Welcome to Trópico
TRÓPICO is a non-governmental, non-profit organization created in 1986 with the aim of contributing to biodiversity conservation in the context of sustainable development with equity and social inclusion.
Address:
Pasaje Carranza 456
Final Sanchez Lima, Sopocachi
Ph: (591-2) 2433661 Fax: 2433658
tropico@tropico.org, La Paz - Bolivia
Address:
Pasaje Carranza 456
Final Sanchez Lima, Sopocachi
Ph: (591-2) 2433661 Fax: 2433658
tropico@tropico.org, La Paz - Bolivia
Highlights
The Living Lakes Network is a network of NGOs, which was established to protect the lakes and wetlands, and enhance the development and sustainable management of its surroundings.
| APAI - RQ Association |
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An alliance with the Association of Holistic Handcraft Producres of River Quiquibey The ecological regions in the Southeast of the Amazonia and the Yungas in the North of La Paz and west of Beni have an enormous potential for the development of initiatives of biotrade and environmental services. Since 2003, TROPICO has been conducting an investigation on ecology and the traditional use of non-timber forest resources, in particular palms and just recently graminae and bamboos. Gained experience served as one of the basis for the establishment of an alliance with the Association of Craft-Producing Indigenous from River Quiquibey – APAI-RQ. The association is formed by Tsimane´-Mosetene communities, living in the Amazonian rainy forests of the Biosphere Reserve and the Indigenous Territory Pilón Lajas (Beni and La Paz, Bolivia). The communities work circle around agriculture, fishing, tourism and the use of forest species from the woods. Among the non-timber forest species, there is the palm known as jatata (Geonoma deversa) traditionally used in the manufacture of paños de jatata (sheets of jatata) used for roofing houses, barbecues and other constructions. The paños de jatata are highly valued in the main cities of Bolivia and currently are being positioned in foreign major markets (Chile, Spain and United States). The demand of paños de jatata from different markets, national and international, has provoked an overexploitation of this resource in some areas; where their trade has turned to be unfair because some traders are exchange the invaluable paños for alcohol, food and second-hand clothes. The APAI-RQ is comprised by more than 50 partners. Gradually, it has been strengthening its techniques of management, administration and commercialization of its main products, among these, the paños the jatata. Some of its partners have participated in the Fairs of Biotrade and Expoforest 2009 --one of the traditional fairs in the country--, assisting to the public interested in their products and taking part in the business sessions. Studies conducted have moved forward into business and market plans. Now, these are focusing their initiatives to the offer of finished products made of jatata and chuchio (Gynerium saggitatum), bamboo and in the near future, certified wood. Paños de Jatata The paños de jatata are rectangular sheets woven in standard sizes (2mt x 0,65 mt or 3mt x 0.80 mt) manufactured by hand with leaves of jatata (palm). Their sizes may vary depending on their purpose of use. The sheets are joined together, one to the other, with other species from the Bolivian Amazonian forest such as “chuchio”, which is used as a cane and “tapi” or “mitimora”, a root that serves for tying up the leaves. The paños or sheets are manufactured by the APAI-RQ and their high quality has the following characteristics:
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