GREEN ECONOMY

AND TRADE

ACTION PLAN TO CONTROL THE DEFORESTATION

PRODUCED BY THE AVOCADO INDUSTRY IN MEXICO

ROCIO GARCIA
07-12-2016
Section 1: Context and Situation Analysis
Michoacn, Mexico is the world's top producers avocado capital, about 45 percent of the
world's avocados grown in this region from 2000 to 20111. The main export markets are
US, UK, Europe and Japan. According to a report published in 2012 by Tapia Vargass
institute, between 2001 and 2010, avocado production in Michoacn tripled and exports
rose tenfold.

Michoacn is located in the west central part of Mexico. It is divided in 113 municipalities.
The economy of the region is based on agriculture, livestock, forest products, fishing and
crafts. It is a region that suffers from high poverty, gang violence and deforestation.

Sixty percent of the state is covered by forest however the expansion of avocado orchards
has imply a huge deforestation; each year 20,000 hectares of forest land were converted
to agricultural uses. The replacement of pine forests for young avocado trees is a lucrative
option as a result of the increasing popularity of the avocado in the international markets
and the rising prices. Then, cultivated avocados instead of other crops has bring higher
profits to the farmers. Statistics estimated a market about 2bn pesos ($109m) per year.
According to an official in the attorney-general's office for environmental protection, 30
to 40 per cent of the annual forest loss was due to avocados.

Avocado trees flourish at the same altitude and climate as the pine and forests. According
to Mexican Avocado Producers and Packager-Exporters Association the avocados extension
land in Michoacn is about 137,000 hectares (340,000 acres) of which 7,000 to 8,000
hectares correspond to organic avocado. The production of the fruit employs around
300,000 people directly or indirectly in the region. An avocado tree takes three to seven
years to reach maturity. A mature avocado orchard uses almost twice as much water as
fairly dense forest. Some of the negative impact of the industry in the environment and
wellbeing of the civilian are deforestation, the high use of agricultural chemicals that
affect the wildlife, ecosystems, weather land and human health. And the packing systems
that use large volumes of woods and paperboards are needed to pack and ship avocados.

1"Avocados: A Brief Introduction into the Complexities of an Agribusiness Sector". Cooperative State Research,
Education and Extension service of the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Retrieved 6 October 2013
Section 2: Objectives and Expected Results
The overall goal of the green action plan is to implement a global certification for a
sustainable avocado forest management (SAFM).

The specific objectives are:

To control and reduce the deforestation level that the region has suffer since 2000.

To preserve the biodiversity existing in the pine forest ecosystem and its species
(Fungi (macrofungi), vascular plants, insects, Fishes, amphibian, reptiles, birds and
mammals)2

To maintain economic productivity; being the sustainable avocado agriculture,

production and commercialization, the main focus.

To take advantage of present economic opportunities; during the 22nd Session of

the Conference of the Parties (COP22) to the United Nations Framework
Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) celebrated on 7-18 November 2016, the
Parties emphasized the need to strengthen and support efforts to eradicate
poverty, ensure food security, and take stringent action to deal with climate
change challenges in agriculture 3 . There can be new finances mechanism that
support the project - international sponsors.

To maintain future options; nowadays consumers (governments & citizens) are

more self-awareness about health, safety and quality of the production process,
packaging and distribution of the products that they buy. It assurance that their
consumption does not cause any harm and guarantee that products stand for
quality. The use of certification/standards addresses this growing worldwide
demand.

To respect inter-generational equity; it means that we cannot reduce the ability

of future generations to meet their needs, the Earth was inherit from previous
generations in reasonable condition then we have the obligation to pass it in good
conditions to future generations. According to the FAO, for a forest to develop a
preferred habitat for certain types of wildlife will take fifty years or more to do it.

2 The National Commission for Knowledge and Use of Biodiversity (CONABIO)

3 The International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD)
 The expected results are:

Implement the Global Sustainable Avocado-forest Certification, five years later

that the program begin 4 . According to the Sustainable Commodity Assistance
Network (SCAN) http://www.standardsmap.org/ the Mexican avocados already are
using 44 different standards certifications. Its necessary to make a strategic
alliance that include the sustainable forest management practices like the
rainforest alliance or UN-REDD programme.

Government reforms that greener the industry for example implementing subsidies
that compensate farmers that avoid activities that have a negative effect in
biodiversity, groundwater, landscape, water, etc. or rewarding farmers that
implement the best practices in sustainable agriculture, like planting 10 pines per
1 avocado hectare (125 trees approximately).

A strict law enforcement in the use state legal framework: the Law of Ecological
Balance and Environmental Protection of the State, Environmental and Natural
Heritage Protection Law of the State, the Organic Law of the State Public
Administration the Sustainable Forest Development Act State and the Statutes of
the State Council for Integral Sustainable Rural Development5

Section 3: Planned Measures/Activities

Consumer self-awareness that explain the relevance of buying certified avocados

that preserve the forest. Using some technical regulations, e.g. labelling, that help
consumers to identify the certified the sustainable avocado-forest management
product.

Improve the security and monitoring of forest and land ownership rights in the
region through the community empowerment that preserves ejidos (lands that
have been or remain owned by a community).

4
An organic certification process for the avocado takes around 4 years.
5
The National Commission for Knowledge and Use of Biodiversity (CONABIO)
 Promote partnerships with international and national companies, development
governments and financial entities to mobilize investment and technology that
support the sustainable avocado-forest management.

Coordinate national institutions, producers and exporters to facilitate training on

good production practices, efficient and productive avocado-forest management,
quality improvement and general business skills ability to meet requirements set
by the SAFM standards.
Provide critical market information to producers, access to credit, national
extension services, testing equipment and laboratory facilities.

Incentive entrepreneurial spirit the communities to provide forests sustainably

managed ideas and lessons.

Section 4: Resources

The resource for the Action Plan

The human resources: The SAFM certification will require a project management
office that will facilitate the resources, methodologies, tools and technics. The
project team will include: the project manager, project management staff,
supporting experts and others team members; that will be working together to
achieve the project objectives.

The financial resources: The project will be finance by the local, state and federal
government, the private sector in the avocado industry and international sponsors
that are interesting in environment conservation issues.

The action plan has the potential to generate financial resources in the long term because
Mexican avocados are well known around the world for the supreme quality and flavor;
then people will be able to pay an extra price if they know that the avocado that they buy
is preserving the forest and the community.
Section 5: Implementation and Sustainability

In the roadmap the project governance-the management framework within the project
decisions are made for the implementation of the proposed actions, the State Committee
of Plant Protection of Michoacn agency of agricultural producers will lead and coordinate
the action plan in conjunction with the 23 locals boards that it administrate6. The agency
is an auxiliary committee that help the Secretariat of Agriculture, Livestock, Rural
Development, Fisheries and Food (SAGARPA) in Mexico.

In the implementation process; public and private organization will be engage the most
relevant:

The Ministry of Planning and Environment

The State Board of Ecology
The Conservation Areas System for the State
The State Forestry Commission
The State Fisheries Committee
The System State Science and Technology
Mexican Avocado Producers and Packager-Exporters Association
Representatives from the communities and civil society.
R&D institutions
Educational and training institutions that promote the advantage of the
certification.
Certifying company/body

Others stakeholders involved will be:

Sponsors at the international and national level

Costumers
User- the community
Sellers
Business partners

6
http://www.cesavemich.org.mx/web2/
Section 6:
References and Bibliography

UNEP-Green Economy and Trade, trends, challenges and opportunities. 2013.

Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO). The State of Agricultural Commodity

Markets 2015-2016
Research Institute of Organic Agriculture (FiBL),The World of Organic Agriculture:
Regulations and Certification Emerging Trends 2013
UNEP. Responsible Resource Management for a Sustainable World: Findings from the
International Resource Panel, 2012.
The Mexican Organic Products Law (LPO), the Official Government Newspaper. 2006
The National Commission for Knowledge and Use of Biodiversity (CONABIO). Study of
Biodiversity in Michoacn. Second version 2016.
Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO).Beyond sustainable forest management.
1999

Websites:

Fair Trade http://www.fairtrade.net/standards.htm

The United Nation Forum for sustainable standards https://unfss.org/
Rain Forest alliance http://www.rainforest-alliance.org/faqs/what-does-
rainforest-alliance-certified-mean
The Sustainable Commodity Initiative (SCI)
https://unfss.org/links/
The Sustainable Commodity Assistance Network (SCAN)
http://scanprogram.org/about-scan/scan-qa/
Sostenibilidad Agrcola toolkit
http://scanprogram.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/toolkit-4.pdf
Standards Maps http://www.standardsmap.org/
USDA data https://data.ers.usda.gov
Aguacate Mexicano http://avocadosfrommexico.com/
The national commission for organic products
http://www.cnpo.org.mx/doc_interes.html
 ANNEX 1
AVOCADO AVIABILITY IN THE USA MARKET

Source: USDA Economic Research Service

Fresh Prepared or preserved

U.S. imports by value ($1,000)

Source: USDA Economic Research Service


STATE LEGAL FRAMEWORK
Instrument
Law of Ecological Balance and
Environmental Protection of the
State
Environmental and Natural
Heritage Protection Law of the
State
Organic Law of the State Public
Administration
Sustainable Forest Development
Act State
Statutes of the State Council for
Integral Sustainable Rural
Development
Source: The National Commission for Knowledge and Use of Biodiversity (CONABIO)
ANNEX 2
Relation to the environment and biodiversity
* Regulates the preservation and restoration of
ecological balance and environmental protection and
natural resources, at the state level.
* Establish measures to protect the environment,
conservation of natural heritage and promote
sustainable development of the state.
* It regulates the organization and operation of the
State Public Administration, including entities in charge
of the environment and biodiversity.
It regulates and promotes conservation, restoration,
production, management, cultivation, management and
utilization of forest ecosystems and the exercise of the
powers in forestry correspond.
* Norman the organization and functioning of the State
Council for Integral Sustainable Rural Development of
Michoacan, in accordance with the provisions of the Law
on Sustainable Rural Development.
Institution
Ministry of Planning and
Environment
State Board of Ecology
Conservation Areas System for
the State
State Forestry Commission
State Fisheries Committee
System State Science and
Technology
Source: The National Commission for Knowledge and Use of Biodiversity (CONABIO)
Description
Addresses the issues of conservation, preservation,
restoration and protection of ecosystems, protected
areas and all provisions relating to the sustainability of
biotic resources in the state.
permanent technical body for consultation, social
concertation and advice of the Executive Branch of the
State and municipalities, in the matters regulated by the
said state law.
Its aim is the creation and systematization of protected
natural areas, considering the social aspect as the main
focus of its creation and development.
* Promotes conservation of forest resources, forest
production privileging the supply of local industry, in
coordination with the municipalities and the federation.
* Promotes the development of fisheries infrastructure
and the establishment of programs to regulate the
rational and sustainable exploitation of fisheries
resources.
Its main objectives are to coordinate, link, promote and
strengthen the development of scientific, technological
and humanistic research in the state