Participación en el proceso de asistencia técnica a productores de café certificados por CoopeVictoria R.L. en Grecia, Alajuela, Costa Rica
Fecha
2024
Autores
Barrantes Rodríguez, Alberth Gerardo
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Editor
Universidad Nacional, Costa Rica
Resumen
El principal objetivo de esta práctica dirigida fue participar en las actividades del Departamento de Asistencia Técnica de CoopeVictoria R.L. relacionadas con la fiscalización y valoración de las normativas de certificación de cafés diferenciados y así contribuir con la optimización de la planeación y ejecución de las visitas y actividades técnicas con el fin de fomentar y valorar el nivel de cumplimiento de los productores que pertenecen a los programas de certificación. Se recibió en el Departamento Agrícola de la Cooperativa una inducción acerca de los orígenes de las certificaciones en las que participa la Cooperativa y otra sobre los aspectos más importantes que permean la normativa Comercio Justo Internacional y la relacionada con RainForest Alliance, normas que se aplican a las certificaciones de café diferenciado. La práctica se inició con la planeación de visitas para las semanas comprendidas entre los meses de junio a diciembre del 2023. Esta planeación se hizo semanalmente y se actualizó el lunes de cada semana, lo que permitió que las actividades quedaran establecidas desde los primeros días de la semana. Luego de la planificación semanal y adaptación de las diversas actividades que se realizan en el Departamento Técnico de la cooperativa, se participó en las visitas a los productores, las que se agendaban durante la semana. En ellas en se verificó una gran diversidad de aspectos relacionados con el cumplimiento de los diferentes aspectos de certificación. La planificación semanal fue una de las estrategias que mayor beneficio brindó, pues ayudó a organizar y distribuir la manera en la que se iba a visitar a los productores y así se evitó sobrecargar el tiempo, así como también se logró una mejor distribución de las tareas. Los resultados obtenidos evidencian que la gran mayoría de productores tienen un alto rango de cumplimiento de los diferentes requerimientos que dicta la normativa de las certificaciones. Se determinó que entre los requisitos que presentan mayor porcentaje de incumplimiento se encuentra la presencia y establecimiento de las barreras vivas en las fincas, la falta de un análisis de suelos vigente en las fincas y, finalmente, no existe un manejo adecuado de las aguas residuales en finca. Por otro lado, se evidenció que la mayoría de los productores cumple con requisitos como la protección de trabajo infantil y el pago justo. Además, se comprobó la necesidad de utilizar una aplicación o base de datos virtual, donde, se guarde el archivo de seguimiento de cada productor para simplificar y aligerar las visitas inclusive en la misma finca; de ese modo, se evitan valoraciones erróneas y permite enfocarse en lo más importante que se observó en la visita anterior. La información generada a partir de esta práctica dirigida es muy importante para crear un precedente y una alternativa en la planeación de visitas a los productores que se encuentran en un proceso de certificación y así fomentar una mayor eficiencia en la planeación y ejecución de las visitas realizadas.
The main objective of this professional practice was to participate in the activities of the CoopeVictoria R.L. technical assistance department, related to the inspection and assessment of the different certification normatives for differentiated coffee, to contribute to the optimization, planning and execution of the technical visits and different activities seeking to promote and assess the level of compliance of the farmers that belong to these programs. Firstly, the Agricultural Department of the Cooperative gave an induction about the origins of the certifications in which the Cooperative participates, as well as an induction to the most important aspects to the Fair Trade International and RainForest Alliance-based regulations, which are the standards upon the differentiated coffee certifications are based on. Practical work began through the planning of visits scheduled for the weeks between June and December 2023. This planning was done on a weekly basis and updated every Monday, allowing the activities to be established from the early days of the week. After the weekly plan and adaptation of the various activities that were carried out in the Technical Department, visits to the coffee producers were scheduled throughout the week. During these visits, a wide variety of aspects related to the coffee grower´s compliance with the certification requirements on their farms were verified. The weekly planning was one of the strategies that provided the greatest benefit, as it helped to organize and distribute the way in which coffee producers were visited, and thus avoiding an overload on certain days, and ensuring a better distribution of tasks. The results obtained show that most producers have a high level of compliance with the different certification aspects stipulated by the regulations of the certifications to which they belong. It was determined that among the aspects with the highest percentage of non-compliance are the absence and lack of establishment of living barriers in the farms, lack of soil analysis on the farm, and finally, the mishandling of wastewater on the farm. On the other hand, it was evident that the majority of farmers partially or fully comply with the aspects such as child labor protection and fair payment. It was determined that the use of an application or virtual database should be promoted, where the tracking file of each producer is available online, facilitating easy and quick visits, even on the farm itself. This is to avoid erroneous evaluations and focus on the most important aspects identified in the previous visit. The information generated from the implementation and participation in this professional practice was very important to establish a precedent and an alternative in the planning of visits to the certified coffee producers, and consequently promoting greater efficiency in the planning and execution of the visits carried out.
The main objective of this professional practice was to participate in the activities of the CoopeVictoria R.L. technical assistance department, related to the inspection and assessment of the different certification normatives for differentiated coffee, to contribute to the optimization, planning and execution of the technical visits and different activities seeking to promote and assess the level of compliance of the farmers that belong to these programs. Firstly, the Agricultural Department of the Cooperative gave an induction about the origins of the certifications in which the Cooperative participates, as well as an induction to the most important aspects to the Fair Trade International and RainForest Alliance-based regulations, which are the standards upon the differentiated coffee certifications are based on. Practical work began through the planning of visits scheduled for the weeks between June and December 2023. This planning was done on a weekly basis and updated every Monday, allowing the activities to be established from the early days of the week. After the weekly plan and adaptation of the various activities that were carried out in the Technical Department, visits to the coffee producers were scheduled throughout the week. During these visits, a wide variety of aspects related to the coffee grower´s compliance with the certification requirements on their farms were verified. The weekly planning was one of the strategies that provided the greatest benefit, as it helped to organize and distribute the way in which coffee producers were visited, and thus avoiding an overload on certain days, and ensuring a better distribution of tasks. The results obtained show that most producers have a high level of compliance with the different certification aspects stipulated by the regulations of the certifications to which they belong. It was determined that among the aspects with the highest percentage of non-compliance are the absence and lack of establishment of living barriers in the farms, lack of soil analysis on the farm, and finally, the mishandling of wastewater on the farm. On the other hand, it was evident that the majority of farmers partially or fully comply with the aspects such as child labor protection and fair payment. It was determined that the use of an application or virtual database should be promoted, where the tracking file of each producer is available online, facilitating easy and quick visits, even on the farm itself. This is to avoid erroneous evaluations and focus on the most important aspects identified in the previous visit. The information generated from the implementation and participation in this professional practice was very important to establish a precedent and an alternative in the planning of visits to the certified coffee producers, and consequently promoting greater efficiency in the planning and execution of the visits carried out.
Descripción
Licenciatura en Ingeniería Agronómica, bajo la modalidad de Práctica Dirigida con énfasis en Agricultura Alternativa
Palabras clave
NORMAS DE CALIDAD, QUALITY STANDARDS, PLANIFICACIÓN, PLANNING, CAFÉ, COFFEE, COOPERATIVAS, COOPERATIVES, PRODUCCIÓN AGROPECUARIA, AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTION, FINCAS, ESTATE, AGRICULTORES, AGRICULTURE, COFFEA ARABICA, CERTIFICACIÓN, CERTIFICATION, GRECIA (ALAJUELA)