Achiote
(Link to Achiote Production Success Story)
The bixin, red dye extracted from the seed of the achiote
plant, is used as a natural colorant in food, in cosmetics and pharmaceuticals,
and textile dyes. The Yungas Achiote , product with “organic
certification” from Bio Latina, provides an ecologically-safe
alternative to synthetically-produced dye.
Under the YCADF, achiote producers from several communities in the Yungas received support for infrastructure development, production technical assistance, post harvesting, quality control, and marketing and sales.
In Villa Exaltacion, a small community in the Caranavi province, fifty-four families have joined forces to form the Integral Association of Ecological Producers of Achiote of Villa Exaltación (AIPEAVE). YCADF provided each family with materials to build a drying patio and a storage house. Complementary and also with funds from YCADF, five winnowing machines and five threshing machines were supplied. These ten manually-operated machines, which are shared between the 54 families, replaced the time consuming and arduous process of extracting the seed by hand. AIPEAVE also received on-going technical assistance in the areas of marketing, establishing international business contacts and negotiating commercial contracts for the exportation of its products.
Due to the success of achiote farmers in Villa Exaltacion, the neighboring towns of Choronta Berea and Unión Camacho requested similar assistance from the Bolivian Vice Ministry of Alternative Development, through the YCADF. Construction and implementation of infrastructure for drying and storage of achiote pods and the purchase of five threshing machines for communal use by producers' families was approved. Storage facilities for each family consist of a raised wooden platform with corrugated metal roof and walls of small-mesh screen. Each family also received a concrete patio for the drying and processing achiote grains.
These projects received the complementary support of the technical assistance program provided by volunteer consultants. This support meant the participation of Mr. Nicholas Shirra, especifically in merchandising and export processes.
