Scientists at Los Diamantes develop genetic improvement programs in papaya, guava, pejibaye and cas plantations. They also evaluate promising materials extracted from tropical roots, fruits, and banana; and study management practices in palmetto, fruits, and other tropical crops.”]San José Costa Rica. The Experimental Station “Los Diamantes”, in Limon, will soon be declared to be the first Government owned farm to reach a net zero carbon footprint. Its main objective is to reproduce the model in other farmlands throughout the country.
“Los Diamantes is the best experimental station owned by the agricultural public sector, not only because of its extension, but also because of its own richness and biodiversity. That is why we are certain that it will be the first experimental station in the country to become and get certified as carbon neutral”, said Tania López, Vice-minister of Agriculture.
The centre has an extension of 890 hectares and is located in a transition area between the tropical wet forest, the tropical moist forest, and the tropical rainforest.
The farm also constitutes a valuable biodiversity reservoir, contributing to the region’s sustainability. Its resources include a wide variety of plants and animals (vertebrates and invertebrates); and germplasm banks, according to the Ministry of Agriculture.
To declare Los Diamantes as carbon neutral, scientists will measure Greenhouse Gas (GHG), nitrous oxide, methane and carbon emissions per year.
“The station is a benchmark for environmental investigation, and education, as well as for scientific tourism, and other eco-systematic services in the country and around the world,” said José Rafael Corrales, Executive Director of the National Institute for Agricultural Technology Exchange (INTA).
Corrales also confirmed that the station’s environmental benefits will be promoted, through a communication strategy, in the surrounding areas, to raise awareness among people, organizations and institutions.
The station is a benchmark for environmental investigation, and education, as well as for scientific tourism, and other eco-systematic services in the country and around the world.”]Scientists at Los Diamantes develop genetic improvement programs in papaya, guava, pejibaye and cas plantations. They also evaluate promising materials extracted from tropical roots, fruits, and banana; and study management practices in palmetto, fruits, and other tropical crops.
Other experimental stations, such as Los Diamantes, can be found in Cañas, Potrero Cerrado, Oreamuno, Cartago and in Quepos.
The Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA) pointed out that these types of developments reduce emissions and GHG, which damage the environment.
The University of Costa Rica (UCR) is currently promoting their own Institutional Program of Integrated Environmental Management (ProGAI) to be declared carbon neutral.
“It is an effort to prevent the consequences of the greenhouse effect,” said Jose Francisco Diestefan, biologist at UCR. “The University is aiming to have net zero carbon footprint very soon,” he added.
By Paola Rodriguez TheCostaRicaNews.com
