A socio-economic analysis of the development and conservation strategies within the Amistad Conservation and Development Initiative for La Amistad Biosphere Reserve (Panama, Costa Rica)

Achieving the linkage between conservation and development is a foundational element in the conceptualization of biosphere reserves. The focus of this investigation was to examine how four groups of project actors' perceptions of risk associated with agricultural practices affected conservation and development efforts implemented in La Amistad Conservation and Development Initiative (AMISCONDE). The AMISCONDE project is a bi-national effort in Costa Rica and Panama which was funded by the McDonald's Corporation and their family of suppliers in an attempt to help protect La Amistad Biosphere Reserve by working with local communities living near or in the buffer zone areas around the Reserve. This research examines perceptions of ecological, social, and environmental risk associated with cultivation practices of agriculturists farming in the buffer zone area by using the AMISCONDE initiative as a case example. The primary data collection technique was a series of open-ended interviews with agriculturalists, government officials, project technicians, and project executive committee members. These interviews were conducted in three phases (during 1996, 1997, and 1998). Results indicate that for individuals associated with the AMISCONDE project, there were substantial variations in values and how individuals defined the risks of communities practicing agriculture in the buffer zone of La Amistad Biosphere Reserve. In particular, one set of risk perceptions motivates project managers and technicians while a distinctly different set of risk perceptions motivate farmer's land use decisions. These differences imply critical boundaries of culture and create barriers to effective communication between the groups that affect achievement of conservation outcomes. A key learning was that environmental literacy and education are not primary determinants nor motivators for why farmers might choose to adopt introduced conservation practices. Two major overlapping issues emerged from the analysis as critical to project success: trust and legitimacy. The research clearly identifies that establishing trust and legitimacy among the multiple groups has a critical role in project implementation, and that it is relevant to explicitly consider these issues when evaluating project success both now and in the future.