Today, we visited a small banana farm. Following the tour and lunch they prepared for us, we headed to another small farm that grew cacao, vanilla, and pepper, among many other plants.

At the banana tour, I learned that banana farming in Costa Rica started as an accident; the bananas were originally grown for the Italian, Chinese, and Jamaican laborers working on the railways in the mid 1800s. Shortly thereafter, it was discovered that bananas could be grown all year round in Costa Rica. The banana farm we visited was unique in that they are entirely organic. To control pests, diseases, and maximize profits, not a single pesticide, herbicide, or fungicide is used.

However, the farm being both small and organic poses several challenges. Competitors such as Dole, Chiquita, and Del Monte produce a monoculture of bananas, the Cavendish, more efficiently and robustly. The small farm we visited today relies on the biodiversity of their soil, agrotourism, and natural insect repellents. Currently, the farm also faces the challenge of researching how to combat harmful diseases such as Mal de Panama, sigtoca, and antagonista with organic methods. Another challenge that the farm faces is its reliance on agrotourism. I noticed that Sarapiqui, being a very mountainous region, is not easy to get to nor close to a big city. Furthermore, larger plantations can market their tours more effectively; smaller farms must build themselves from the ground up, making several sacrifices for them and their families. This makes it less likely to gain profits off of tourists. However, farmers like Francini have community support through the local markets.

Lastly, I noticed that the farms we visited today are a lot less dependent on machinery than the larger farms. Similarly, the smaller farms we visited today had modest gift shops compared to the rows of coffee and chocolate Cafe Britt and Doka sold. In comparison, the smaller farms sold a smaller quantity of food products and hand made gifts.