Coconut Trees Resilient Ecosystem

The solution proposed with this project is to cease the extinction of the coconut trees on San Andres, Providence and Kethleena islands that is part of these Caribbean islands natural Environment, recovering ancestral culture, practices and life style with the sowing of coconut trees and the production and commercialization of its derivatives, to generate economical reward for current and future generations on these islands that have been economically affected by recent impact of the hurricanes ETA, IOTA and the COVID -19 virus. Furthermore, this project will provide the possibility to continue reinforcing the global ecosystem with the sowing and implementations of the coconut, adding another offer to global demand of this nutritional and multidimensional fruit.

The specific problem is the extinction of coconut trees that have been a main component of the Ecosystem of San Andres, Providence and Kethleena islands. This situation began in 1953 with the introduction of ‘Freeport’ on these islands by the Colombian government to create an economy on Freeport merchandise, an economy that was NOT sustainable over the time for the Raizal people.

 The coconut lost its importance when the only coconut factory on these islands, was closed and the coconut trees began to disappeared in large numbers as farmers changed their life style from sowing coconut trees and natural plantations, to buy cars to drive tourists around who increased their visit to buy cheap merchandise on the Freeport economy.

The national government brought foreigners to these lands, to develop trades on selling Freeport merchandise to the arriving tourists, creating loses for the islanders who found themself on the bottom line of this new economy system. Hence, today these islands ecosystem has been deteriorated and so is the economy of the RAIZAL people on what was in the past a successful ecosystem with a national and international economy exporting coconut to The Coast of Colombia, Panama and the USA before 1953.

The Solution is to recover Coconut Trees into these islands Ecosystem by boosting the sowing of coconut trees, training and motivating RAIZAL to return to their roots and developing a coconut factory for the productions of derivate from this.  The best planting system will be implemented taking into account the soil and fertilizations that are required.

Furthermore, the technology to apply in the Coconut factory will be the ones used in the coconut process within the modern factories in order to produce a high quality standard of derivate such as coconut oil, milk, cream, water within others.

This is an ambitious project that has to be divided in stages in order to develop and to gain on each stage. 1st Stage the sowing of coconuts where the coconut seed germinates slowly, taking up to 4 months before the shoot appears, the 2nd stage is the process of pealing and using the coconut husks, then taking the coconut water, refine and processing pasteurization and packing, then the separation of coconut, oil flower and cream.

Additionally, they are homemade typical coconut derives to enhance that have been made in the RAIZAL gastronomy such as coconut cakes, coconut sweets coconut bread within others.

Coconut Trees Resilient Ecosystem is a project oriented to: preserve coconut as an important element of these islands ecosystem and to serve the RAIZAL community that are based on these islands but this will also generate an historical, cultural, social, ethnic and personal impact on all individuals that are currently living on these because of the background history that precedes to this project.

In the 2000 the Archipelago of San Andres, Providence and Kethleena was declared an UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, named "Seaflower Biosphere Reserve", which not only includes the islands but also about 10% of the Caribbean Sea, amounting to a vast marine area of 300,000 km2 (120,000 sq. mi). The purpose of this declaration is to ensure that the ecosystem, which is rich in biodiversity, is well preserved and conserved.

Since 1953 when the Freeport was introduced to San Andres, Providence and Kethleena islands, The Raizal people who is the original ethnic group that lives on these islands for over two hundred years, found themself on the bottom line of the free port economy system and consequently, began to lost their cultural identity with the invasion of Colombian population, Lebanese and other foreigners that have arrived to the island attracted by the Freeport economy, therefore, this create a need to rescue Raizal Culture.

Coconut Trees Resilient Ecosystem will be seen as a cultural approach by returning to ancestors roots. Typical cultural practices and ethics component such as language (creole English), ancestors histories, religions and many other identity elements has been disappearing and also the population has been decreasing to the extent that Raizal people is now only (under 60.000, according to DANE, NATIONAL CONRTROL POPULATION STADISTIC) which represent a minority on a overpopulated island as it currently happening on the San Andres (the largest island of  the Archipelago with only 24 km2, that is currently link politically to Colombia but culturally  link to the Caribbean and  to British colony ancestors.

In addition to the aforementioned situation, RAIZAL people has suffer and additional economical setback between 2019 and 2021 but not only by the COVID 19 virus as the hole world, but it was the islands has also been heavily impacted by two hurricane ETA and IOTA, which have destroyed the 90% of Providence and Kethleena and the 50% of mechanisms of survival like plantations and small finish boats and houses of Raizal on San Andres Island.

Adding to the environmental impact that these hurricanes have done to the soil, the sea and the nature of the islands. Both sea and land has been heavily affected where the soil on these islands and many plantations has been lost, factors that were representing a basic income on food from the sea and on land that many families living on these islands. Therefore, there also an economical need which Coconut Trees Resilient Ecosystem is aiming to provide an alternative solution by generating jobs to this community either at the sowing stage of the coconut or at the factory coconut processing stage. 

In order to address the problem a specific planning will be implemented involving the RAIZAL population from the planning stages.  Two DIMENSIONS or STAGES should be completed. FIRST STAGE is the Coconut Sowing and SECOND STAGE is the Coconut Factory Development.

At both FIRST and SECOND STAGES all the fallowing steps should be implemented.

• COUNT ON THE WEATHER CHANGES
• REVIEW AND COLLECT INFORMATION OF ANCESTORS WHITHIN THE PLDERY MEMBERS OF THE RAIZAL COMMUNIT
• REVIEW AND COLLECT TECHNICAL AND PROFESSIONAL INFORMATION
• SELECTION AND TRAINING OF THE INDIVIDUALS INVOLVED   IMPLEMENTATION OF THE TRIALS and FULL PERFORMANCE 

Concept: An idea being explored for its feasibility to build a product, service, or business model based on that idea.

This is a venue that unfortunately is still at the Concept stage: As this is an idea being explored for its feasibility to develop a project based on Coconut Resilient Ecosystems. Although, it is a strong idea that we have been exploring within the last two years, however, we are awaiting the opportunity for the founds to be granting to make this project a dream comes to reality for the benefit of San Andres, Providence and Kethleena islands ECOSYSTEM  and RAIZAL population.

Currently, they are no project know local, nationally neither intentionally that address the recovery of coconut as part of the Archipelago environment or ecosystem. Neither are projects that consider the development of any coconut factory on these islands.

After the small coconut factory was closed down in 1953 no one has mentioned any possibility of new development. Additionally, few coconut factories are present on the west side of the globe such as MEXICO and Brazil. The others are on the west. Therefore, these two countries may be seen as solution competitors from a demanding product perception.

The idea of thinking of these two large aforementioned countries as competitors to a small Archipelago in the Caribbean may sound a great challenge but the market of consumption of coconut and its derivate product is very high and it has been largely increasing within the last few years principally in the US and in Mexico. Please see these links:

https://www.grandviewresearch.com/industry-analysis/coconut-water-market

https://www.elfinanciero.com.mx/empresas/asi-es-como-crecio-el-jugoso-negocio-del-coco-en-mexico/

https://www.frutas-hortalizas.com/Frutas/Origen-produccion-Coco.html

Therefore, they are room for San Andres, Providence and Kethleena to pitch a trial. Plus, due to its geographical location in the Caribbean they are constant vessels taking goods and merchandise from the US, Panama and Costa Rica to the Archipelago, therefore, the possibility for them to return to these countries carrying coconuts and its derivate products may represent a plus for them instead of retuning practically empty which will also represent a decrease on the price of the products they are bringing to these islands as price of fuel may be shared between imports and exports.

The Coconut Resilient Ecosystem, provides a significantly input to the environment because in addition to benefit the Archipelago Ecosystem, it generates much needed jobs in the Raizal population. In addition to this it boost the cultural ancestor sowing coconut practices and aid an environmentally friendly method to explore the islands gastronomy and economy. The aim is to sow coconut trees in a large scale for exportation nationally and internationally, but also for local use where coconut is a relevant ingredients of the islands typical food when currently in an extinction process. 

The current international market for coconut and its derivate products is limited to ten countries of which eight (Indonesia, India, Philippians, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Vietnam, Papua Nueva Guinea and Vanuatu) of these are in the east and only two are on the west (Mexico and Brazil), this left a breach open for the Caribbean such as San Andres, Providence and Kethleena. The RAIZAL ancestors discovered this and this was why before 1953 they had a small market production for exportation of this fruit to Cartagena, Panama and to the USA and a coconut local factory that was successful on these islands until the Freeport changed these islands economy.

This project will not only recapture RAIZAL ancestor economy dreams and expectations but with the modern technology it could  create scalable economic opportunities by regenerative agriculture with the recovery in the Sowing of coconut trees and generation and production of coconuts derivate for aligned with thriving and biodiverse Caribbean islands ecosystems.

The current number of people you’re serving, (Not applicable)

The number you’ll be serving in one year, approximately 1000 to 15.000 between direct and indirect beneficiaries.

The number you’ll be serving in five years 15.000 to 150.000

Measuring Indicators

• Increasing Number and improving quality of coconut
• Increasing number of join-in members to the project
• Increasing number of clients request for product

They are two UN sustainable development goals that are aiming in this project which are; (8) Decent Work and Economic Growth, for RAIZAL people and the 9 which is the recent Work and Economic Growth, (9) Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure, (10) Reducing Inequality. 

3 Team Leaders and 6 full/time staff, 6 part/time and, according to each target additional services will be requested on additional contractors.

GINA MARIE GRINARD TOBON, Technologist administrator and technician in system, more than 13 years experienced in the English and technology field. Raizal from San Andres Island working as a face-to-face and virtual teacher and two years co-working in community and environmental projects. She is an enthusiastic researcher and preserver of San Andrians Raizal (Afro-Caribbean ethnic group speaking creole from San Andrés-Providence & Kethleena islands) roots and culture.

MARITZA EUGENIA POMARE GRINARD, MSc Organizational Psychology who lived and studied at UK (United Kingdom) universities for eight years. Raizal from San Andres Island. With more than 20 years of work experience within national and International Organizational and Occupational and clinical field. A relevant experience include a leadership position completed within the (POT) or Territorial Arrangement Planning of the Archipelago of San Andres, Providence and Kethleena. Her dream is to be able to help recover some of her islands natural ecosystem and ancestor’s practices and culture.

JOHN TOMAS FAJARDO GRINARD, 18 years old boy, completed high school in 2019. Raizal of San Andres Island. Currently at the university on the beginning of the 4th semester of Environmental Engineering, at the CUC – Corporación Universitaria de la Costa - in Barranquilla Colombia. An enthusiastic young man that love and enjoy working and preserving his island nature and ecosystem. His choice of studies to become a professional in Environmental Engineering said it all.

Although,  this project is addressed to an ethnic minority community it is open to an approach of diverse, equitable and inclusive leadership with the no discrimination of religion, age or education level as soon as is the motivation, interest and passion for the project achievement is present. Therefore, this small team leathership solution included a young member of 18n who is on the middle of his university Engineer Environment career.

This RISK will be mitigated by selected specific venues where there is not much transit and only the expert on the plantation fields who are aware of the conditions and timing of this risk to take the necessary precautions. 

Helping us to acquire a large piece of land, well fenced and where the coconut trees wouldn't a harm for human.

Human Capital: To qualify our human resources.

Financial: To keep our business leading  in the economical  situation.

Public Relations: Marching along with offer and demand market.

Product / Service Distribution: Giving the best service we will have everlasting satisfied clients.

Technology:  To keep a high standard quality of our products.

MIT faculty or initiatives,.

YES, I wish to apply for the prize

With our Project of Coconut Resilient Ecosystem we do qualify for the GM Prize that is founded by General Motors. Our Project aim is to aid a smart, safe and sustainable RAIZAL (Afro Caribbean ethnic minority population from San Andres, Providence and Kethleena speaking creole English) ecosystem with the Sowing and factory production of Coconut water. Facilitating in with this avenue not only the RECOVERY OF CULTURAL & ANCESTOR ISLANDS RAIZAL backgrounds, that was excluded from its own economy since 1953 with the introduction of a FREEPORT economy, but also providing a much needed economical support for this Minority ethnic group after been hit not only by Covid 19 but also by Hurricanes ETA and IOTA in 2019 and 2020. The fallowing links are evidence to support our claim to be qualify for the GM Prize:

Here are the background history of Raizal Economy on these links

https://www.banrep.gov.co/sites/default/files/publicaciones/archivos/DTSER-37-ingles.pdf

Free port on San Andres, Providence and Kethleena. The Continentalization of San Andres Island, Colombia: Panyas, Raizals and Tourism, 1953-2003

https://www.banrep.gov.co/es/continentalization-san-andres-island-colombia-panyas-raizales-and-tourism-1953-2003

The damage that Hurricanes IOTA and ETA have produced to the island people and its ecosystem. Please see links

https://thebogotapost.com/providencia-and-san-andres-hard-hit-by-hurricane-iota/48057/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gDMs4hftRbY https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5CDncipYm7c