i Patrick W. Staib Anthropology This dissertation is approved, and it ...

Danilo expressed these views in January 2001. He had suffered through two
seasons of all-time-low prices before he and his group decided to go organic. Ultimately,
the greatest challenge to this mode of “sustainable” development is ensuring that farmers
will fulfill their commitments to buyers and not sell their coffee to coyotes for a “quick
buck.” An even more telling measure of farmers’ commitment to organic production is
whether they decide to continue producing organically once coffee prices have stabilized
or return to chemically intensive, conventional production at that point.
Shade Regulation
Coffee from Las Segovias is superior in quality, even without attending to improved
yields, soil quality, and pest and disease control. It is well regarded among international
connoisseurs for the delicate flavors and aromas that result from the unique blend of
high-altitude production and rich volcanic soils. However, farmers need to engage in a
series of activities to ensure the highest quality and most favorable yield for the export
market.
For optimal results, high-altitude Segovian coffee must be grown in intermittent
shade. The full-sun, Robusta varieties that grow at lower altitudes are typically planted on
level ground and yield more coffee more quickly, but of poorer taste and value. So,
farmers in the higher elevations are encouraged to regulate the shade on their farm. The
organic approach encourages farmers to provide shade that benefits both the plants and
the farmers themselves. The farmers of Las Grietas sowed guineo (banana) for shade and
food. They plant trees such as guaba (Inga edulis) that are useful as firewood as well as
for beneficial shade.
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