resources. The ecological production system practiced by its members includes the planting of a diverse range of woods, fruits, medicinal plants and shrubs, all under the umbrella of cocoa production. This sustainable production practice, in stark contrast to mono-cultivation practices, helps to reduce erosion, diminishes carbon production, facilitates water resources, preserves bio-diversity and reduces the pressure on forests.

In the typical Talamancan farm you will find plantain, banana, corn, beans, rice, farm animals among others. APPTA estimates that the production coming from this diversity amounts to approximately $ 2500 per farm per year, which represents about 70% of its annual income. This, although it lessens the dependence on export sales, places great importance on the business capacity of the organization to maintain, and indeed improve, the cash income of its members.

The dynamics developed by APPTA combine the production and processing of organic products with training and with selling both in regional and international markets. These efforts and processes require not only the dedication of its technical and administrative personnel, but above all, the commitment and constant communication of the Board of Directors with the members. The Board of Directors constantly visits each member community with the aim of giving the appropriate follow-up and supporting their work. This has been facilitated in part by using part of the Fairtrade premium to cover the costs associated with the visits to the communities.

During 2006 the Fairtrade Premium benefitted indigenous communities in Boca Uren, Dururpe, Katsi and Namu Woki through the purchase of a tractor which facilitates the transport of products and diminishes post harvesting damage. Walter Rodríguez, Manager of APPTA, explains that due to the wide geographic spread of the communities, the transport of product in some cases is “on shoulders” for up to 4 hours walk.

Believing that the impact of its work will be greater in the context of a common platform, APPTA also is involved in national and international networks involving indigenous communities, other Fairtrade producers, processors, state organizations, NGOs amongst others. An example of such networking is, that since 2005, young people from four communities have had access for the first time to secondary education thanks to the purchase of land in Yorkin with the Fairtrade premium. The government and the community then played their part by setting up a Telesecondary College in the community of Yorkin.

Talamanca is a clear example of how the community is the force behind Fairtrade, a key element in achieving a sustainable development which involves prioritizing access to business opportunities for producers and, through these commercial opportunities, forge their own development.

Although the principal advantage of the productive ecological system is protection of the environment, the low volume production of the principal products and the wide range of products in each farm are the challenge APPTA faces to continue strengthening its commercial structure via the competitive differentiation and value added of its products. Juanita Baltodano, President of the Association, sums this challenge up: “You can’t think about protecting the environment on an empty stomach. To achieve conservation without hunger, and development without destruction is truly a challenge”.

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Copyright (C) 2007 Alain Georgette / Copyright (C) 2006 Frantisek Hliva. All rights reserved.