Amazon Interactive
Coffee and Conservation
You choseto maintain your current fields
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Map of your 15 hectare plot of land
You earned $320. That's less than last year, due to low yields and a dropin coffee prices, and far below what your family needs to live. You're forced to borrowfrom your brother, promising to pay him back after next year's harvest.
You've only gotfour hectares of primary forest left. Your family has to walk to the farend of your land to find medicinal plants. The water in the creek runningpast your house is always muddy now. There's little shade left to escapethe hot noonday sun.
You realize that you have nearly run out of primary forest. In a few yearsyou'll have to plant all your crops in secondary forest--or find anotherline of work besides farming. Some people in your Quichua community aretalking about ecotourism. Instead of farming more land, the communitycan earn money by bringing in tourists and teaching them about the Quichuaway of life. Do you think the community should considerecotourism? Or would you like to start over withyour cash crops?
