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This project was carried out by the Native Cultures Institute of Baja California, a non-profit organization based in Ensenada, Baja California. Indigenous artisans participating in the project are from indigenous communities located in the northern quarter of the state, an area generally considered to belong to the US/Mexico border region.
The primary goal of this project was to encourage greater production, consumption and trade in sustainably-produced goods and services by creating links between smaller producers, especially indigenous communities in Mexico, and the larger, more lucrative green markets beyond their immediate regions. While these communities may be experts at producing high quality green goods and services, access to permits and certification is difficult and their experience in international marketing may be severely limited or non-existent. Organic, environmentally friendly, fairly traded and other products may have greater appeal and better economic returns in the US or Canada, however it is often nearly impossible for smaller producers to develop the commercial mechanisms necessary to penetrate these markets and take full advantage of the opportunities created by NAFTA. In order to compete as sustainable producers and make the jump to larger scale trade with NAFTA partners, many indigenous communities would greatly benefit by the formation of strategic cross-sector alliances to collaborate with them for the development of resource management plans, to provide technical assistance and capacity building in order to meet the criteria for sustainably produced products and services, and access to a cooperatively shared infrastructure for marketing aimed at the consumers of green goods and services.
In the course of this project, the Native Cultures Institute of Baja California has brought together artisans from the indigenous communities of Santa Catarina, San Jose de la Zorra, Kiliwas, La Huerta, Jamau and Cucapá, students and faculty from the Universidad Autónoma de Baja California (UABC) and local business, graphic design and ecotourism consultants to create solutions at the regional and North American levels. Results include the creation of management plans for sustainable handcraft production and ecotourism in Kumiai and Paipai indigenous communities of Baja California; a non-profit, self financing cooperative retail and wholesale outlet with supporting infrastructure including a web site; a series of promotional visits to the US; an international trade fair for sustainably produced indigenous goods and services, and capacity building to ensure indigenous community participation in the entire process.
Project team members (indigenous community members, CUNA Institute personnel, UABC Ecosystems Management faculty; Ecotours of Baja California, SA de CV) reviewed existing information to identify criteria for sustainably produced products and services. These were applied to traditional handcrafts, products and services in order to develop sustainable management plans for handcrafts and other traditional products as well as ecotourism services in local indigenous communities. The team members also identified challenges to meeting criteria (lack of legal permits and studies required to obtain them, need for technical assistance and training, etc.) and worked with the communities to overcome these barriers. UABC social service students worked together with a private business development consultant (Duane International Development) to establish NATIVA retail/wholesale outlet in the Bodegas de Santo Tomas Cultural Center, establishing all necessary infrastructure, such as merchandising, administrative, promotional and training support. The outlet has been complemented by the establishment of a web site http://nativa.netfirms.com aimed at reaching green niche markets in all three North American countries, designed and implemented by Nishikawa Diseño y Imagen. This firm also assisted with the creation of merchandising and promotional materials and strategies.
Outcomes and follow-up: the products of this project can be accessed through our website http://nativa.netfirms.com. The contact person for more information on the project is Michael Wilken who can be reached at cuna@telnor.net. CUNA is currently seeking grant funding to implement the construction of the Paipai and Kumiai EcoVillages, ecotourism destinations featuring eco-villages made up of traditional indigenous cabins in scenic natural settings. These projects have been designed through a partnership between local communities, a local ecotourism operator and CUNA to encourage sustainable development of natural and cultural resources in an indigenous context.
Instituto de Culturas Nativas de Baja California, A.C. (CUNA)
Ensenada, Baja California, Mexico
http://www.cicese.mx/~cunabc
For more information about this grant, please contact the CEC Secretariat.
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Mexico 
