Today we got the opportunity to take a different route to the lowlands of Sarapiqui due to the excessive rain we had last night. While it was longer, the scenery was very beautiful and was amazing to see in the morning when it’s the brightest outside. At Sarapiqui, we got to visit a banana farm where we got to learn a little bit about the history of Costa Rica, coffee, and most importantly, bananas. Funnily enough it was because of the booming coffee industry in Costa Rica that bananas were introduced into the country. While a railroad to expedite the transportation of coffee was being built in Costa Rica, banana trees were planted along the tracks for workers to eat from. However, bananas did not grow to be one of Costa Rica’s major exports overnight. Since bananas could be produced year round, Costa Ricans benefit from harvesting them at any time of the year, unlike how coffee can only be harvested once.

The farm that we visited today was on a smaller scale than the other farms that we have visited while in Costa Rica. It is run by a single mother named Francini who strives to raise sustainable crops and educate others on how to grow bananas, turmeric, star apples, etc. in a way that is efficient yet doesn’t put too much stress on the land. Since this is a smaller business with an owner who values strengthening community ties and sustainability, it may be hard for her to engage competitively with other big produce names like Chiquita and Dole. At the end of the day, the farm is about more than knowing how to produce sustainable goods, it also takes lots of long-term planning and financial capital in order to get something like this off the ground. So first and foremost anyone in Costa Rica who wants to start a successful business must get an education, preferably as high as possible. Luckily, Costa Rica offers free education to all of its citizens and many communities like Francini’s will help out with childcare and spread the word about her initiatives through their own networks. 

Communities like these in Costa Rica are often very closely connected, but not in a way that closes them off from others. Costa Ricans in general are very open and welcoming people as I have learned after living with an older Costa Rican couple for at least 10 days now. Tourism is one of the largest industries in Costa Rica and could be a reason for how open they are with foreigners like myself. Competing with larger, more famous companies in things like business ventures, tourist attractions, and foreign investment can be difficult for the smaller companies that can’t compete on scale so need to compete on quality instead. The key for these smaller businesses like the one Francini runs is to stay connected with the community and ensure that the goods and services they deliver are the best they can be. Living up to these expectations is the best way for smaller businesses to define themselves in Costa Rica and protect their income.