Project News

In these communities, the sale of farm produce is generally done in a sporadic manner to other members of the community or to visitors. Therefore, the Project’s aim is to actively create more outside customers and to give aggregate value to the produce so that the groups can increase their income and achieve economic independence.

The traditional sales method, a community member sells cucumbers to a visitor. (April 2, 1009 in the Boqueron Arriba community)

Washing the produce, picking out the damaged ones and tying them in fixed amounts increases its value. (April 2, 2009 in the Boqueron Arriba community)

There are many ways to increase a product’s value, including the following:

An example of bagging and labeling the produce. (October 9, 2009 in the Salamanca community)

Using a sieve apparatus to remove heterogeneous substances from oregano. (October 22, 2009 during a seminar with lodging)

Making pickles serves a double purpose; it creates aggregate value and prolongs the storage life of the produce. (October 22, 2009 during a seminar with lodging)

Processing plantains to make stuffed pastry (“empanadas”) increases its unit price and also generates greater demand. (September 1, 2009 at the Quebrada Fea community)

In order that these activities don’t just remain as ideas for increasing their income, the Project plans to also assist the groups in identifying the costs involved in their operation and activities, (for example: the cost of obtaining the material used for making organic fertilizer or the cost of transporting produce for sale) and so that these ideas can be concretely implemented by the groups,

(Mr. Taku MORI, Farmland use plan / Environmental Education)