Today, we made our way back to Sarapiqui to visit local family farms that grow bananas and other vegetables, such as garlic and black pepper! These farms, primarily growing for local consumption, are more than just agricultural sites; they’re the backbone of community driven innovation! Our host for the day, Frenchi, is a classic example of how entrepreneurship can blend in with sustainability. Her farm has been a part of the reforestation act that ultimately helps the biodiversity of the area.

Starting a business in a rural area like this can be challenging and come with many barriers. One barrier is that there can be infrastructure limitations due to where the farm is located. The poor roads, for example, can possibly hinder tourism and trade. Another barrier is the financial aspect of this job. It can be a struggle to find loans for all of the buildings that are needed on the farm. Francini mentioned that she is a single mother of three, and she builds additions to her house almost every time she gets paid, so she can avoid taking these loans out. The community supports places like Francinis because these fruits can be locally sold to the people around them.

When looking at the differences between the way the crops we see today are grown and harvested, there are lots of big differences. Bananas, for example, require year-round care, which is the complete opposite of coffee beans, which have specific seasons for harvesting. Black pepper also takes a long time as it needs to be soaked, dried, and boiled before ready. Today’s adventure allowed me to take a look at what a smaller and local farm looks like compared to a larger, upscale factory like Doka.