Theme Market-Based Conservation • Sustainable Agriculture

Agriculture is a complicated business.  Farmers must know how to plant, cultivate and harvest. As business owners, they must balance risk and reward by lowering costs, raising revenues and other means.  Farmers must be marketers, choosing their products and processes based on what they believe the market demands and then seeking buyers.  Above all, farmers must preserve and, if possible, improve their asset base—the soil, water and other natural elements which make their crops possible.

In CAFTA-DR countries, however, poor agricultural practices, destructive use of pesticides and deforestation are carried out to the detriment of the very resources at the base of the farmer’s livelihood.  Degraded environments lead to lower product quality and yields, and reduce export potential.   For instance, agricultural products exported to the U.S.—coffee, bananas, fresh melons and other fruits and vegetables—must meet certain sanitary and other standards.  Degradation of soil and water jeopardizes satisfaction of trade requirements, and will ultimately deprive farmers of their ability to growth healthful, marketable products.

Moreover, the effects of poor agricultural practices extend beyond the farmer and his products:  They can result in loss of wildlife habitat and biodiversity—unique CAFTA-DR assets which are not only the basis of the region’s tourism industry, but are in many aspects irreplaceable.

By adopting better environmental practices, farmers can achieve greater financial returns through cost savings and improved crop quality which brings higher market prices.  Further, if a farmer’s products qualify for ecological certification, they can bring top prices in specialty markets.  

To promote Sustainable Agriculture, our Program works…

• Production.  To help farmers adopt environmentally sustainable farming methods to preserve their asset base:  Soil and water conservation, integrated pest management, organic fertilizer production, crop diversification and other methods

• Wildlife and Biodiversity. Concurrently, to promote practices which conserve—or discourage practices which damage—wildlife habitat and biodiversity in or near farms

• Marketing.  Beyond production, to assist farmers in marketing their products domestically and abroad

• Public Awareness. To raise public awareness of the environmental importance of sustainable agriculture

Program Activities in Sustainable Agriculture yield “win-win” results:  Farmers earn more and preserve their income-producing assets and, especially important where agricultural operations are located in or near protected areas, biological corridors or buffer zones, the region’s wildlife habitat and biodiversity are conserved.