Department of Environmental and Earth System Science, Spatial Analysis Center, Stanford University, 473 Via Ortega Y2E2 Building, Room 366, Stanford, CA 94305-4216, USA.
Ambio. 2013 Apr;42(3):334-43. doi: 10.1007/s13280-012-0341-y. Epub 2012 Sep 29.
Large-scale, monoculture production systems dependent on synthetic fertilizers and pesticides, increase yields, but are costly and have deleterious impacts on human health and the environment. This research investigates variations in banana production practices in Costa Rica, to identify alternative systems that combine high productivity and profitability, with reduced reliance on agrochemicals. Farm workers were observed during daily production activities; 39 banana producers and 8 extension workers/researchers were interviewed; and a review of field experiments conducted by the National Banana Corporation between 1997 and 2002 was made. Correspondence analysis showed that there is no structured variation in large-scale banana producers' practices, but two other banana production systems were identified: a small-scale organic system and a small-scale conventional coffee-banana intercropped system. Field-scale research may reveal ways that these practices can be scaled up to achieve a productive and profitable system producing high-quality export bananas with fewer or no pesticides.
大规模、单一栽培的生产系统依赖于合成肥料和农药，可提高产量，但成本高，对人类健康和环境有有害影响。本研究调查了哥斯达黎加香蕉生产实践的变化，以确定替代系统，将高生产力和盈利能力与减少对农用化学品的依赖相结合。在日常生产活动中观察农场工人；对 39 名香蕉生产者和 8 名推广工作者/研究人员进行了访谈；并回顾了 1997 年至 2002 年间国家香蕉公司进行的田间试验。对应分析表明，大规模香蕉生产者的做法没有结构化的变化，但确定了另外两种香蕉生产系统：小规模有机系统和小规模常规咖啡-香蕉间作系统。田间规模研究可能会揭示出这些做法可以扩大规模的方式，以实现生产高质量出口香蕉的生产系统，减少或不使用农药。
