Mapuche Raspberry & Blueberry
Since 2013, Fairtrasa Chile has supported small-scale producers from the Mapuche community in southern Chile. These producers own and cultivate very small plots of land (between 0.25 and 1 hectare), but over the last few years, they’ve consistently improved the quality, quantity, and sustainability of their production, and have transformed themselves into well-organized exporters with big ambitions. Fairtrasa is currently focusing its efforts on the Alianza Huapitrio of the Collipulli Commune, and hopes to expand its action to more Mapuche communities.
The Mapuche
The Mapuche have a unique history in Latin America. They are the original indigenous people of southern Chile, but were never subjugated by the Spanish during the Colonial era, waging war for almost three centuries with the conquering forces. After the independence of Chile in the nineteenth century, the Mapuche maintained territorial and cultural autonomy, but their land was soon expropriated and their population marginalized. The twentieth century was marked by poverty and discrimination.
While the Mapuche have improved their living conditions and access to social and cultural assets in the last 3 decades—receiving some support from NGOs and Chilean government programs such as INDAP—there are still many Mapuche people who remain marginalized and impoverished, and discrimination against the Mapuche runs deep. To this day, the Mapuche continue to fight for their autonomy and the recovery of their ancestral lands, but it’s struggle that the world knows little about, even in Chile.
Origins of a Raspberry Enterprise
Traditionally, agriculture is the main economic activity among the Mapuche, and there are many small-scale subsistence farmers struggling to support their families. Juan Reyes (pictured) was one of them.
Before becoming one of the top raspberry producers of the Alianza Huapitrio, he lived for many years growing grains such as wheat and lentils. Each year, after harvesting, he would travel north to the central region of Chile as a migrant worker. There, he learned to grow raspberries, and upon returning home one day — about 8 years ago — he decided to start cultivating them with some neighbors.
“It was difficult at first,” says Juan. “We asked INDAP for help, but they didn’t know how to help us with this project, so in the end we did it alone, without the help of technicians, agronomists, or anyone else.”
Juan and his neighbors formed a small association to support each other and sell together. In the early years, they sold their raspberries to local companies, but were constantly punished for alleged poor quality. Business was not profitable, and they came to believe that the only winners were the middle-men and exporters.
Then, in 2014, the association met Fairtrasa Chile, which aimed to help the Mapuche people through a social business and development project. Fairtrasa performed quality and environmental analyses, and helped the organization implement organic farming techniques that minimized pesticide use. During the 2014–2015 berry season, Fairtrasa Chile helped the Alianza export its first container of berries to England.
“When Fairtrasa arrived,” says Juan, “things changed.”
Fixed prices
The following season, Fairtrasa Chile made an agreement with the organization to export Mapuche raspberry containers with a fixed price throughout the season. The fixed price was very important for the Mapuches because of the constant volatility in the raspberry market: The price of raspberries started at 1,350 Chilean pesos (US$2) and ended at 700 pesos (US$1), but Fairtrasa paid the farmers the original price throughout the campaign, absorbing the costs when there were drops in the market.
The program was successful for the Mapuches and Fairtrasa. Last year, there were 38 raspberry producers who participated in the program. This year, there are 60 who want to participate.
Juan says it was important for him and his neighbors to have the fixed price and a partner like Fairtrasa whom they could trust.
“We’re happy here with Fairtrasa because we have confidence in their leadership and their team. Fairtrasa complied with its price and everything. They kept their word.”
Social and Environmental Impact
Socially, it’s been very important to help the producers organize themselves more effectively, says Andrés Stuardo Cereceda, Manager of Fairtrasa Chile.
“In Chile, since the time of the dictatorship, farmers’ organizations have been almost taboo: There is a cultural fear about them. But recently, people have come to understand that organizations can be vehicles of strength and development for small producers.”
Juan agrees. “With organization,” he says, “we have more strength, more support, and we can work better.”
In addition to organizing to sell their raspberries, the organization is in the process of becoming a cooperative and applying for Fairtrade and GlobalGAP certifications, which will give them more income to invest in their development.
The organization has already purchased land with its own proceeds to build a collection center, which will scale in the future into a frozen fruit processing plant.
“Before the arrival of Fairtrasa,” says Andrés, “these producers hadn’t thought about the possibility of building and operating their own processing plant. They didn’t have a big project for the future, or a long-term development strategy.”
Now, says Juan, the Mapuche producers are thinking about a future with greater business independence.
“We want our fruit in the future to have its own Mapuche brand — for it to say on the boxes that it comes from our Mapuche Agricultural Alliance.”
Andres explains that something fundamental and different about the support provided by Fairtrasa is its willingness to promote the independence of producers.
“We are working to increase their own bargaining power,” he says.
In environmental terms, Fairtrasa provides training to producers on how to reduce the use of agrochemicals and implement organic methods in their farming.
Andrés explains: “Sometimes, among the small producers, there is a tendency to use many agrochemicals to fight pests, which leaves a lot of residue on the fruit. With the training from Fairtrasa, these producers were able to produce fruit for export with no chemical residue.”
A Change of Mentality
Perhaps the most important impact, says Andres, is on the personal and collective attitude of the producers.
“When they see the commitment of Fairtrasa, and how Fairtrasa is working hard to advance with them, they increase the level of their commitment. They begin to understand that they aren’t isolated, but are part of a chain, and they have to be committed to every part of that chain. This is particularly evident in the increase in quality. Producers now understand that quality isn’t just the result of climatic factors and agronomic management, but is the result of work, standards, discipline, and commitment to the whole supply chain. There is a psychological change that affects everything.This is an achievement that we can’t show with any number, but it’s an important achievement. “
For Juan, being part of that chain — stretching from the lands of the Collipulli community all the way to customers in Europe — is a new experience that motivates him deeply.
“I feel joy,” he says, “because I believe that there are many who perceive the Mapuche as useless, but we’re showing them that that’s not true. And it gives us pride, especially knowing that our fruit is satisfying demanding consumers in other countries, beyond these mountains. We’ll never meet them in person, but we have then in our thoughts.”
Juan Reyes and the other members of the Mapuche Agricultural Alliance are among the thousands of small-scale farmers who have benefitted from Fairtrasa innovative development program and sustainable social business model. Learn more at www.fairtrasa.com.
