Antecedents

Although the principal agricultural activity in Hojancha is cattle raising, the declaration in 1980 of Hojancha as a coffee‑growing region stimulated many farmers to plant coffee. Extensionists from COOPEPILANGOSTA promoted the planting of shade trees in coffee plantations. With the creation of new coffee plantations the demand for shade trees grew. Although CACH has a nursery in Hojancha it can not keep up with the demand. There are 15 private nurseries in Hojancha which produce 1.8 million seedlings. Nevertheless, most of these are for timber trees rather than shade.

Creation of group

Meanwhile, a group of women called the Association for the Promotion of Women in Monte Romo were looking for projects for its members. The association had groups of women working in a bakery and a small cafe.

A Peace Corps volunteer, Michael Swisher, who was working in Monte Romo, suggested that the women establish tree nurseries as a possible project for those women interested. Eleven women joined the subgroup of the association to work in the nursery. Swisher, a forester, and some of the women went to COOPEPILANGOSTA asking for material assistance. At the meeting the cooperative promised them plastic bags for the seedlings, CATIE promised them seeds, the Ministry of Agriculture fertilizer and the Peace Corps a hose for irrigation. The Association of Development of Monte Romo lent an 1800 m² parcel of land next to the sugar mill to the women for their nursery.

Description of activities

In March of 1986 the group first planted 27,000 seeds of Erythrina sp., a commonly used nitrogen‑fixing legume native to Costa Rica. Nevertheless, although Erythrina is widely accepted throughout Costa Rica and often touted as a miracle tree, the farmers in Monte Romo showed little receptivity toward the species. The farmers would not buy the Erythrina partly because it was not native to the area and they did not have experience with it and also due to the poor quality of the seedlings which were infested by worms and were too tall. The women buried all the seedlings for lack of a market. After the failure of the Erythrina the women attained a list of farmers who had received credit from COOPEPILANGOSTA to establish a coffee plantation. They visited each of these farmers and asked which tree species they would prefer to plant. The majority of the farmers preferred guava (Inga sp.), a native fruit tree that produces excellent fuelwood. The group planted 8,260 guava trees (Figure 17 and 18). There was such a demand for the seedlings that the women sold all of the trees at three colones a piece before they reached the transplanting stage. To assure that the farmers would buy the trees the women attained their signatures. The groups works irregular hours up to four hours a day, usually in the mornings. Some of the women enjoy the work saying that they have always been interested in planting things (Figure 19). Others complain of the hot sun and mud. All of them enjoy the opportunity to work with the other women. They appreciate the opportunity to get out of the house and chat with the other women.

In April of 1987 four of the 11 women separated from the group to establish their own nursery. They claimed that it was too far to travel to the guava nursery and the distance interfered with their responsibilities at home. Therefore they established a 400 m² nursery for ornamental trees and shrubs such as roses, citrus and hibiscus on the land of one of the women. To date the women have not sold any of their seedlings, although CACH has suggested that it would buy some or all of them. In August of 1987 the group of seven women working with the guava prepared a 3,000 m² parcel of land for a nursery for pochote (Bombacopsis quinatum), a valuable timber tree. The activity is closely coordinated with CACH who provided the seeds and technical assistance and who promised to buy the seedlings.

Currently 11 women work in the group, seven with the guava and pochote and four with the ornamentals. However the majority of the work in the guava plot is done by two sisters and in the ornamentals, two women do most of the work.

Technical assistance

Like the group in Matambu, the women of Monte Romo have received adequate technical assistance (Figure 20). Until May of 1987 they received substantial help from the Peace Corps volunteer. A MADELEÑA forester often visits the nurseries and gives them considerable advice. Currently the CACH has taken a keen interest in the group. CACH has recently hired an expert in nurseries who will dedicate some of his time to providing technical assistance. In August of 1987 he visited both groups and gave them demonstrations in grafting ornamental trees.

Financial assistance

The group has had minimal needs for financial assistance. As mentioned earlier they received seeds, fertilizer, plastic bags and hoses from various institutions. The plots of land belong either to the women themselves or the association of development. The women have also received a temporary subsidy from the Ministry of Labor. By being a member of the group the women qualify for 4,000 colones monthly. Although the women would like to use these funds to invest in the nursery, they use it all for their families.

Market

According to the administrators of CACH and COOPEPILANGOSTA the market for tree seedlings is far from being saturated. Even though the local market may soon become saturated, they feel the seedlings can be marketed on a regional level.

Members

1. Edith Gonzalez Campos. 28 years old. Married. Three children (ages 2, 5 and 9). Father has land.
2. Isidora Morera Setano. 25. Single. No children. Family has land.
3. Elisia Porras Ruiz. 32. Married. Four children. Landless.
4. Lisbeth Gonzalez Campos. 30. Married. Two children. Landless.
5. Rosa Morera Solano. 35. Married. Six children. Landless.
6. Geanette Gonzalez. 17. Single. No children. Landless.
7. Mirian Gonzalez Campos. 31. Married. Four children. Family with land.

Observations

It is admirable how the women recovered from a total loss with their first experience with the nursery and developed what could be a very profitable business. By visiting the farmer’s who planned to plant the women have shown determination and ingenuity. The key to the relative success of this group is again probably due to its strong leadership. It appears although to be somewhat of a one‑woman operation; when the leader doesn’t show up to work, no one does.

The second, smaller group has not had the success of the first group. The women working with the ornamentals are led by a very domineering woman who has not created the enthusiasm found in the larger group. Although the two groups supposedly are still one large group they are slowly separating completely. The women in the larger group would prefer to become completely independent. The officials in CACH have expressed some hesitancy to work with the groups until they can sort out their differences. COOPEPILANGOSTA strongly supports the women’s nursery. The co‑op administrator feels they can greatly expand the nursery and produce up to 50,000 seedlings annually for a gross income of 300,000 colones.

Although the women claim that the work in the nursery does not interfere with their work in the home, some of the men claim that their wives are neglecting their work in the home. The home and the children of the leader of the group did appear to be less clean than other homes and children in the area. Whether her work in the nursery is a direct result of this would require much further investigation. The women of Monte Romo clearly demonstrate that they are fully capable and interested in managing small‑ or even large‑scale tree nurseries if these are located close to their homes.