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ALTERNATIVE DEVELOPMENT:
PROJECTS

Area:

 Alternative Development

Project Name:

 Rehabilitation and Modernization of Organic Banana Production in Bolivia for the Export Market Transitional Phase 

Start date /Duration:

 6 months (June 1- November 30, 2004)

Location:

 Alto Beni (Chulumani, Irapana, Yanacachi and Palos Blancos)

Beneficiaries:

 500 families

Participating Institutions:

 International Network for the Improvement of Banana and Plantain (INIBAP) and the Vice-Ministry of Alternative Development of Bolivia (VIMDESALT)

Budget:

 US$ 540,000

Donors:

 Bureau for International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL)

Project Description:

The overall goal of the project is to dissuade the people of the region from engaging in illicit activities, migrating to coca fields in search of economic opportunities, or engaging in illegal activities in the Yungas - Alto Beni region in Bolivia. The idea is to create legitimate income-generating activities and infrastructure in the zone. 
The specific objective of this project is to improve the existing banana plantations in Alto Beni, Bolivia, with the aim of exporting organically grown banana to local, regional, national and international markets.  Existing farmers organizations are to be strengthened and/or new ones created in order to secure the technical, economic and social sustainability of the project.

This transitional stage will focus on four areas in order to secure the sustainability of the project: The first is to strengthen and achieve sustainability of the marketing company,  Bana Beni. This will be achieve through gaining independence from the project’s funds, maintaining positive profits, expanding markets and optimizing managerial processes and the use of resources. The second is to consolidate regional markets in Chile and Peru and diversify markets and export opportunities to include DOLE International and the International Fair Trade Organization. The third is to use applied research in matters of fertilization and Black Sigatoka. Finally, the project aims to improve and maintain the quality of bananas.

 

Objectives:
–Strength Bana Beni, through the streamlining of administrative and managerial functions (The funds for this will come from the project’s  gains, not from CICAD funds).
–Secure/open regional markets in Chile and consolidate markets in Peru to diversify opportunities. Export opportunities will also be considered including DOLE International and Fair Trade Organizations.
–Applied research in fertilization and the control of Black Sigatoka to reduce banana losses/spoils and increase production.
–Improve and sustain the quality of banana for export markets.
–Development of agroindustry products such as dry banana, plantain chips, banana flour cookies and handicrafts made with banana peel to diversify income. This will provide an alternative/complementary  source of income in case of road blocks or protests.

Links:

Executors: INIBAP