For the past eight years, the Kichwa people of Ecuador have improved their living conditions through a cooperative that sells locally made handicrafts and organic cacao.
Three members of the Kallari cooperative spoke about the indigenous people and their movement Monday at the Fletcher School.
Kallari founder and Development Coordinator Judy Logback, Production and Natural Resources Director Diego Grefa Salazar and Head Accountant Netty Cayapa Tapuy discussed the Amazon economy and brought the collective's handicrafts and chocolate for attendees to purchase.
The proceeds of the cooperative's sales go toward promoting rainforest conservation, sustainable development and the preservation of indigenous culture. The Kichwas' land has been used by the government to transport oil without returning the profits to the people, so the collective is trying to make cacao bean production more sustainable.
For the last 45 years, Salazar said, the Kichwa have fought for their rights as Ecuadorian citizens, specifically for cultural and property rights.
Salazar presented the history of the cacao bean and its use by the Kichwa. He spoke in Spanish.
The bean is part of the secondary forest of the Kichwa people, and for the past three years the price has risen but no more money has gone to farmers.
The cooperative exports the beans directly to Europe and North America. The marketing strategy stresses the beans' origin, the bio-diversity of the rainforest area in which the beans grow and the high quality of the beans.
In 1995 farmers were only paid $15 for one pound of beans. Now they get $75. The collective hopes to raise the price to $150 per pound by 2010.
Over 660 families take part in the cooperative, making handicrafts from 200 species of plants and harvesting the cacao bean for chocolate products. The handicrafts include necklaces, bracelets, anklets, chokers, baskets, woven handbags, soaps, teas, wooden canoes, bowls and trays. All of the handicrafts are certified by the Free Trade Federation.
The event was sponsored by the International Development Group, the Human Rights Project, the Environment and Sustainability Initiative, Net Impact and the Fletcher Latin America Group.
Freshman Marcelo Norsworthy said he enjoyed the presentation. "I've always been interested in this type of business - the social and political aspects. And with this presentation I was able to learn the economic part of it," Norsworthy said.
