REWE's Tropical Project

With REWE's tropical project the company is taking a further step towards sustainability. In cooperation with its partner Chiquita endangered animal species and biotopes are to be protected together with local people in a long-term project in the province Bocas del Toro, Panama.

Around 80 per cent of Chiquita bananas sold at REWE originate from Panama and Costa Rica. Bananas grow particularly well in the warm, humid tropical climate of the region. Modern banana production requires precise and constant care from well-trained employees. A banana farm measures up to 200 hectares and employs around 150 men and women the whole year round.

The region of Bocas del Toro is a remote province of Panama near the border with Costa Rica and stretches about 170 km along the Caribbean coast. The country is characterised by its luxuriant mangrove forests and fresh water lagoons which are separated from the ocean by narrow sand banks. The San San Pond Sak nature reserve is one of the world's most valuable biotopes and is internationally recognised as a biosphere of UNESCO and RAMSAR wetland. One of the most populous remaining colonies of manatees in Central America lives in San San Pond Sak.

Marine turtles which have been coming on land for centuries to lay their eggs here are extremely endangered through the hunting and stealing of eggs. However, careful protection can prevent further losses. In cooperation with nature conservation organisations and local people of the region REWE and Chiquita are conserving species through REWE's tropical project.

REWE is renaturalising 120 hectares of farming land in the delta of the San San and Changuinola River in the heart of the San San Pond Sak Nature Reserve, thus helping to create new habitats, actively strengthen nature conservation and protect endangered species. Local environmental organisations are carrying out reforestation, enabling a new area of indigenous mangrove forest to grow through professional planting of different tree species. The renaturalisation here is particularly important for preserving the flora and fauna of this unique nature conservation area.

REWE and Chiquita are both assuming social responsibility and striving to improve local inhabitants' living conditions as well as preserve their traditions. New jobs are to be created by selling traditional handiworks of local women and the local people's environmental awareness is to be broadened. The bottom line for the success of the project is to secure the involvement and - where possible - the participation of the people, the authorities and the environmental protection associations of the region.