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This guide by Friends of the Earth International provides a compilation of strategies and experiences for communities and Indigenous Peoples to declare their territories free from threats such as REDD, financialization of nature, mining, fracking, and GMOs. It frames these declarations as exercises of autonomy and political practices aimed at realizing collective human rights and defending traditional ways of living against an extractivist corporate model.

This case study examines Platanera Rio Sixaola, S.A., a small independent banana plantation in Costa Rica founded by Volker Ribniger. Despite becoming the first banana plantation in the world to earn Eco-OK certification from the Rainforest Alliance, the company faced significant financial challenges in 1994, with production costs exceeding revenues. The document details the environmental impacts of traditional banana monoculture, the specific sustainable practices implemented by Platanera Rio Sixaola, and the market pressures exerted by the 'Big Three' multinationals and European Community import quotas.