Project Aymara - Bolivia
For sustainable coffee production in the Yungas forests
When
Project started in December 2021
Where
La Paz, Bolivia
Who
Yungas Community
Project presentation
What is the context?
Bolivia is renowned for its organic coffee production. The first coffee plantations in the country began in the 1950s and were characterised by shade-grown coffees.
Since the late 2000s, however, Bolivian producers have been advised to uproot forests to increase yields and to abandon organic certification in favour of chemical treatments. During our first visit to Bolivia in the late 2000s, we wanted to highlight the environmental damage caused by these methods.
With the growing awareness of global warming, it has become clear that the lack of trees is complicating coffee production and the work of producers under the sun.
What does the project involve?
Belco, LATA 16, the San Juan cooperative and the Aljiri cooperative have contributed to a fund to hire agronomic experts and find a solution to deforestation and its negative impact on coffee production and farmers.
We want to show how a reforestation project can reduce the negative impact of bad practices, and create more favourable conditions for coffee trees and workers.
What are the objectives?
The aim of the Aymara project is to reforest the farms of coffee-producing families in search of better coffee and better working conditions. The Aymara project aims to produce 4,000 shade tree seedlings to reforest producers' farms.
Financing
The Aymara project is funded by Belco to the tune of USD 7,000.
Complete documentation
Page in PDF and QRCode in all languages
How far has the project got?
December 2021
Creation of a nursery
Creation of a nursery with 5 species of forest trees (4,000 plants). Throughout 2022, the plants germinated in the nursery. They were cared for by an agronomist. However, due to a period of drought in Bolivia, the tree-planting process was delayed by several months.
June 2023
Plant transfer (1ʳᵉ part)
Once the plants had grown, they were transferred from the nursery to the coffee plantations. Between 25 and 28 June 2023, a total of 1,100 Ceibo trees were planted. Then, from 6 to 9 July, 900 cedar trees were planted.
September 2023
Plant transfer (2ᵉ part)
The other half of the trees, located in the nursery between Sikilli, Toco Colorado and Ajo Ajo, is being distributed. The distribution was followed by the planting of the remaining lot in October 2023.
Results
4000
The number of trees planted to reforest the farms selected by the Aymara project.
60
The number of hectares that will be reforested thanks to the Aymara project.
35
The number of families who have benefited from the Aymara project.