ANALOG FORESTRY AS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR A HEALTHIER NUTRITION OF THE INHABITANTS OF A RURAL VILLAGE IN COSTA RICA A Thesis Submitted to the Examination Committee of the International Masters of Environmental Science Program University of Cologne In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements For the Degree of the Master of Environmental Science By Jana Brauer October, 2014 Jana Brauer 2014 DECLARATION I, Jana Brauer, hereby declare that the master thesis submitted was in all parts exclusively prepared on my own, and that other resources or other means (including electronic media and online sources), than those explicitly referred to, have not been utilized. All implemented fragments of text, employed in a literal and/or analogous manner, have been marked as such. September 19, 2014 Statement of Affirmation Jana Brauer 2014 ABSTRACT ANALOG FORESTRY AS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR A HEALTHIER NUTRITION OF THE INHABITANTS OF A RURAL VILLAGE IN COSTA RICA By Jana Brauer October 2014 Thesis supervised by Dr. Sandra Wagner Can returning to traditional land management practices improve community nutrition? Modern trends of nutrition, especially in developing countries, are characterized by an increasing dependence on imported cereals, fats, and sugar. To investigate the potential of forest gardens and their benefits in terms of food diversification for inhabitants of globalization-affected rural communities, a survey was conducted in Londres de Quepos, a rural village near the Central Pacific coast of Costa Rica. The study comprises of a qualitative content analysis combining a literature review as well as interviews with community members as a basis for identifying efficient management tools to promote the application of forest gardens. Literature research was conducted about dietary habit changes as a result of globalization, current food consumption, cultivation and existing policies for diets diversification. Interviews were conducted in July 2013 with 50 households, containing questions about garden structure and cultivated plants, agricultural practices, consumption behavior and knowledge about medicinal plants and food-related illnesses. Results showed that fruit consumption was generally low and agricultural practices were rarely applied in the form of community gardens. It was found that education about food-related illnesses, sustainable farming practices and medicinal plants was fairly low. Further, a noticeably iv high share of income was spent on food that was mainly purchased in local supermarkets. Consumption generally consisted of high amounts of processed food, with minimal amounts of raw fruits and vegetables. Based on the results of the literature review and community interviews, management strategies are proposed, including communal events, school workshops and eco-tourism opportunities in order to facilitate sustainable lifestyles and a healthy nutrition through the Analog Forestry method. v ACKNOWLEDGMENT I would like to take this opportunity to express my gratitude to the secretariat of the International Analog Forestry Network (IAFN) for providing support and company throughout my stay in Costa Rica. During my work with this NGO that seeks to improve the livelihoods of many people in rural populations, I have not only gained worthwhile experience and knowledge at the occupational level but also experienced Costa Rican hospitality and deep intercultural exchange. My particular thanks go to Eduardo Aguilar-Espinoza, Milo Bekins Faries, and Adam Kabir Dickinson. Without their guidance and persistent help this thesis would not have been possible. It is with immense gratitude that I acknowledge the support and help of my supervisor and dear friend Eduardo Aguilar-Espinoza, program coordinator of the IAFN, who, with his good ideas and enthusiasm motivated me to do the research of this thesis and helped me to settle down easily in Londres de Quepos. I wish to thank my advisor Dr. Sandra Wagner, who, being known for her positivity, openness and patience at any time, is in great demand among students seeking her support and still takes her time for every single one. I am indebted to her for her guidance, help and for being accessible during the whole research process. I cannot find words to express my gratitude to my dear friends Tatev Babayan and Sean Write for assisting me in this thesis with their professional support as well as their honesty and loyal care without ever asking for anything in return. There are many people who added to joyful moments during my stay in Costa Rica, but I owe particular thanks to the twins Juan José and Juan Diego Araya and their family, Dylan Warren Raffa, Heidi and Albin from Finca Paraíso Verde, Maya Irwin and Anne-Marie Dufour, Alvaro Salem, Vanessa Aida and Gabriel Ballestero Frech. Finally, I thank my family for their abiding love, unfailing support and understanding in any situation. iv TABLE OF CONTENTS DECLARATION ........................................................................................................................................... iii ABSTRACT .................................................................................................................................................. iv ACKNOWLEDGMENT ............................................................................................................................... iv 1. Introduction ........................................................................................................................................... 1 1.1. Analog Forestry – Restoration and Production in One Sweep .......................................................... 2 1.2. Country Profile and Agricultural Background .................................................................................. 5 1.3. Problem Definition ............................................................................................................................ 7 1.4. Research Questions and Thesis Structure ........................................................................................ 10 2. Methodology ....................................................................................................................................... 11 3. Results ................................................................................................................................................. 13 3.1. Literature Review ........................................................................................................................ 13 3.1.1. Dietary Habit Changes with Globalization and Current Food Consumption in Costa Rica 13 3.1.2. Diet-Related Diseases in Costa Rica ................................................................................... 18 3.1.3. Medicinal Plants and Their Cultivation ............................................................................... 19 3.1.4. Existing Policies and Management Strategies for Diet Diversification .............................. 20 3.2. Field Work ................................................................................................................................... 22 3.2.1 Employment, Income and Free Time Activities of Inhabitants of Londres ......................... 22 3.2.2 Share of Income Spend on Purchasing Food ....................................................................... 24 3.2.3 Garden Sizes, Forms of Use and Density of Edible Plant Species ...................................... 24 3.2.4 Cultivated Edible Plants in Londres, Consumption of Produce and Favorably Consumed Fruits and Vegetables ........................................................................................................................... 26 3.2.5 Prioritized Criteria in the Purchasing of Food ..................................................................... 33 3.2.6 Forms of Cultivation ........................................................................................................... 34 3.2.7 Limiting Factors for Cultivation .......................................................................................... 35 3.2.8 Main Products Bought by Households and Purchase of Local/Homemade Products ......... 35 3.2.9 Occurrence of Chronic Illnesses in Families, Consumption of Medicinal Plants and Education Related to the Effects Diets on Health ............................................................................... 36 3.2.10 Information about cultivation habit changes in Londres according to older inhabitants..... 37 4. Discussion ........................................................................................................................................... 39 5. Environmental Management Strategies to Promote Analog Forestry in Londres, Costa Rica ............ 45 v 6. Conclusion and Outlook ...................................................................................................................... 68 Literature ..................................................................................................................................................... 71 Annex A – Income groups of surveyed households .................................................................................... 77 Annex B – List of Edible and Medicinal Plants Cultivated in Londres de Quepos .................................... 78 Annex C – Questionnaire in English ........................................................................................................... 81 Annex D – Questionnaire in Spanish .........................................................................................................