Corozo de Lata - Minka-Dev

Participate in a business for sustainable use of ‘Corozo de Lata’,
a palm fruit that has antioxidants, organic acids, vitamins, and
minerals, as well as interesting market potential
W
•••
e are inviting companies and technological centers to develop a business for a sustainable use of the ‘Corozo de Lata’, a Palm whose fruit has antioxidants, organic acids, vitamins
and minerals, as well as an interesting potential
in food, (nutraceuticals and functional products)
pharmaceutical and natural cosmetics markets.
The ‘Corozo’ (Bactris guinessis) is a native palm
that grows wild in the Colombian Caribbean and
bears fruit between May and September. It is considered according to its properties and conditions
of harvest, that the fruit of the ‘Corozo de Lata’ has
characteristics similar to those of the Açai Palm
(Euterpe oleracea), which allows
it to be considered as a product
of high commercial potential.
Within identified potentials in
the ‘Corozo de Lata’, are its
antioxidant properties (anthocyanins and phenolic compounds) known to be stable
at high temperatures. Due to
market trends towards the pursuit of healthy food alternatives
that provide benefits, such as
longevity and improvement of
physiological
tioxidants
conditions,
market
is
the
angrowing.
Despite its properties and the great potential in current markets scheme, this fruit harvesters and land
owners where this palm is grown capture little value with respect to the final price of the product,
which discourages use and protection of the palm,
resulting in displacement of palm plantations on
the part of monocultures and agricultural activities.
Reduction of ‘Corozo’ Palms presence in the Colombian Caribbean generates a negative environmental impact since this species plays an important
role in the conservation of the tropical dry forest,
one of the most threatened
ecosystems of the country.
What is this the
business opportunity?
To achieve protection of the
Palm, it is necessary to generate equitable business
models and products with
greater added value, so the
value perceived by harvesters of the ‘Corozo’ Palm
and land owners is increased, and thus, ensure a sustainable use of the species.
•••
What innovative solutions will allow
harvesters of ‘Corozo’ to connect
to markets, initially, The Municipal
Council of San Antonio (Sincelejo,
Colombia) through the creation of
equitable business models and products with greater added value?
2
Only in the United States “an annual growth
of 6% is predicted for the next 5 years for
those products with antioxidant capacity, so
for 2016, the market may be valued at approximately $86 billion USA.” For 2011 and just
for the cosmetics and personal care products market marked with the word “antioxidant” reached a value of $3.9 billion USD.
4
Being a seasonal product (yield between
May and September), price is highly sensitivity to the harvest periods, reaching its
lowest value between May and September
(between USD$2.6 and USD$4.1 per sac) and
reaching up to USD$20.7 per sac. Final consumer pays an average of USD$12.9 during
the harvest and USD$87.8 in time of scarcity.
6
The ‘La Pastora Farm’, where The Municipal
Council of San Antonio develops its activities
has a significant presence of ‘Corozo’ and,
unlike what has happened in other areas,
Palms have been preserved and coexist with
other agricultural activities, due to ancestral
and sustainable agricultural practices implemented by the Zenu Indian community.
Characteristics of
the market and the
value chain
1
3
Antioxidants are used in industries such as
pharmaceutical, natural cosmetics (traditional
and botanical), food and beverages (functional
foods and nutraceuticals), and animal nutrition.
Those who carry out the harvest of ‘Corozo
de Lata’, do so as a parallel activity to their
main occupation (which normally is fishing or
turtle hunting). On the other hand, high levels
of inequality are presented in the ‘Corozo’
value chain, which does not allow harvesters
to receive a fair income. These factors affect
‘Corozo’ valuation to the product and have
the effect of cutting and burning of the palm.
5
Harvesters and land owners depend on the
values set by intermediaries and they not
participate in the process of the fruit transformation. This situation, coupled with the
low price received by primary links, discourages the use and conservation of the Palm.
7
There are interesting possibilities for extending the business supply chain through linking of other organizations of the Colombian
Caribbean, since ‘Corozo Palms’ are present
in 6 other states in this part of the country.
•••
Territories and organizations fit
for replicating this business in
4 other states of Colombia have
been already identified.
•••
Who can make possible this business
with social /environmental impact?
T
he opportunity for a sustainable use of the
‘Corozo Palm’ is an initiative of the program ‘Paisajes de Conservación-Caribe,’ funded by USAID and
implemented by the Natural Heritage Foundation
and Minka-Dev, focused on the conservation of the
‘Corozo Palm’ in the Colombian Caribbean, through
the development of a business with social/ environmental impact for the sustainable use of this species.
Natural Heritage is a Colombian Foundation that
strategically invests in the conservation of natural areas of the country and in the services
they provide. For his part, Minka-Dev is a platform that connects the needs and desires of
populations in contexts of poverty with innovative, inclusive, and sustainable business solutions.
This opportunity was identified by The Municipal
Council of San Antonio and the unified Corporation for the ecological, economic, social and environmental development of Colombia, (Cudesac),
organizations located in the state of Sucre, Colombia. The Municipal Council of San Antonio belongs to the Indigenous Shelter of San Andrés de
Sotavento and develops agricultural activities in ‘La
Pastora’ Farm, located in the township of San Antonio. Cudesac has 12 years of experience in regional development of projects starting from the
local capacities. There is a relationship of trust
and mutual support among these organizations.
Who can
participate?
T
he sustainable use of the ‘Corozo Palm’ business
opportunity is open to companies and technological
centers that have innovative business and technological
solutions that will allow harvesters of ‘Corozo’ to be linked
to markets, initially from The Council of San Antonio (Sincelejo, Colombia) through the creation of equitable business models and products with greater added value. Participants must be able to implement proposed solutions.
We also call on investors and strategic allies that increase
the feasibility, impact, and escalating of business solutions.
•••
Schedule for the opportunity *
1
Reception
2
of
solutions:
From
April
25
to
July
31
Virtual session of questions and answers for the opportunity:
May 20
3
Proposals Evaluation Process:
From August 1 to 26
4
Selected solution Announced:
September 5
5
Co-creation of business model with
community, investors, and identifiers in
the field. (Sincelejo, Sucre)
Week of October 25
*Dates may change without previous notification
Who can
participate?
T
he sustainable use of the ‘Corozo Palm’ business
opportunity is open to companies and technological
centers that have innovative business and technological
solutions that will allow harvesters of ‘Corozo’ to be linked
to markets, initially from The Council of San Antonio (Sincelejo, Colombia) through the creation of equitable business models and products with greater added value. Participants must be able to implement proposed solutions.
We also call on investors and strategic allies that increase
the feasibility, impact, and escalating of business solutions.
•••
Schedule for the opportunity *
1
Reception
2
of
solutions:
From
April
25
to
July
31
Virtual session of questions and answers for the opportunity:
May 20
3
Proposals Evaluation Process:
From August 1 to 26
4
Selected solution Announced:
September 5
5
Co-creation of business model with
community, investors, and identifiers in
the field. (Sincelejo, Sucre)
Week of October 25
*Dates may change wout previous notification
Why should you submit solutions
for this business opportunity?
•••
The　‘Corozo Palm’ fruit
emerges as a product with
a high potential due to its
known properties and those
that remain to be explored.
•••
As the value chain of the ‘Corozo de Lata’ is strengthened,
opportunities for economic inclusion for farmers and harvesters of the fruit in the Colombian Caribbean are generated.
Initially, it will be developed at
the Municipal Council of San
Antonio, but it is expected the
business shall escalate to other
departments of this region.
•••
•••
Companies and technological centers that postulate
the best solutions will receive assistance and accompaniment in the business plan
development.
Business solutions resulting
from this opportunity have
great potential for escalating
in the Colombian Caribbean,
allowing the business to grow
and expand the social and environmental impact.
•••
The conservation and sustainable use of the Palm
contributes also to the conservation of the tropical dry
forest, which is one of the
most threatened ecosystems of the country.
•••
Selected solutions will be
connected with strategic
allies to provide viability to
submitted solutions.
•••
•••
Selected solutions’ Drivers
will travel to Sucre, Colombia, to participate in the cocreation of the ideal business model, which will allow
them to validate and adapt
their solutions to the local
context.
This business opportunity
offers the possibility of promoting a solution together
with a local ally, who has the
knowledge and representation of the situation at hand, in
addition to a suitable context
to increase the viability, sustainability, and escalating of the
business.
T
•••
The associating of various
actors led by the Natural
Heritage Foundation and
Minka-Dev, seeks to increase the viability, sustainability,
and escalating of business
driven.
his call underlines the generation of public-private alliances and inter-sectorial partnerships around a common and specific purpose, to trigger a business development aligned to objectives
of poverty reduction, preservation of the environment, and inclusion.
•••
How to
participate?
1
Register with Minka-Dev
Platform through this form.
2
3
Click on the button ‘I have the Solution’ within the opportunity of Sustainable Use of ‘Corozo de Lata’.
I have the
Solution
4
5
Get to know other solutions submitted and explore possible alliances to
strengthen your proposal.
Read all the information on the business opportunity and the terms of
reference of the invitation.
Complete the form.
Why participate as an investor?
• Investors in this opportunity have the possibility of generating systemic impact in communities and their natural surroundings.
• These inclusive businesses have been generated within commercial development
ecosystems, which increase their viability,
sustainability, and social and environmental
impact.
• This opportunity allows participation in inclusive business whose models have been
co-created by companies and entrepreneurs,
strategic allies, inclusive business, and grassroots organizations that represent the interests of the communities.
• Registered investors can participate in the
selection process of the solutions.
• This opportunity opens the door to innovative initiative with a broad and rich way to
move along.
• Investors of this opportunity strengthen
their image as Drivers of sustainable, responsible, and innovative business activities.
•••
What are the steps to participate
as an investor?
1
Register with Minka-Dev
Platform through this form.
2
3
Click on the button ‘I want to invest’
Open the sustainable use of the ‘Corozo Palm’ business opportunity.
I want to
invest
4
Complete the form