Small and Medium-Scale Banana Producers Can Submit Ideas Until February 12

• The INNOVA-VERDE-Sector Musaceae Ideas Contest aims to strengthen the production of bananas, plantains, abacá, and other musaceae through innovative proposals.

In Costa Rica, musaceae production covers 56,872 hectares, including crops such as native bananas, date bananas, and plantains. According to an article published by the UNED Research Journal (2023), these crops, unlike export bananas, are often produced by small-scale production units, highlighting the importance of promoting initiatives that strengthen the sector.

One such initiative is the INNOVA-VERDE Ideas Contest: Musaceae Sector, part of the TRANSFORMA-INNOVA program, which seeks to support small and medium-scale producers with innovative proposals for the cultivation and processing of musaceae. The deadline to submit ideas is February 12.

Workshops to Support Producer Participation

From January 20 to 24, three workshops were held in Talamanca, Siquirres, and Guápiles, in the Limón province, concluding with a fourth workshop in Puerto Viejo de Sarapiquí, in the Heredia province. Additionally, on Thursday, January 30, a virtual workshop was conducted, enabling participation from individuals in Cartago, San Ramón, Esparza, Upala, and Turrialba, among other locations.

These meetings brought together representatives of associations, producers, and officials from the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock (MAG) to provide information about the contest and facilitate the application process.  

According to Vladimir Valera, director of ACTIVA-CATIE from the Forests and Biodiversity in Productive Landscapes Unit at CATIE (Tropical Agricultural Research and Higher Education Center), which organized the workshops, the goal was to ensure that participants understood the application form and could visualize the opportunities presented by the contest.

Meanwhile, Patricio Rojas, an extensionist from MAG in Siquirres, emphasized that these initiatives are crucial for the economic and social development of Costa Rica’s Caribbean region, where a significant portion of economically important musaceae is grown.

“These initiatives provide support to small and medium-scale musaceae producers, strengthening production and benefiting families while promoting sustainable practices for the environment and the agricultural sector,” Rojas stated.

Commitment to Inclusion and Local Development

The workshops had 78 participants, including representatives from the contest’s prioritized groups: women, young people, Indigenous individuals, and Afro-descendants. At least 25% of the proposals are expected to be led by members of these sectors.  

Hans Herz, agribusiness advisor at GIZ, highlighted the positive response from participants.

“Seeing the enthusiasm of so many people, especially women who have faced significant challenges in maintaining their plantain, banana, and date banana farms, motivates us to continue supporting these types of initiatives,” Herz affirmed.

One of these producers is Geanina Lupario from Yorkin in Talamanca, who emphasized the importance of these opportunities for remote communities like hers.

“We live in an area without electricity and have to walk two hours to leave. Accessing these spaces is difficult, and few opportunities reach us, so we want to take full advantage of them,” said Lupario, a representative of the Bribri people.

How to Submit an Idea?

Individuals interested in submitting a proposal related to musaceae production or processing can find more information on the ACTIVA-CATIE website: https://activa.catie.ac.cr/web/

For any inquiries, they can write to: musaceas@catie.ac.cr .

Deadline: Wednesday, February 12.

Applications must include a form with the proposal or idea and a budget in Excel format blank templates for these documents can be downloaded from the ACTIVA-CATIE website. The document submission system will close at midnight on February 12.

It is important to remember that the deadline to submit your idea is February 12. The submission portal will close at midnight, requiring both a completed form and an Excel file with the budget.