Jonathan Stern, 25 year old economist with experience of economic modelling in the UK Government Office of Climate Change and of volunteering as an English and music teacher in Peru, writes from Costa Rica where he has just started a 6 month assignment as Professional Support Volunteer at ANAI, an agri-environment NGO which promotes fair trade in agricultural products and other sustainable development activities:

“I am writing from the offices of the Association of Pequenos Productores de Talamanca (APPTA), with whom I have been working for the past three weeks.

APPTA is a not for profit association of small scale indigenous farmers who produce cocoa, bananas, and other tropical fruit for sale in the organic and fair trade market in Costa Rica, Europe and North America. They were founded by the intermediary organization ANAI, and although administratively independent are still supported by them in respect of technical advice and provision of professional volunteers to support the permanent staff.

After spending an initial week working on my Spanish language proficiency and learning about the work of ANAI at their central office in San Jose, I have spent much of the past few weeks familiarizing myself with APPTA's operations in Talamanca, south east Costa Rica. This has included a general workshop for the staff and producers held by international consultants Cooperativas Sin Fronteras, a meeting of the board of directors, numerous trips with the purchasers of cocoa and bananas in order to assist in establishing a new audit trail monitoring system, and participation in a course on the biology and growing of cocoa with organic methods led by international agro- environmental consultancy CATIE (Centro Agronómico Tropical de Investigación y Enseñanza).

I have completed a flow chart of the cocoa processing process at APPTA's plant at Sandbox, near BriBri on the Panamanian border, undertaken to assist with the rationalization of the cocoa purchasing and processing process which APPTA are currently undertaking. The chart will be displayed at the plant facility to be seen by visitors, purchasers and staff.

Following this I will be starting a financial analysis of APPTA's cocoa purchase, processing and sales operations, beginning with an analysis of the accounting records for the previous year. I hope to obtain from this useful information relating to optimal purchase prices for fresh, fermented and dried organic and conventional cocoa and also obtain information relating to the mensual fluctuations in plant operational efficiency.

Thus far obstacles encountered have been minor. Initially it was difficult to obtain access to adequate computing facilities but this has been partially solved through the importation of new computers, admittedly of quite a low technical standard. As my Spanish language proficiency improves, my ease of communication with staff and indigenous producers has increased. Generally I have established good working relationships, and am becoming accustomed to local habits such as very early starts and variable punctuality!

I attach photos of my work so far in the field, including the purchasing and quality checking of organic cocoa in the indigenous reserve and at a meeting house in the town of Cachabri.

Thanks again to you and all at the TAA for your help so far,

All the best,

Jonathan Stern”