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In a context of growing demand for environmentally friendly products, the proposed mechanism consists of the creation of a fund for the conservation of biodiversity and the mitigation and adaptation to climate change with resources from the production and marketing of organic bananas with the carbon neutral seal in the Piura region, in the north of Peru. The hypothesis suggests that consumers of organic bananas would be willing to pay additional prices and/or increase their purchase volumes for a differentiated banana from that currently being marketed. This new product would be an “Organic banana with the carbon neutral seal” which would be aimed at a segment of the market where consumers are aware of paying an additional price for bananas which, in addition to being certified organic, also guarantees the neutralization of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions generated in the production and marketing processes of the fruit.

To obtain the new “Organic banana with the carbon neutral seal” product, it was necessary to follow three steps: Measure, Reduce and Compensate the carbon footprint of organic bananas and then access the carbon neutral certification, which was accredited by the certifying company SGS of Peru. The results of the measurement of the carbon footprint of Peruvian organic bananas showed that for every 1 Kg of organic bananas, 0.46 Kg of CO2 eq. are generated, with the scope of the measurement calculated from the agricultural fields to the port of Paita (Piura, Peru).

This data would evidence a product of low GHG emissions when compared to the footprint generated in countries such as Costa Rica (1.35 Kg of CO2 eq. for each 1 Kg of banana produced) or Ecuador (1.27 Kg of CO2 per 1 Kg of banana produced). As for the plan to reduce GHG emissions, this suggests that actions should focus on the processes of higher generation of identified emissions such as fertilization and the management of polyethylene bags used as a protective element of the banana cluster. Finally, the compensation for the non-reduced GHG emissions for 145 hectares (ha) of the organic banana crop would require the neutralization of approximately 1,300 tons of CO2 eq., which will be compensated by the acquisition of an equal amount of carbon credits at a price of US$ 3.5 per ton.
The compensation will be made with the REDD Project of the Cordillera Azul National Park (PNCAZ) and the resources generated by the payment for them will contribute to the control and surveillance activities of the PNCAZ. Although it is true that the aforementioned amounts were constituted in the first raising of the Environmental Fund, the sustainability of the mechanism is based not only on its conformation but on its strengthening and subsequent consolidation, processes that should be based on the need of the banana producers to compensate non-reduced GHG emissions and to maintain carbon neutral certification and thereby eventual higher prices and/or sales volumes in differentiated markets.
Category: #Agriculture #Carbon footprint #Carbon Neutrality