Agricultural Impacts on Costa Rica's Marine and Terrestrial Environments

Introduction

Agriculture practices have a significant impact on both marine and terrestrial environments. Around the world, many agricultural practices are creating negative impacts on tropical forests and wildlife. This study examines the negative impacts of banana, coffee, and pineapple plantations on the marine and terrestrial environment in Costa Rica. It also addresses the issue of monoculture and what steps government should take to reduce the consequences.

The practices currently used for banana plantation are creating severe negative impacts on tropical rainforests. Fungicides and insecticides applied on banana plantations are causing cancer and are very harmful to plantation workers, while also damaging the surrounding environment. It is therefore necessary to raise awareness about the negative impacts of banana plantation — which is essentially a mono-crop system. Farmers should limit their chemical usage and cultivate more environmentally friendly crops.

Marine and Terrestrial Environment

Coffee plantation in Costa Rica is also creating negative environmental impacts, and there is a need to improve current legislation on this matter. Coffee plantations require excessive water use, which further strains the environment. Pineapple plantation presents similar concerns. This paper discusses the various negative impacts of pineapple plantation and how to prevent them.

The survival of human beings, animals, and plants all depends on water. Approximately 71% of the planet's surface is covered by water, most of which exists as seas and oceans. Water provides food and energy, and is essential not only for sustaining life but also for international trade and maintaining a stable global environment.

The world's oceans facilitate marine transport, mining, and the extraction of other natural resources, and also play a critical role in climate regulation. Today, approximately 85% of the global fish catch comes from marine fisheries, and 80% of trade operations are conducted through ocean shipping. Despite the imposition of various laws, fishing continues to threaten ecological systems. It is estimated that around 70% of the world's fish stocks have been pushed beyond sustainable limits (Castillo, Martinez, Ruepert, Savage, Gilek, & Pinnock, 2006).

Industries also use the ocean as a dumping ground for waste. The ongoing threat of accidental oil spills and the discharge of nuclear or radioactive materials at sea pose major hazards. Destructive algal organisms, nurtured by sewage and waste, have become increasingly common and are damaging marine ecosystems.

Negative Impacts of Banana Plantation

Anything belonging to land rather than sea or air falls under the category of "terrestrial." The terrestrial environment encompasses that part of Earth's land area which includes both human-made and natural surfaces, and which changes in response to shifts in the atmosphere. Approximately 12.2% of the global area is classified as terrestrial environment.

The practices currently used for banana cultivation are creating serious negative impacts on tropical rainforests. Banana plantation is playing a large role in the catastrophic loss of biodiversity. Banana is an inexpensive fruit and the fifth-largest agricultural commodity in world trade, ranking as the fourth-largest crop globally in terms of gross value of production.

Bananas require a hot, humid climate, which is why their cultivation is concentrated in dense rainforest regions where large tracts of land must be cleared. Rainforests are essential habitats for plants and animals and serve as major carbon sinks — absorbing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. Their destruction has a profound negative impact on the environment. These forests also help generate rainfall, so clearing them to plant bananas disrupts natural processes on Earth.

A major problem with banana farming is monoculture. Growing bananas as a monoculture depletes soil fertility over time. Fungicides and insecticides applied to banana plantations have been linked to cancer and pose serious health risks to plantation workers, as well as damaging the surrounding environment (The Environmental Impact of Banana Plantations).

Pesticides used in banana cultivation to protect crops from insects are also creating negative impacts on the biodiversity of local waterways. Banana plantation has negative impacts on soil as well (Worobetz, 2000). One of the most significant is the reduction of soil nutrients caused by the clearing of rainforests. In Costa Rica, for example, banana plantations have been associated with a 37% reduction in soil carbon and a 16.5% reduction in magnesium. Banana plantations also negatively affect soils downwind, as chemical levels in the soil — especially in the mountain forests of Costa Rica — are elevated (Banana plantations in Latin America).

In Costa Rica, banana cultivation is one of the major sources of foreign exchange, accounting for 33% of the country's export earnings. The production and export of bananas is increasing steadily, which is resulting in environmental harm and negative health impacts for people living in production regions (Costa Rica Analysis).

Many organizations in Costa Rica oppose the expansion of banana production because of its negative impacts on the environment and society. As noted above, banana cultivation has become a monoculture system requiring large areas of land and significant control over groundwater resources, leading to deforestation and declining groundwater levels. It also requires drainage channels and canals, high levels of fertilizers, and chemical pesticides. Banana production increases the volume of contaminated wastewater and has caused mineral deficiencies in Costa Rican soils. Most farmers do not comply with forest and water protection legislation when cultivating bananas.

Pesticide use in Costa Rica is also rising, particularly in the banana industry. The banana sector consumes 33% of all pesticides imported into Costa Rica, representing approximately 35% of total banana production costs. Plastic bags are used to protect banana tree roots, and these create additional environmental waste. The use of dibromochloropropane (DBCP) to protect banana plants has also had serious negative health consequences for plantation workers. The Pacific region of Costa Rica has suffered significant losses of fertile soil due to excessive chemical use (Astorga).

It is therefore essential to raise awareness among people about the negative impacts of banana monoculture. Farmers should limit chemical usage, cultivate more environmentally friendly crops, and reduce both pesticide application and soil destruction. Adopting polyculture farming methods and introducing proper regulatory frameworks for banana plantation are important steps forward. Thorough research should inform the development of any chemicals applied to crops, ensuring they do not harm the environment. Farmers should also wear protective clothing when handling pesticides, use non-toxic bags to protect banana bunches, and reduce overall pesticide levels as part of an integrated pest management approach. Non-toxic bags would protect banana roots from insects without the environmental harm associated with conventional alternatives.

Conclusion

Governments, including Costa Rica's, generally favor the interests of multinational companies and overlook the damage, threats, and hazards to the environment and its people created by the plantation of various fruits and vegetables. Government tends to focus on profitability rather than environmental protection. Governments need to impose and enforce environmental regulations as the industry rapidly expands. Without meaningful policy intervention, the environmental degradation caused by banana, coffee, and pineapple cultivation will continue to threaten Costa Rica's rich natural ecosystems and the health of its people.