Redesign of pineapple production systems in Costa Rica under a regenerative agriculture approach sought

• To this end, the Rainforest Alliance and CATIE will develop regenerative pineapple production models, validated by producers..

November 14, 2022. Regenerative production systems address two of the greatest global challenges: the climate crisis and biodiversity loss, while promoting more equitable livelihood models and productive agricultural systems. However, the design and implementation of productive systems with a regenerative approach requires multifunctional strategies, adapted to local conditions. This is why the Rainforest Alliance and CATIE (Tropical Agricultural Research and Higher Education Center) have undertaken the task of demonstrating the possibility of creating regenerative models for pineapple production in Costa Rica, a crop that has been questioned because of the way it is produced.

To carry out this task, both organizations signed an agreement in which they agreed to develop a theoretical and practical proposal for the ecological intensification of pineapple (Ananas comosus) production systems through the design and implementation of regenerative production systems.

"The first thing we will do is to systematize scientific information on pineapple production systems with a regenerative approach, which will allow us to understand how we can propose different models, with good agro-forestry practices and different designs. Based on this systematization, we will select pioneer farms to implement regenerative production models and then we will validate these models with the producers to obtain results," said Elias De Melo, researcher at CATIE's Agroforestry and Coffee and Cocoa Genetic Improvement Unit.

"In addition, we will develop a technical guide that explains models for the design and implementation of regenerative pineapple production systems, focusing on agricultural practices but also on the connectivity of farms at the landscape level," said Fabián Calvo, Biodiversity Manager for the Rainforest Alliance.

De Melo explained that for several years both CATIE and the Rainforest Alliance have been working hard to bring producers, institutions and companies closer to the concept of regenerative agriculture, hence the interest in redesigning pineapple production systems under this approach.

Finally, Juliana Jaramillo, Rainforest AllianceGlobal Regenerative Agriculture Leader, expressed enthusiasm for developing this proposal for the pineapple crop, but also indicated that there is interest in working together with CATIE on other important crops such as coffee and cocoa.