The use and commercialization of ramón seed generates revenues for the local population derived from the forest and thus motivates its protection. With the collection of non-timber resources, such as ramón seed, natural resources are used in a sustainable way, without causing damage to the forest ecosystem. Through the promotion of the ramón seed’s value chain in the Mayan Biosphere Reserve, Guatemala, the Project for the Protection and Sustainable Use of the Selva Maya supports the objective of strengthening the sustainable use of natural resources and generate an economic benefit for the local population.
As part of this same objective, from July 16 to 20, the community forest concession Organización de Manejo y Conservación (OMYC) Uaxactún, Guatemala, was audited with the purpose of obtaining organic certification to produce chicle, pepper and products derived from ramón tree. This was done with the support of the Association of Forest Communities of Petén (ACOFOP, for its acronym in Spanish) and the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit / GIZ (German Development Cooperation). In 2017 the El Esfuerzo forest concession received the organic certification for ramón products, while in 2018 the Cruce a la Colorada Integral Forestry Association, the Unión Maya – Itzá Cooperative and La Lucha Cooperative were also certified.
Obtaining the organic certification has the positive effect of increasing the income of the population of the organizations. By having this distinction it is possible to access new markets and obtain better prices. It is expected that in the future other organizations and other products will be added to the organic certification process.
