AGROECOLOGY

Objectives:

Establishment and management of "model integrated farms" that promote productive diversification and integration.

• Support for the creation of micro enterprises, the majority of which are managed by women, for the production of eggs, chicken, fried plantains, tilapias and raising hogs.
• Support for the marketing of local products.

INTEGRAL FARMS

These are farms with a defined physical space that can vary in size and that permit the development of diverse farming activities, where they promote the process of integrating different components of the production system, seeking maximum energy use and minimum waste generation, creating the least dependence on external elements for productive processes, with collective work by the family as the main foundation.

This esablishment of integral farms includes a process of analysis and planning with the family members, since the main element for their successful functioning is for the family to be integrated and fulfill the roles required in the management of different components of the farm's production system. This allows for one to be motivated to produce and conserve available resources to satisfy the needs of the family and consumers with high-quality, healthy products. Another fundamental element is for the family nucleus to realize that an integral farm is not only a production model, but a way of life that requires a change of mentality from the productive point of view; it requires training in subjects that allow one to overcome the various difficulties that the management of this productive model represent.

Under these practices one seeks soil conservation, increasing biological activity and fertility, to avoid and reduce pollution and improve the quality of life for the rural families. It becomes essential to structure the marketing channels of different farm products so that the system produces the income necessary to satisfy the family's needs.

CLEAN TECHNOLOGIES:

BIODIGESTORS:

Allow the management of animal waste in an appropriate way and avoid contamination of the environment and water resources in the area.

LIVING FENCES:

Reduce the demand for wood, generate food for animals, improve the fertility of the soil and currently they can be incorporated in the category of payment for environmental services.    

DIVERSIFICATION OF PRODUCTIVE ACTIVITIES:

Allow the development of options for families to generate income by the sale of the farm's production and increase food security (organic pineapple, chile, egg production).

TRAINING

Training is provided to farmers in production aspects as well as in accounting management with the aim of the farmers achieving better control over the production activities that they develop on their farms, and to clearly understand the benefits generated by what they produce, what they sell and what they consume of their production.

DEVELOPMENT OF ALTERNATIVE MARKETS

Due to the great quantity and variety of products, we take care to find alternative markets, promoting processes such as farmers' markets in Puerto Viejo and Cahuita, where these high-quality organic products are offered at fair prices. In addition we support improvements in product presentation.