Impulso tecnológico a los sistemas agroforestales para la producción sostenible de fibras naturales para exportación: cultivo de abacá (Musa textilis Née) como alternativa versátil para productores rurales en Costa Rica

Costa Rica has made various efforts to reduce deforestation, manage and conserve forests, reforest, and establish agroforestry systems (AFS). This has positioned it as one of the Latin American countries that has recovered its forest cover satisfactorily. These efforts have also promoted sustainable and equitable development in rural areas, in order to contribute to the Climate Change and Carbon Neutrality policy proposed by our government. In this way, small and medium-sized producers have played an important role in this national achievement, since forest plantations and agroforestry systems are activities that produce wood, are profitable, diversify production on farms, and provide environmental services that help reduce climate change. They also protect biodiversity and water and generate scenic beauty.

Abaca, also known as Manila hemp, produces a natural fiber extracted from the pod of leaves surrounding the stem of the Musa textilis plant, a close relative of the banana and native to the Philippines, which has been widely distributed in the humid tropics. It is mainly used for the production of special papers, and more than 300 products are reported worldwide, including tea bags and coffee filters. Each stem must be cut into strips, which are scraped in a machine to remove the pulp. The lignin content is above 15%. Abaca is valued for its great mechanical strength, being one of the most resistant fibers and not suffering deterioration from salt water. There is no scientific information, but the fiber from Costa Rica has properties superior and different to those of Ecuador and the Philippines, so its use is reserved for very specialized products. It is also known that the yield per unit area is superior in Costa Rica. There is scientific evidence that the crop and fiber have better characteristics if handled under shade

The problem that justifies the project proposed by the TEC is the lack of scientific and technological knowledge about agroforestry systems associated with abaca cultivation and about new uses that will provide greater added value to the export product and open new ventures at the national level. The production of fiber under shade in agroforestry systems, using valuable wood species, with good practices under RainForest Alliance certification and with an organic production modality is of interest. Currently, there are more than 100 small producers from indigenous communities in Lower Talamanca who require technical support for this project

Generar información técnica y científica del componente forestal en
asocio con el cultivo de abacá que contribuya al incremento de la capacidad productiva y de exportación de la fibra de abacá hacia mercados internacionales bajo principios de sostenibilidad ambiental.

Productividad y calidad de plantaciones forestales, en la Escuela de Ingeniería Forestal (Unidad académica coordinadora)
Gestión ambiental, en la Escuela de Química
Sistemas de producción alternativos sostenibles y Manejo sostenible de los recursos naturales, en la Escuela de Agronomía Biotecnología agrícola, en la Escuela de Biología