Questions de développement ...

This Backgrounder examines the role of agroecology vs. Fair Trade in helping Costa Rican coffee farmers stay on the land during the global coffee crisis.

José Alberto Chacón weeds between bean plants on his small farm in Pacayas, on the slopes of the Irazú volcano, in Costa Rica. The terraces help control water run-off that would otherwise cause soil erosion.

Now we have the first case where a nation has officially declared itself to be a corn-based civilization and culture. On July 25, the Government of Costa Rica decreed that corn is the heart of the nation’s cultural heritage. This includes its gastronomic heritage and cultural expressions that have grown along with the planting, harvesting and consumption of this vital grain.