"A PRODUCTIVE ALTERNATIVE FOR A NEW BEGINNING: THE ORGANIC BANANA"

by Javier Bogantes of the Fundación Güilombé

Bananas have been a desired fruit since pre-colonial and during post-colonial periods. Both colonizers and colonized became interested in this tasty and nutritious fruit. For the indigenous populations of the tropical regions, it became an essential source of nutrition, both for them and for their animals; they cultivated it in their gardens in the midst of forests and they celebrated it in their fiestas processed as fermented "chicha". Colonizers and neo-colonizers were always interested in the commerce of this fruit; they brought and took diverse varieties from far away places. Bananas were understood as a business that reached the most aberrant and absurd situation in the enormous plantations esta-blished at the end of the last century by diverse North American companies. The banana monocultures were established in several countries of Latin America in regions inhabited by indigenous communities. Continuing with the policies of extermination employed against the indigenous communities of North America, the banana neocolonialists confronted these cultures. Supported by the go-vernments of the time, they violated all the possible forms of tranquility of these peoples, finally forcing them to flee from their land. When the monocultures were established, the biodiversity and natu-ral wealth of these regions disappeared. The enormous extensions of plantations became sources of conta-mination and social conflict. If it is true that the establishment of these production systems implied a considerable influx of currency and the creation of jobs, it is not possible to measure the environmental and social costs that the invasion of transnational banana companies caused these banana producing countries. What can be affirmed is that when one walks through any of these regions of Ecuador, Colombia or Costa Rica, one finds a poor and depressing environment, social and environmental deterioration, in those places where these monocultures have been established. In regions such as Apartado or Uraba in Colombia, Bocas de Toro in Panama, or in Valle de la Estrella in Costa Rica, one senses this depressed environment. When one looks with a conscience or with common sense, it is not necessary to carry out too many scientific studies to verify something that is evident: that the attack of agrotoxins which must be applied to these extensions of monocultures is unsustaina-ble. The effects on the watersheds and the deterioration of the soils allow us to understand the disastrous alteration of the ecosystems where these companies have established themselves. The knowledge of the beha-vior of Nature as a system, where all the diverse ecosystems are integrated permits us to deduce that these sources of contamination, these great banana plantations, can be affecting the surrounding ecosystems, among which the most affected are the aquatic ecosystems. In order to verify this, sometimes it is only necessary to converse with children, who tend to tell us stories of dead fish in the streams, shrimp that disappeared or strange odors in some of the pools where they can no longer bathe.

The Earth:

a living and sacred being Organic farming has become a fad. Within a short time politicians and opportunists began to use the discourse, without understanding its implications and principles. A false organic world is worse than a conventional one, because the problem of the corruption of these saving concepts is that all hope is lost regarding the possibility of changing our relationship with Nature. It is not exaggerated to say that organic farming is indispensable in order to achieve planetary sustainability. This is not only a technical agricultural system, but rather, it implies a transformation of the values that have prevailed regarding the relations among humans, and between these and Nature. In principle, it is necessary to change the attitude which considers that all other beings are there to be used at one’s will to satisfy one’s needs and greed. In this sense, we can comprehend the respect for the biodiversity of species and of cultures. It is necessary to reach a clear comprehension of the indigenous cosmogonical thoughts, based on the fundamental principle that the earth is a living and sacred being. This principle, in its technical application, will lead us to implement methods to avoid erosion, desertification and the sterility of the soil caused by over exploitation. If this change in attitude regar-ding the relation of human to the earth would extend to diverse labor and economic interrelations, it would be very possible to achieve not only a transformation in agriculture, but also one in urban settings, in all the aspects of infrastructure, and in the exploitation of mining resources. Another principle related to the transformation of this anthropocentric conception, is that of fraternity. A change in attitude, to relate to Nature and the rest of living beings in a respectful and selfish fashion, can apply to intergenerational relationships, those between genders, and with all people we relate to. For this reason is has been stated that it is of little use if organic farming is applied as an innovative technique, but with a conventional mentality. It would be, to paraphrase Erich Fromm, a correct means in the hands of incorrect persons. An element of great importance is, likewise, the concept of system, the understanding of the web that unites us in Nature, and the links that join the ecosystems. The understanding of these links strengthens our responsibility as actors in a system where everything is subtly related. It is in this sense that the application of a philosophy of the organic should not in any way promote a isolating process.

The models "of resistance"

Traditional agriculture comprehends the interrelations between the autochthonous cultures and Nature, amons. The cultivation techniques, nutrition, cosmovision and beliefs. Magical knowledge is that which guides the activities of human beingswith agriculture, hunting and health in many regions of the planet. This knowledge comes from the interaction with, and the profound observation of Nature. Traditional agriculture practiced by indigenous cultures, undoubtedly maintained sustainable styles of production and life ways until they were subjugated and forced to flee, assuming then life ways of resistance. They had to, in many cases, flee to the mountains which were not apt for agriculture, and renounce farming when confronted by enormous difficulties. That economy and agriculture of resistance continues to be practiced in many regions of Latin America. In Costa Rica, the indigenous cultures and some peasant and Afro-Caribbean communities continue applying these models of resistance. In the indigenous case, particularly among the Bribris, one should not forget two fundamental aspects: the first is that at the turn of the century they were forced to leave the valleys and retreat into the mountains. Even though later on they recovered their land when the banana companies pulled out, the degradation of the ecosystems was enormous. The process of recovery was exemplary, but still the Valley of Talamanca is extremely altered. The other aspect is that this population, and all the indigenous populations in general, live in demarcated territories, which with a growing population, are no longer sufficient. From an ecological point of view, and in relation to traditional cultivation techniques, problems begin to arise. For example, the traditional practice of slash and burn works well when land can be left to recover up to seven years, depending on the specific conditions. Currently, there are families with many children and very little land who cannot wait so long to finish the cycle of leaving the land to rest. This begins to have deleterious effects such as erosion, sedimentation of rivers and a diminished soil fertility. In such situations, organic farming can offer valuable possibilities, from a technical agricultural point of view, as well as from an economic and political perspective, because the perspective which the conventional system immediately offers is the package of agrotoxic inputs to counteract these problems. Likewise, plantation agriculture is proposed and conventional commerce, in which the farmers remain dependent on technicians, sellers of poison, and intermediaries. This has already occurred in Talamanca with plantains; in some regions these dangerous solutions have already been introduced. Organic farming offers more integral solutions, from which the priority is the recovery of soils by means of terraces against erosion, live barriers, the use of legumes, green manure, diversification of crops and the use of fertilizers produced in the communities, as well as other techniques.

A successful and risky experience

Under the conditions presen-ted in this article, the Fundacion Guilombe initiated a process of agroecological recovery of banana plantations. This process has been of great interest, because it has consisted in the practical integration of traditional systems along with diverse techniques of organic farming; we have also tried to achieve a model of commercialization that does not repeat the pitfalls of a market where those who most profit are the intermediaries. For this reason, we have created, along with several other persons of the community, the company called Ucanehu. It is a socialist entity in which the partners seek, above all, the greatest income for the producers and justice in the relations of exchange. Organic bananas are a pro-duct about which much is said lately. There is great interest on the part of consumers, and of course, on the part of producers. But this also implies a risk, by the fact that this system of production under forest cover cannot have an intense density of banana plants. It is also important for this system to maintain a great diversity of crops and have a management of soils that prevents the loss of nutrients. These principles become endangered when the success of the business begins to tempt avoiding conditions that are a priority in order to achieve a sustainable production and life. Developmentalist criteria in this system could seriously endanger what is expected, that it is a productive process which is profitable for the producers, while maintaining the forest cover, and protecting the aquifers and the fertility of soils. The possibility of entering a market that has always been dominated by the great entrepreneurs and transnational companies has also been considered of vital importance. Organic bananas should be managed with criteria that are even more strict than those employed with organic coffee and other products, specially because of the sensitivity of the tropical ecosystems, the great precipitation that in many cases surpasses 4000 millimeters a year, and the special conditions of the tropical soils which easily tend to lose fertility. Moreover, it is important that what has occurred with the certification of coffee does not occur with bananas. With coffee, the certification only sees what occurs on the farm, but does not regulate the contamination of the rivers caused by the processing plants. In this sense, great care should be taken with the use of fortuitous products, such as houselines or other implements used in the process.

From utopia to practice

We have passed from utopia to practice. There are now many producers, technicians, entrepreneurs, professionals, magicians and musicians that participate in this process. The actions expand and it is just a matter of time, for people to recognize the grave consequences the use of agrotoxins promoted by the Green Revolution has had on the health of humanity and the planet. Today, the same ones who filled their pockets producing agrochemicals, invest hundreds of millions of dollars in the new Biotechnological Revolution; it is also said that the problems of feeding the world will be solved, and that the efficiency of the fight against pests will increase. In this way Shell, Ciba-Geigy and Sandoz are preparing to become the owners of the germplasm of the countries of the South. They have established themselves in several of these countries and take advantage of institutions and diverse research organizations that sell or simply hand the genetic heritage of our countries and of humanity over to them. In 1987, Henk Hobbelink, a Dutch agronomist of GRAIN (Genetic Resources Action International), who has studied the matter and fought to counteract this new and enormous business of the transnational companies, told us: "The most preoccupying thing is that these companies have the opportunity to combine their leadership in plant production with their dominant position in the production of pesticides. The future of agricultural development in the South is threatened." Organic farming is not a technique; it forms part of the vital field of humanity, agriculture, but also in the art of what is possible. With this policy, and together with the environmental, indigenous and alternative movements, important struggles are defined against the patenting of germplasm, for justice in commerce, for the revitalization of soils, for biodiversity as the heritage of humanity without it belonging to transnational companies or private enterprise. It is with intercultural communication, with agricultural practices, and with the comprehension of being able to see what is seen, as Moreliano Augusto expressed, that this agriculture of today and tomorrow will expand and correct the errors committed against Mother Earth.

THE RECOLLECTIONS OF MORELIANO AUGUSTO

Moreliano Augusto tells that bananas are a solar fruit. that the plant harvests the light of the sun and moon like no other plant. For this reason its fruit are yellow like the rays of sun and sweet like the honey of "chiquiz ". Moreliano Augusto is a man of 80 years, indigenous Bribri, who lives in the Tain¡ Reserve, in the mountains that are behind a plantation of 3,500 hectares of the Standard Fruit Company, in the Valley of la Estrella. He recalls how before, the indigenous people only consumed the primitive banana called "golden fingers". And in the midst of the interrelations, the conflicts and recovery of lands that the United Fruit Company abandoned after the pest outbreaks, floods and diseases sent forth by the Us‚kares, or spiritual doctors, the variety called Gros Michel planted by the company is what remained. These plantations were almost exterminated by Panama disease. Gros Michel was replaced by Cavendish, but was attacked by a disease called Yellow Sigatoka. Since then, the banana companies have used great quantities of poisons to maintain their plantations. Moreliano Augusto never understood the practices of the banana companies in those regions of Talamanca. He recalls how he saw hundreds of thousands of trees cut down with chain-saws and axes. How they deviated the course of rivers, how he sensed the arrival of poisons and smelled the beginning of contamination. The evil of the sikua, or White Man, was warned by his fathers and grandfathers. At first he was forbidden from going down to the plantations. With time he came nearer in order to learn, and today he tells us how he saw the evil of the sikua expand through the land, the rivers, the subterranean waters, and even through the blood of men. The poison he smelled without knowing what it was when he crossed the devastated fields when he went to fish in the sea, today has expanded (according to the Bribri cosmovision, which is not far from the modern conceptions of the flow of systems) through all the entrails of the earth. The chimuri (banana in the Bribri language) is currently an essential source of nutrition for the indigenous and peasant communities. It is an important food for the diet of pigs. The Gros Michel banana was maintained in the agroecological systems of the indigenous cultures. Under the shade of trees and among the cacao plants, the Panama disease was controlled, with a traditional management that clearly understands the way of harvesting the light of the sun and moon, of which Moreliano tells. Two totally different systems were established in a specific geographical region, but they never converged: the monoculture, promoted by the values that have lead us to the socio-environmental planetary crisis (expansion, competitiveness, and production), and a traditional indigenous system of production, cha-racterized by a sustainable style of production and life, and based on values of respect for Nature and other living beings.

A DEEP GAZE

Moreliano Augusto simplifies discourse by gazing, gazing deeply at the soil of his farm. After asking me if I saw what he saw, again he asked me, as if speaking to the trees, "How is it possible that the sikuas still do not recognize that the soil is alive, and like all living beings, it can cry or be happy?" This world vision is the framework in which we have tried to work with the production of organic bananas, experimenting with the web of Nature.

THE STRUGGLES ON THE BANANA PLANTATIONS IN HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE AS SEEN BY "CALUFA"

When did any government leader dare defend these national farmers? When did those filthy bourgeois newspapers, that today denigrate the courageous strikers of Puerto Gonz lez Viques, dare to denounce these criminal maneuvers of the imperialist Trust? And when, for their part, did these national far-mers ever dare to protest or to organize in order to defend themselves against the United Fruit. The government leaders, as the current leaders do, paid obeisance to this powerful foreign company in order to obtain onerous loans from it. Our bourgeois press, servile as always, praised the United Fruit in order to obtain well paid commercials. And the national farmers, preo-ccupied only with obtaining a small profit margin, in spite of the rejected bunches, sacrificed the workers; in other words, they defended themselves at the cost of the hunger of their workers. In order to survive the possible serious rebellions, the company incited the hatred of whites against blacks and blacks against whites. And it was successful. More than once, when the black workers in the city of Limon, exasperated, tried to rebel, the white workers, gleefully ran to offer to abort this effort; of course, the black workers, for their part, corresponded with the same coin when the white workers sought to strike; and the Company easily exploited both equally. It was my honor to be able to participate in the campaign that we organized in order to end with this stupid conflict that only benefitted the United Fruit. And we achieved it well.Carlos Luis Fallas, Mamita Yunai.