Migration processes are part of the social “evolution” of any country, region and / or territory, the concept of searching for better opportunities in 80% are a product of this process, which is why when deciding to present to the “Foundation Galicia Emigration ” this project tries to give continuity to the search for better life opportunities of those Spanish immigrants who one day decided to leave their homeland.
For more than 50 years the "colony of Spaniards" in the Dominican Republic and especially in the municipality of Constanza, have contributed through their tenacious work to transformations in the agricultural sector, which has allowed not only respect for Dominicans, but also its successful integration into society and commerce.
profile-of-project-to-strengthen-crops-municipality-of-constanzaThe "evolve" to a new phase, join the new canons of territorial strategic development, are binding part to continue developing agriculturally and productively the lands that by labor law have been acquired and worked by the "Spanish colony", agriculture to Open sky in recent years has had fluctuations and variations that have put the financial capital of Galician immigrants at risk, increasing this risk as of the effective date of the "Free Trade Agreement" (FTA).
One of the best options to jump into a new phase and join the new technological and agro-productive trends are “controlled environment crops” (greenhouses), a technique that has been demonstrated in the Dominican Republic and Constanza as the best option to confront and in fact, interact in the new agro-productive markets that have been opened since the beginning of the "Free Trade Agreement" (FTA) with the United States and Central America.
This project based on the realization of an idea which is based on the technification of a group of agricultural entrepreneurs who want to adapt to the changing demand of increasingly demanding markets for higher quality products and are aware that crops under a controlled environment they represent the guarantee and sustainable development of agriculture.
When talking about greenhouses, it is important to recognize that proper planning and long-term vision are two tools that will allow us to be successful when undertaking a project, large or small. In our country, there is the possibility of adopting different technologies for the different regions, which is why it is necessary to thoroughly evaluate each of the alternatives. Constanza, has the ideal climate to have a stable production throughout the year, allowing it to offer high quality products and indisputable safety. Some basic issues that facilitate future project development should be thoroughly analyzed. The first of them is referring to the benefits that are intended to be obtained and in this regard, we can find the following options:“One is better crop planning, which allows controlling the production flow. Another objective may be the increase in productivity, together with the higher quality of the fruits, which will generate a better condition in the market. Likewise, there is the possibility of increasing efficiency in the use of supplies, or improving working conditions with better use of areas and equipment. ”
By presenting the "project profile" on "crops under controlled environments" (greenhouses), the ultimate goal is to strengthen a group of agricultural entrepreneurs, who within a migration process have contributed their work and experience in Constanza in the area agro-productive, offering new alternatives to Galician immigrants not only strengthens the colony, but also the municipality of Constanza, a territory that, thanks to its ecological, climatic and social benefits, has allowed the Spanish and Galician colony to remain and the new generations of Galician children progress to patterns that ensure their viability in time and space.
Objectives of the project
Overall objective
- To develop a sustainable, competitive, modern agricultural program capable of adapting to the changing demand of the markets, which are increasingly demanding in products of higher quality and safety. The crops under controlled environment represent the guarantee and sustainable development of agriculture, based on “controlled environment crops” (Greenhouses) as the most viable option to guarantee in time and space the agro-productive and financial sustainability of the Spanish Colony in the Constance municipality.
Specific objectives
- Improve agro-productive development under a controlled environment for the benefit of immigrants and children, thus consolidating the contributions of the “Spanish Colony” established in Constanza, Strengthening technological opportunities, thereby opening agro-productive systems related to the quality requirements demanded by commercial houses on horticultural products; and Create the platform to face commercial, technological and quality market and competition opportunities that the "Free Trade Agreement" (FTA) with the United States and Central America.
Justification
Obtaining higher sales prices for their products is a permanent concern and challenge for any farmer. This aspect is basically related to two factors in the sale; an exit to the market in a period of low supply and consequently with higher prices, and / or a higher quality of the harvested products.
The difficulty and need to obtain productions out of season, is solved by cultivating these species under the protection of greenhouses, in circumstances in which these same crops in the open air would not be possible given the unfavorable climatic conditions of the external environment.
The "cultivation under controlled environment" or greenhouse as well as other crop protection systems, such as windbreaks, mulches, tunnels, etc., allow to precisely control the climatic factors in which the crop develops. An optimal and balanced development of vegetables depends on the favorable incidence of factors such as temperature, humidity and light, among others.
In general terms, the greenhouse is a structure of a certain height, made of wood or metal, provided with a transparent cover in direct sunlight, so that this radiation enters and complies with the photosynthetic and heat requirements, and which, in turn, let out the least amount of energy, so that this positive balance allows modifying the internal environment in order to make possible and advantageous the growth and development of plants inside.
Referential framework
Geographical location of the country
The Dominican Republic, a republic of the Greater Antilles that occupies the eastern part of the island of Hispaniola, limits to the north with the Atlantic Ocean, to the east with the island of Puerto Rico -from which it is separated by the Mona Channel-, to the south with the Caribbean Sea and west with Haiti. The border with Haiti has a length of 315 km. The country, which covers two thirds of the island of Hispaniola, has an area of 48,400 km. The Beata and Saona islands also belong to the Dominican Republic. Santo Domingo is its capital and the largest city.
The Dominican Republic has a tropical climate, with humid heat, although moderate by the altitude and the northeast trade winds, which blow throughout the year. In the lowlands temperatures above 23.3 ºC are registered throughout the year; During the summer months, temperatures range between 26.7 and 32 ºC. Highlands are considerably colder. Annual rainfall averages close to 1,525 mm, but the mountainous areas of the northwest are notably more humid, with a rainfall index of 2,540 mm. year. The wet season runs from May to December. Occasional tropical cyclones occur in the Atlantic, between the months of August and October, which usually cause enormous damage.
The main commercial crops in the Dominican Republic are produced in large plantations located mainly in the northeast and on the southern coastal plain, although most farmers are dedicated to subsistence crops. Sugar cane is one of its main cash crops, in 2003 5.04 million tons were produced. Other important crops are: rice (609,209 t), cassava (123,923 t), cocoa (49,670 t), coffee (49,022 t), tobacco (18,000 t), tomato, banana, banana and mango. Cattle (2.22 million heads), pigs (577,500 heads) and poultry (46.5 million) are raised, basically for local consumption.
The economy of the Dominican Republic is mainly based on tourism and port free zones, where the best-known international commercial companies are located. Tourism generated an income of $ 282 million. Agriculture, which occupies 15% of the country's active population, and mining are also important. In 2002, the gross domestic product (GDP) was 21,651 million dollars, which represented a per-income. capita of $ 2,510 (according to World Bank calculations).
The main exports of the Dominican Republic are: ferro nickel, sugar, cocoa, molasses, coffee, gold and tobacco. The main imports are machinery and spare parts, iron and steel, food products, oil and derivatives, automobiles, cotton and its manufactures, and chemical and pharmaceutical products. In 2000 the annual value of exports was 966 million dollars and that of imports was 7,379 million dollars. The United States is the country's main trading partner, in addition to Venezuela, Mexico, the Netherlands, Puerto Rico, and Japan.
In 1999, the highway system had 12,600 km, of which 49% were paved. More than 1,600 km of railways are used, all of them privately owned, serving sugar plantations. Apart from Santo Domingo, other great ports are San Felipe de Puerto Plata on the Atlantic coast and Barahona in the Caribbean southwest. The country has 8 airports, which are used by various international and national airlines.
Description of the Municipality of Constanza
Geography and politics
The municipality of Constanza is located in the heart of the Cordillera Central, 1,150 meters above sea level, exactly between 18 ° 53 '25 ”and 18 ° 55' 05” north latitude, and 70 ° 45 '25 ”and 70 ° 43 '44 ”west longitude; spreading over an area of 841.78 square kilometers.
Within the current political division of the Dominican Republic, Constanza belongs to the jurisdiction called municipality, included within the territorial demarcation of the Province of La Vega.
In the geographical conformation of Constanza, we can find as its main feature a great diversity of valleys and mountains, where important rivers and streams meander that adorn its mountains and landscapes.
To obtain a clear idea of the territorial breadth of the municipality, it is pertinent to list its various valleys, among which the following stand out: Valle de Constanza, Valle de La Culata, Valle de Tireo, Valle del Río and Valle Nuevo, Valle of the Discovered, Villa Sabina Valley, among others of less territorial scope but not of less importance.
However, the complete and finished idea of the importance of the municipality is found in all its breadth in the following table
Limits and distance
The current limits of the municipality of Constanza are: To the North: The Municipality Of Jarabacoa, To The East: Province Of Monseñor Nouel, To The South: San José De Ocoa, Province Of Peravia, To The West: Padres Las Casas, Province Of San Juan De La Maguana. From the indicated delimitation, we note that Constanza is in the center of the Cibaeñas and Sureñas provinces, so that it divides the South from the Cibao, which gives it a unique and exclusive geopolitical importance to create the so-called North-South corridor.
However, if we refer to the natural and primitive limits of the municipality, we find the Jimenoa river to the east; to the west, the Yaquecillo river; to the north, the Tres Pinos (located on the road to Manabao) and to the south, the Las Cuevas river.
In another order of idea, and starting from our geographical location, the city is 154 kilometers from Santo Domingo; 76 from the main municipality of the province, La Vega; 98 from San José de Ocoa; 48 from Jarabacoa and 56 from the head municipality of the Province of Monseñor Nouel, Bonao.
Similarly, and because it is located in the very center of the Central Cordillera, Constanza, it divides this enormous promontory into two large massifs: One to the northwest, which ends with the highest geographical accident in the Antilles, the Pico Duarte, which rises to 3,087 meters above sea level; The other to the Southeast, whose main feature is to contain other of the important accidents of the geography, the Pico de Alto de la Bandera elevated to 2,842 meters above sea level, which is within the territory of Constanza, constituting the second elevation of more importance in the Caribbean regarding its relief.
As we have already indicated, the territorial extension of Constanza amounts to 841.78 square kilometers, which makes the municipality one of the largest inland municipalities in the country. Territory, which is the cradle of the birth of the main rivers of this nation, in accordance with which, both national and international organizations, are consistent in pointing to Valle Nuevo as the mother of more than eighty percent of the births of the rivers of the country and Constance, according to UNESCO: lung of the caribbean.
Demographic data
For the year 1993, the number of inhabitants of Constanza was 52,902 inhabitants. If we take into account the fact that in our municipality the birth rate is 2.9%; that of migration of 1.9% and mortality is estimated at 2.00%, we would obtain as a result a population growth of 2.8% per year. Starting from the previous analysis, we could determine the current population of about 75 thousand inhabitants, of whom 51% are from 0 to 18 years old, 32% from 19 to 38; 14% from 39 to 63 and 3% from 64 years of age or older.
If we take the objective data that we have detailed as a starting point, and together we are guided by the number of voters in each area, we could distribute the population of Constanza, according to such indicators, without fear of error.
The result of such an equation would be the following: if we put the population of voters at 32,000 voters, and 51% of the population is not in a position to be voters, we could conclude that the global population of Constanza amounts to 65,306 INHABITANTS, more the growth rate that estimated at 2.8% per year, 7 years after the census would be 10,367 inhabitants, we would conclude by affirming that the general population of Constanza should be estimated at about 75,673 inhabitants.
Based on the same equation model, and proportional to the number of voters in each area, the bulk of the inhabitants would be distributed as follows: IN THE EL RIO CONSTANZA COMMUNITY, APPROXIMATELY 7,000 INHABITANTS; IN THE SABINA COMMUNITY 6,500, IN THE MUNICIPAL DISTRICT OF TIREO APPROXIMATELY 18,500 INHABITANTS, AND IN THE MUNICIPALITY OF CONSTANZA A LITTLE MORE THAN 43,673 INHABITANTS.
Communication
Currently, Constanza has three land communication routes, which keep the city connected to the rest of the country, these are: the Constanza-San José de Ocoa highway, whose distance amounts to 98 kilometers; the Constanza-Autopista Duarte highway, with which it communicates to the rest of the country, with a distance of 52 kilometers, and finally the Constanza-Jarabacoa highway that separates it from the sister city a stretch of 48 kilometers.
The municipality also has a home airport, which despite its state, allows air communication with the rest of the country, and is a precious means of communication for the nation and its security.
As for mass communication media, we have three radio stations that transmit on AM frequency. And FM. In addition to the local cable television service that offers municipal residents thirty international and two national channels. However, there is no major television or broadcasting plant in the Dominican Republic that does not have at least one repeater in the city.
Regarding telephone communication, this town is in a privileged place, with two telephone companies that, in addition to ordinary communication, offer Internet, beeper and cellular services to their users.
Consistent with the local VERIZON office in Constanza, the number of telephones per 100 inhabitants is 5.89; the number of users and the number of Cellular Phones to approximately 18,500.
Historical review
In the field of history, there are several aspects that deserve to be highlighted regarding the municipality of Constanza, among which we can highlight the following:
Foundation of the municipality
Constanza was declared a municipality, through the Congress Act, in 1907; However, its foundation is lost in the dark labyrinths of historical evolution, despite which, most of the people who have dedicated themselves to studying our historical past; Despite there being divergence of criteria, they support their theories, on their particular expositional framework. Some affirm that the foundation of this town dates back to the vicinity of the year 1894, at which time the demarcation was elevated to a section of the municipality of Jarabacoa, however, it is argued that before that year there were already nuclei population, relatively important, with which it is demonstrated that the foundation is located in a year that although the precision is not had, it is previous to 1894.
The truth is, that the foundation of the town in the institutional order, dates back to 1894. Later, on May 25, 1900, it was erected in the Cantonal Post; later, in 1907, thanks to article 40 of the Constitution of that year, it reached the category of common, in that Constitutional text it was established "that the territorial division of the Republic would be the object of an accessory law". This law was voted and with it the cantonal posts that became head of the new commons were abolished. Towards the year 1955, in accordance with the Constitution, the term common was replaced by that of municipality, in accordance with which, the same year in which the migration from the Spanish Colony to the municipality began, Constanza is considered a municipality from the year 1907.
Now, as for the foundation as a town, as a social group established in the vicinity of Constanza, despite the fact that the assertion seems imprecise due to the lack of testimonial information or documents that allow us to establish an exact point in history, about the foundation Constanza; It is pertinent to admit, in accordance with the references written down by the notable English geographer Sir Robert Hemann Schomburgk, that the foundation of Constance dates back to a year prior to 1894. It must be located at a time prior to the given date, because the Information that the remarkable scientist narrates having heard, was given to him by a local when he visited Constance in 1851.
Another highly debated question is the one related to the name of the municipality, to the point that several theses exist around the fact, among them it is worth noting 1st. That the name Constanza was placed in honor of an indigenous queen who lived in Constanza, who belonged to the Maguá chiefdom, 2nd. That the mentioned name was given by a European explorer.
In relation to the first, it is easily ruled out by the mere fact that there is no coincidence of the linguistic structures of the Taíno word with the internal structure of the word Constanza, in addition to the fact that, within the social division of Taíno society, existed, the division of reign. As regards the second thesis, that the name was placed by a European explorer, it is more acceptable, in accordance with the fact that the first known explorers who started to venture into this territory began in the early years. fifty of the nineteenth century, and by the year 1780 the historian Antonio Valverde y Sánchez cites the town of Constanza in his book History of the Value of the Island of Santo Domingo.
Migratory process
Within the migratory processes that have contributed to the development and growth of Constanza we must situate ourselves in two aspects of migration: a) foreign immigrants and b) national immigrants.
a) Foreign immigrants
As for foreign immigrants, we can mention: The Lebanese, The Spanish, The Japanese, and The Hungarians. The Lebanese began to arrive in Constanza in 1894, they installed the first commerce in Constanza, thus revolutionizing the mode of economy of the time, which until then had been in the hands of the residents of the town and which did not have a push as significant as the Lebanese gave it.
Later, another Lebanese arrived, who expanded the existing trade, and strengthened the nucleus of what is now known as Lebanese Immigrants, made up mostly of the Abud family.
Years later, and specifically in the 1930s, another immigrant of Lebanese origin arrived, who contributes notably to the incipient development of commerce in Constanza, helping its expansion and allowing the start of what is historically known as the original accumulation of capital in this municipality.
For the year of 1955 the groups of immigrants, of Spanish origin, began to arrive, who had a notable impact on the technification of agricultural production, thus driving the momentum of this sector, allowing agriculture to develop as an activity capable of producing capital accumulation or giving it the character of a means of production capable of improving the economy of the family and therefore of the community.
Currently, the Spanish have made great contributions from their government for the progressive development of the community, managing to insert themselves in it as entities that provide a notable boost in the social and economic order to Constanza.
At the end of 1955, Japanese immigrants joined, who formed what is now known as the Japanese Colony, their main contribution to the community being the planting of vegetables. The Japanese settled in Constance and under its influence the Japanese Government has promoted development projects for the benefit of education and agriculture.
The Hungarians were the minority group that came to Constance. They settled in what is now known as La Sabina, which at that time was called La Colonia Húngara, a name that still remains in all the municipality's civil registries.
b) National immigrants
With regard to national immigrants, this municipality currently constitutes a sui generis human nucleus, since in the social composition of the town, at least one citizen representative of each province and almost all the municipalities of the country is observed.
There are determining factors in national immigration, among which three fundamental ones stand out: 1st. To the large number of sawmills that existed in the town in the 1950s, 2nd. To that this municipality exists the Fortress that is seat of the 6th. Hunter Battalion, Gregorio Luperón, which because it is a training center for military tactics and strategies, makes that anyone who enters the militia has to take some type of training in this military operations center and, 3rd., and without a doubt the most influential of the reasons, the great agricultural industry of the town that demands a quantity of manpower for the concession of the agricultural production undeniable with other towns of the nation.
E l plot unveiled
Within the historical environment in which the town of Constanza developed, we find events that have a national historical significance. Such as the Veiled Plot and the Gesta of June 14.
Veiled Plot. By 1958 a group of young residents of the town began to conspire against the tyranny of the time; in such a way that, taking advantage of the visit of the president and dictator Trujillo, to Constanza, practically almost every week, these young people took the steps to pretend to take the oppressor's life. Among those who participated in that historical event and, almost forgotten by Dominican historiography, was Pipí Ramírez, son of Mr. José Ramírez (an old constancy resident in the section of Las Auyamas and linked to the family of Melchor Suriel, one of the founders of this municipality).
The heroic deed of June 14
This fact, although it was not propitiated by the locals, has a great repercussion in national history, as it was created between Dominicans and Cubans, who intended to take advantage of the geopolitical importance of Constanza, to light the flame that would end the dictatorship of the moment. Although the invasion failed, since its members were captured alive and then shot, everyone recognizes in this fact, the very germ of Dominican democracy or the preamble to the extermination of that horrendous form of government.
Cultural landmarks of the history of Constance
It is worth mentioning that, in the course of the historiography of Constanza, we had personalities of the stature of Don ANIBAL DE PEÑA, who served in the 1950s, as director of the Constance Music Academy. On the other hand, we must not forget that PROFESSOR JUAN BOSCH, around the year 1929, lived in this municipality, where he wrote a large part of the novel "La Mañosa", and stories whose setting is Tireo, as in the case of "El Difunto He was alive ”and other texts whose ambient atmosphere was Constanza, data that can be corroborated when reading the introduction to the book:“ De Hombres De Niños Y Fantasmas ”, by Virgilio Díaz Grullón.
Trade
Before the first half of the 20th century, the Constanta economy was relegated to the barter economy system. However, as we have said, the local economic system was transformed, thanks to the trade relations initiated by the Lebanese, at which point a new form of social production relationship began, consisting of the marketing of goods that in that Then they existed, such as: chicken, molasses, sugar, firewood, fabrics, etc.
With the passage of time and the installation of eleven mills throughout the valley together with that of the sawmills in the hills, it was possible to give a significant boost to trade, and the birth of an economy, based fundamentally on supply and Demand, at this historical moment, Constanza depended fundamentally and principally on wood production. When the sawmills were closed by orders of the Executive Power in 1967, agriculture had already begun to show itself as the most important economic activity in the region, to the extent that it was from this date that great mobility began social of the south of the country to this town, time in which, a more promising future for the whole town was envisioned. Nowadays,The economic development of this population rests in the following sectors: Financial, Agricultural, Commercial, Construction, Communications, Electricity, Agroindustrial, Transport, Wood and small and medium-sized companies.
Financial sector
Regarding the financial or banking sector, Constanza has 17 entities including: commercial banks, savings and credit associations, service cooperatives, agricultural and financial banks. According to information from these institutions, the global loan portfolio for the municipality is around 600 million pesos, which generates interest that exceeds 28 million pesos. On the other hand, the informal financial sector mobilizes approximately 74.8 million pesos a year, which generate interest for an amount greater than 10.7 million pesos a year. In this sense, the sum of the loan portfolios of the financial sector that is 600 and the interest they generate, we have that the public financial sector mobilizes approximately 628 million pesos annually and the informal 95.5,reason why the banking and financial sector mobilize 703.5 million pesos in this municipality.
In relation to trade in a general sense, it is qualified by a great variety of companies that are engaged in the trade of different types of merchandise or the sale of services.
| Area | Quantity |
| Pharmacy | eleven |
| Hardware stores | 8 |
| Grocery stores | 698 |
| Shops | 61 |
| Supermarket and / or Warehouses | fifteen |
| Fuel pumps | 4 |
| Gas plants | 3 |
| Electronics stores | 7 |
| Agricultural Input Stores | 13 |
| Engine Parts Stores | 14 |
| Florists | 3 |
| Mortuary | one |
| Veterinary | one |
| Medical centers | 5 |
Agro-productive sector
This sector represents the basis for the economic development of our municipality, a synoptic table would better illustrate the reality, in terms of production-money. This table has been prepared on the basis of information given by the Agriculture division of the municipality of Constancia)
| Culture | Area expressed in tasks | Performance / Task | Measure | Production | Average price last 05 years / quintal or unit | Total | |
| Garlic | 14,000 | 12 | QQs | 168,000 | 1,800.00 | 302,400,000.00 | |
| Dad | 25,000 | twenty | QQs | 500,000 | 250.00 | 125,000,000.00 | |
| Onion | 5,000 | 25 | QQs | 125,000 | 400.00 | 50,000,000.00 | |
| Carrot | 7,000 | Four. Five | QQs | 120lbs. | 315.00 | 63,000,000.00 | |
| Beet | 5,000 | 40 | QQS | 120lbs | 200.00 | 25,000,000.00 | |
| Cabbage | 7,000 | 1700 | Unit | 11,900.00 | 6.00 | 71,400,000.00 | |
| Lettuce | 5,500 | 75 | Box 35 Unit | 412,500 | 75.00 | 30,937,500.00 | |
| Celery | 4,500 | 60 | QQs | 270,000 | 200.00 | 54,000,000.00 | |
| Bean | 8,000 | two | QQs | 16,000 | 750.00 | 12,000,000.00 | |
| Broccoli | 4,500 | fifty | QQs | 225,000 | 400.00 | 54,000,000.00 | |
| Coffee | 55,000 | two | QQs | 110,000 | 150.00 | 16,500,000.00 | |
| flowers | 4,500 | 700 | 25 pcs | 3,150.00 | 25.00 | 78,750,000.00 | |
| Cauliflower | 3,000 | Four. Five | QQs | 135,000 | 400.00 | 90,000,000.00 | |
| Others (Strawberry, tomato, vanilla, etc. | 5,000 | 25 | QQs | 125,000 | 250.00 | 151,250,000.00 | |
Total 1, 124,487,500.00
For the purposes of complementing the preceding table, it is important to highlight that the largest production of fertile eggs in the country is concentrated in this municipality, which is why we have unprecedented production in terms of the poultry industry.
Various sector
In relation to the other sectors as a whole, their progress can be seen through the following synoptic table:
| Sector | Amount in millions |
| tourism | 15,000,000.00 |
| Communication | 48,971,000.00 |
| Commerce | 378,000,000.00 |
| Electricity | 47,520,000.00 |
| Education | 5,000,000.00 |
| Agroindustrial | 17,124,000.00 |
| Transport | 20,349,000.00 |
| Building | 200,000,000.00 |
| Floriculture | 120,456,000.00 |
| Cattle raising
Financial |
50,000,000.00
603,500,000.00 |
| Total | 1,573,806,000.00 |
In general, the economic production of the municipality of Constanza amounts to the sum of 2, 698, 293,500.00 annually.
INSTITUTIONAL DEVELOPMENT
As a municipality, Constanza has an institutional development, characterized by the grouping of different sectors of the population in nuclei that coincide with its goals and objectives, ranging from pure cultural and development interests to common interests in terms of work. or the work of his idiosyncrasy. The following table presents a more complete perspective of this reality.
| Sectors | Quantity |
| Community Development Associations (Includes the Association for the Development of Constanza, the Tireo, the River and the Inter-institutional Council) | 4 |
| Merchant Associations | 7 |
| Educational (Educational Center) | 68 |
| college | one |
| Educational Associations | 6 |
| Commercial Institutes | eleven |
| Neighborhood Meetings | 40 |
| Disgust. And Sports Clubs | 30 |
| Women's Associations | 22 |
| Producer Associations | fifteen |
| Fire brigade | one |
| Service Institutions
(Red Cross, Civil Defense, Scout, Pro-Youth |
5 |
| Political parties | 6 |
| Catholic churches | 43 |
| Evangelical Churches | 17 |
| Association of Professionals | 6 |
| Courts | 3 |
| Cultural | 5 |
| Stations | 3 |
Educative development
This piece of geography, with just one hundred years of municipal life, has undergone a great advance in the development of its education, all of which is revealed in the number of people who are studying in public and private centers, both in pre-university and at the top level.
| Educational levels | Quantity |
| Initial | 1,010 |
| Basic | 11,554 |
| general | 2,299 |
| Adults | 1,295 |
| college | 390 |
| Institutes and Centers | 700 |
| Total | 17,248 |
Cultural scope
Although Constanza until the eighties only had the presence of Rene Rodríguez Soriano, in the field of letters, currently several of his writers maintain a presence in the literary annals of the Republic, where some of them have won awards such as from Casa de Teatro and other national awards, such as those won by the writers: Julio Adames, Roberto Ortiz, Roberto José Adames, David Martínez, Manuel Visente García, Elías J. Rodríguez, Roberto Adames Cabral, José Adán Abreu and Juan Emilio Batista Rosario among others. As for painting, we have painters of national and international significance, such as Pedro Céspedes, Wilson Abreu, Elías José Rodríguez, Porfirio Ferrer, and many more.
If we talk about the musical field, obviously we will have to talk about Miguel Quéliz and his musical group Quéliz 3, about Sócrates García Peralta, excellent composer, arranger and professor at the National Conservatory of Music, about the architect Sergio Marte, composer and arranger, as well as about the Constancera Fuerza Latina Orchestra. In this same order, in the town there are institutions destined to the promotion of cultural work, such as the Department of Culture of the Municipal Council of Constanza, the Municipal Academy of Music, the Permanent Committee of National and Municipal Festivals, and various literary groups. It is worth highlighting the role of the Spanish Club Culture Incorporated,which since its foundation on February 11, 1967 has maintained the Hispanic roots and the integration of the Spanish Colony with the community of Constanza, allowing to strengthen the roots of immigrants, as well as of the new generations born in the Dominican Republic and Constanza.
Judicial scope
The development of justice in this municipality has reached truly surprising levels. At present Constanza is the only inland province municipality in the entire Dominican Republic, which has a Judicial District. District in which the Court of First Instance, the Magistrate's Court and the Justice of the Peace of the Municipality of Constanza, with their respective Magistrates, Prosecutors, Prosecutors and Inspector function. In the same order, Constanza has a branch of the Dominican Bar Association, a branch of the Dominican College of Notaries and a branch of the Dominican Bar Association.
Ecology
The location of Constanza, within the scope of the Cordillera Central, suggests its ecological importance and its influence for the preservation and conservation of life in the Dominican Republic. Constanza houses in its territory a significant part of the territorial demarcation of the national parks: Armando Bermúdez, José del Carmen Ramírez, Juan Bautista Pérez Rancier; Ali as well as the Ébano Verde Scientific Reserve, the protected area of Las Neblinas and the Casabito ecological corridor, among other smaller ones, but of similar importance.
This municipality, turns out to be the most attractive contrast of nature, in all the Caribbean, both for its climate, and for the fact of cohabiting in its ecosystems and fauna, exclusive animal species and grasses throughout the globe.
Of all the ecosystems identified in our country, Constanza is the one with the greatest diversity, having to its credit life zones so rich that they are capable of presenting from very humid forests to low montanes in certain places; the same as rain and subtropical forests in others.
All these areas, we can identify it by the characteristics they exhibit when we make a careful tour, and we get in touch with the most pristine of nature. In such a way that we can recognize very humid forests, low montanes, when we start the climb towards casabito from the Abanico, an area located between 800 and 2,200 meters above sea level, where we find a rainfall of 900 to 1,800 millimeters as an annual average.
Similarly, the plants we observe are the faithful expression of the conditions expressed, which may be from the Araliáceas, garryaceae, Brunelliaceae, Composital families, among others, such as the species Palo de viento (Scheffera Trémula) that abounds in the journey towards Constanza.
The subtropical rain forest is characterized by having very rugged terrain and ecosystems that are easy to recognize, both in the late afternoon and at dawn. As a main feature, we can note the fact that, almost all year round, they are covered in clouds, giving us a pleasant aspect that invites us to stop to enjoy the freshness that permeates the air and the spirit.
The plants that adorn these rugged terrains denote the presence of the majestic Central Cordillera, as these plants are covered by epiphytic and parasitic species. Among the most common are the Magnolia family, Cytheaceae and Oleaceae, with the species Green Ebony (Magnolia Pallescens) tree, which with its presence has given us national and international recognition.
A curious fact is the fact that the repopulation of these areas, in the ecological order, must be done with plants typical of the region. However, curiosity grows with the singular detail that the forests of Constanza do not correspond to any defined forest, which in ecology is known as transition zones, in which species can be found from one space to another of plants as strange to the environment as Palma Cana, (Sabal Umbraculifera)
Several researchers from our environment have expressed the importance of conserving certain species that are exclusive to the area, and even endemic, such as Emano Verde, a variety that only germinates when defecated by the "ciguita de Constanza" the seed he has eaten, from the tree.
With great precision it can be expressed that in our hills, the sport of hunting is minuscule, so the conservation and protection of these resources has been carried out in a prolonged, sustained and successful manner.
Constanza, due to its ecological conditions, its biocenosis (biotic part of the ecosystem) and the abundance, diversity and statification of its flora and fauna, must be recognized as THE NATIONAL ECOLOGICAL CENTER.
In the hydric aspect, Constanza becomes the most important water producing bank of the island, with a contribution in this sense, superior to 49 tributaries of the Las Cuevas river, 30 tributaries of the Nizao river, 33 tributaries of the Grande river and its source, more than 20 tributaries of the Yuna River with the sources of the Blanco and Tireo rivers. Directly benefiting with this hydrological production to the main dams and counter-reservoirs of the country. (Sabana Yegua Dam, Río Blanco Dam, Hatillo Dam, Jiguey Aguacate Dam, Valdesia Dam, Counter-Las Barías Dam.) The importance of this system in terms of energy production and organization for the distribution of water for production is unquestionable, as well as the dependence of the system (Dam System) on these sheets of water that are born in the different high areas of the mountains. from Constanza.
We consider that for all the natural attributes that make this geographical area the highest city on the Island and the most representative point of flora and fauna, it is worthy of being taken as a paradigm for the conservation and preservation of life in all its manifestations and what better than to CREATE THE FIRST DOMINICAN ECOLOGICAL PROVINCE benefiting the life-giving geographical area through its water leaves and exuberant lung that purifies the environment in which all Dominicans live.
Facts about the colony.
During the spring of 1954 Rafael Leonidas Trujillo Molina visits Spain as a stopover prior to Vatican City, where he signed the Concordat between the Holy See and the Dominican Republic. During his stay in Spain, I visit Valencia where I admire not only the fertility and care of the orchards, but also the hard work of its people, agreed with the Head of the Spanish State Francisco Franco on an immigration project for Spaniards to the Dominican Republic.
The Generalissimo Trujillo's escort included a Spanish policeman named Manuel Fernández Cámara, who was in charge of recruiting a good number of Spaniards. Appointed Immigration Delegate of the Dominican Government, and accredited by the Dominican Embassy in Madrid with diplomatic status and with the consent of the Spanish Authorities, he toured the provinces of Burgos and Valencia, describing a paradise where the immigrant awaited a magnificent house full of mod cons. This immigration project planned by the Dominican Authorities also included the free delivery of land, making it easier for them to implement and purchase crops at market prices. Until the first harvest was harvested, the authorities would provide a subsidy to Spanish emigrants.A paid round trip and the security of returning with a large sum of money in a year or two. To regulate and guide this immigration plan, on February 11, 1956, the "Hispano-Dominican Agreement" was signed.
In the interest of carrying out this immigration program, the Dominican State bought the ocean liner "Spain", with 756 emigrants on board, two of them born during the voyage. This expedition was the beginning of the vast plan of emigration of Spaniards to the Dominican Republic that was forged during the visit of Generalissimo Trujillo to Spain in 1954. The Spanish official who directed the expedition was Doctor Francisco Ponte Ferreiro, Inspector of Emigration, who At the time of landing in the Dominican Republic, I urge the men who make up the contingent to respond "with enthusiasm and loyalty" to the trust placed in them. He also told immigrants, "Spain will be satisfied, that you remember it with the love it has for you."
In addition, statements by the Generalissimo Trujillo were published in the newspaper “El Caribe”, in which they spoke of a vast emigration plan, which aimed to bring 2 million foreigners to the Dominican Republic, including Spaniards, Germans, Italians and Japanese. All of them would be hired to dedicate themselves to agriculture, and to which they would be given ownership of farmland, tools and seeds.
Following this type of statement, Manuel Fernández Cámara advanced to the newspaper "El Caribe" the organization of a second expedition of Spaniards with a total of 900 would be inserted in the vast plan of emigration of Spaniards to the Dominican Republic. This character had a great responsibility in the organization of migrant transfers.
A second contingent of emigrants made up of 763 people arrived in Ciudad Trujillo on the ocean liner "Spain" on June 4, 1955. Of all of them, 25 were school teachers, 8 carpenters and the remaining farmers. In this second expedition, the fact that all its components were single stood out, as required by the Dominican authorities to carry out a marriage policy between Spaniards and Dominicans. The origin of these emigrants was from Burgos, the Canary Islands and Galicia. On June 6 they were received by Generalissimo Trujillo in audience at the Palace. Manuel Fernández Cámara was in charge of introducing Spanish immigrants at 9:30 in the morning before the statesman.Trujillo affirmed that the Dominican Republic offered them land and protection in their desire to continue being a fervent admirer of the Motherland. The aforementioned reception was also attended by Doctor Enrique de Marchena, Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs and Worship, Doctor Joaquín Balaguer, Secretary of State for Education and Fine Arts and Major General Rafael A. Espalliat, personal assistant to Trujillo. Of the 25 teachers who arrived, 16 stayed in Ciudad Trujillo, as well as the 8 carpenters. The former providing services under the direction of the Secretary of State for Education and Fine Arts, and the carpenters working on behalf of the Secretary of State for Public Works. The rest of the expedition was arriving in the Dominican Republic during the rest of the year 1955 and 1956.The aforementioned reception was also attended by Doctor Enrique de Marchena, Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs and Worship, Doctor Joaquín Balaguer, Secretary of State for Education and Fine Arts and Major General Rafael A. Espalliat, personal assistant to Trujillo. Of the 25 teachers who arrived, 16 stayed in Ciudad Trujillo, as well as the 8 carpenters. The former providing services under the direction of the Secretary of State for Education and Fine Arts, and the carpenters working on behalf of the Secretary of State for Public Works. The rest of the expedition was arriving in the Dominican Republic during the rest of the year 1955 and 1956.The aforementioned reception was also attended by Doctor Enrique de Marchena, Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs and Worship, Doctor Joaquín Balaguer, Secretary of State for Education and Fine Arts and Major General Rafael A. Espalliat, personal assistant to Trujillo. Of the 25 teachers who arrived, 16 stayed in Ciudad Trujillo, as well as the 8 carpenters. The former providing services under the direction of the Secretary of State for Education and Fine Arts, and the carpenters working on behalf of the Secretary of State for Public Works. The rest of the expedition was arriving in the Dominican Republic during the rest of the year 1955 and 1956.Espalliat Trujillo's personal assistant. Of the 25 teachers who arrived, 16 stayed in Ciudad Trujillo, as well as the 8 carpenters. The former providing services under the direction of the Secretary of State for Education and Fine Arts, and the carpenters working on behalf of the Secretary of State for Public Works. The rest of the expedition was arriving in the Dominican Republic during the rest of the year 1955 and 1956.Espalliat Trujillo's personal assistant. Of the 25 teachers who arrived, 16 stayed in Ciudad Trujillo, as well as the 8 carpenters. The former providing services under the direction of the Secretary of State for Education and Fine Arts, and the carpenters working on behalf of the Secretary of State for Public Works. The rest of the expedition was arriving in the Dominican Republic during the rest of the year 1955 and 1956.
The Spanish colony established in Constanza, started in 1955, went through critical moments because it was not planned, the government did not comply with the provisions of the contracts and the reality was very different from the propaganda of the agents in charge of recruiting, to March 1957 they had a total of one hundred houses, with 245 emigrants of them 49 were Spanish wives, many of these returned to Spain or emigrated to other parts of the interior or exterior of the country, currently around 500 Spaniards reside in the city of Constanza of which 51 Spaniards of origin survive from what was that migratory phenomenon.
This laborious neighborhood as a way to maintain integration founded the clubhouse on February 11, 1967 called Club Español Cultural, Inc. de Constanza.
Legal regime of the immigrant
The immigrant signed in Spain a contract by which he was paid for transportation to the Dominican Republic and offered to pay for repatriation, in case of maladjustment to the country. Upon arrival in the country, he was assigned to a colony by the Immigrant Settlement Office, an office under the Secretary of State for Agriculture and Mines. In the colony there was a Manager or Director, and if it was divided into several sectors, each one also included a Foreman. Theoretically, the immigrant received about 50 tasks of land, one task is equivalent to 628 square meters, he also received farm tools, a mule, the land cleared and planted for the first harvest, eventually fertilizers and the subsidy until he achieved the first harvest.
The immigrant could terminate at any time his Contract with the Secretary of State for Agriculture and Mines, thus manifesting it before the Colony Manager. From that moment on, he was free to reside and work anywhere in the Republic, after naturally meeting some requirements regarding the police and regarding labor laws. Upon termination of the Contract, he lost the right to reparation that the Dominican State guaranteed. Some hundreds (700 or 800) used this mechanism, successfully placing themselves in various trades, but others regretted having terminated the Contract and found themselves without work and without regular income and resorted to the Spanish Embassy in view of the serious situation in which they found themselves.
The reception of immigrants
The Secretary of State for Agriculture and Mines, in charge of receiving Spanish immigrants, learned of the arrival of the first group of 756 on December 26, 1954 and they arrived in Ciudad Trujillo on January 8 of the following year. The Secretary could not but enable school and ravines to accommodate them.
The fact is stated that in the Dominican Republic it was a habit to frequently alternate political positions with the Secretaries of State, with which their permanence was only for a few months, making any work of a certain continuity impossible. In the first few years there were four Secretaries of State for Agriculture and Mines, and this fact evidently harmed the incipient colonization, which therefore lacked permanent orientation.
Those people who migrated based on inaccurate propaganda, who had been promised fertile land, a comfortable home and a return trip, found themselves in Baobal del Piñal where they disembarked in warm houses, in swampy lands, without electricity, scarce water obtained by windmills, a tropical environment plagued by mosquitoes and malaria, bad or unknown lands and a way of life set by the director of the colony. Despite the fact that a specific subsidy allowed them to eat, many months of inactivity and discouragement made any administrative act, such as the distribution of land, mules or houses, become the focus of disputes. From that heterogeneous mass coming from four Spanish regions a social structure emerged,in which those who earned the confidence of the director of the colony, who were more apt, were located on the first level, and elsewhere those who did not know how to be skilled, creating as a consequence conforming sectors and non-conforming groups.
The marriage policy that was the essential task of the Dominican Government, to make the immigrant settle in the country permanently and thus counteract the Haitian immigrant was a disappointment. A law established that primary with 150 dollars to the marriage of Spanish and Dominican, which revealed that these were very few. Important results were not achieved because it was necessary that the extreme poverty and the degree of family dissolution that the poorest areas of rural Dominican society had reached made it difficult for a Spaniard to marry Dominican peasant women. In addition, the rural areas where the Spanish were settled had an absolute predominance of blood of color from 9 to 1. The Spanish hardly frequented the towns near Baoba de Piña,such as, for example, Cabrera, Julio Molina, etc., for which it was essential to have a written permission from the Director of the Colony.
Although it must be noted that Trujillo's criteria was always very different, since he considered the urgency of the immigration of the Spanish as a state necessity in the face of the Haitian threat.
Many immigrants came to the Spanish Embassy in Ciudad Trujillo, lamenting the situation of misery to which they were exposed and asking for support for repatriation, reflecting in some cases a certain situation and in others reflecting an attitude of the eternal discontents. Faced with numerous protests and cases of maladjustment, the Dominican Government adhered to the terms of the Emigration Agreement signed with Spain in February 1956 and began to repatriate a group of Spaniards in March 1957, being exactly 1,369.
Valorization of the contributions of the Spanish colony
This migratory current in order to modernize agriculture in this area achieved significant contributions in the cultivation of various lines considered as a model area of agricultural production, they have also laboriously contributed to the development and progress of the towns that welcomed them, have contributed economically and socially to the country by increasing the generation of jobs and the level of income in the communities where they settled.
If we break down the contributions of Spanish immigrants to Dominican agriculture, we will see that those who settled in Constanza today considered as a model area of agricultural production and for many years as the most successful colony, have developed through trial and error testing, an intensive production with great profitability.
In the first times they were forced to condition the swampy land in the areas where they were settled, through the drainage and irrigation system, unlike the native farmer of that time, who only had to produce in dry land.
Regarding the agricultural equipment used, initially, these Spanish farmers faced with the failure of the Dominican authorities to deliver the promised tillage tools, they found it necessary to make their own plows in a rustic way.
The techniques used for sowing, while in the country the crop waste is traditionally selected as seeds for the next sowings, the Spanish chose the best products, increasingly obtaining a better quality of their agricultural production. Another seeding technique developed by these farmers was the furrow, with a soil inclination of 5 to 10%, which guaranteed excellent yields in the production of potatoes and garlic. They innovated in the methods to fertilize the land, using for the first time in the Dominican agriculture the manure of chicken (gallinaza). This has benefited the population with the increase in agricultural production, reaching a higher productive yield and technological improvements.
Background of the greenhouse cultivation experience
Currently there is in Constanza, a greenhouse project for the production of various crops for export purposes, was developed by the Dominican state, with the help of the Spanish government. The design, construction and commissioning of the greenhouses was carried out by Spanish companies, in addition to financing. This project covers an area of thirty hectares that have been operating successfully since 2003.
Despite the socio-political difficulties that the greenhouse project has faced, the successes in production are evident, allowing various agricultural entrepreneurs to see the expansion of greenhouses in the Intramontano Valley of Constanza as an alternative to improve the quality and quantity of production..
When reviewing the literature of the different diagnoses and evaluations carried out on the greenhouse project, some points of interest have been identified that deserve to be highlighted in this document, to be considered in the future project of the “Colonia Gallega”:
1) The investment and phytosanitary management curve considers that the same investment is made in the maintenance of 1 (one) greenhouse as 3 (three) and that from 4 (four) greenhouses the maintenance investment curve decreases;
2) The use of chapel greenhouses and rigid materials has disadvantages since it must have square or rectangular land, having to level the ground on several occasions destroys the natural soil layer reducing its productivity and subsequent use in the open air;
3) Due to the topographical conformation and legal distribution of the land, many of the plots do not have dimensions that conform to the rectangular or square characteristics required by the greenhouses, so the use of tunnel-type greenhouses is recommended;
4) Due to the agro ecological characteristics of Constanza, the following are recommended as priority crops: a. Chili pepper; b.Fresa; c. Cucumber; and d. Tomato.
5) Despite Constanza's superficial and underground aquifer wealth, the gradual decrease in water makes it necessary to generate experiences that allow the reduction of overuse or waste of the vital liquid, one of these being agricultural production under greenhouse conditions.
Project beneficiaries
15 children of immigrants with agro-productive activities
Number, area and type of cultivation infrastructure
Number of greenhouses: 10 greenhouses
Unit dimension: 5,000 mts 2
Estimated area covered: 50,000 mts 2
Basic technical characteristics of greenhouses
Currently, there are various options for structures, mainly wooden or metal (profiles and metal tubes) being used. It is stated that although the wooden structures are cheaper than the metallic ones, the latter have the advantage of resisting a greater load and have a longer duration or useful life, also allowing them to be removable and reusable in another location.
As for the cover, the most used material is low-density polyethylene with a durability of one, two and up to three seasons, depending on whether or not they have been treated with additives that inhibit the effect of ultraviolet rays. These Additives provide only greater durability, but in no case does it give it thermal properties, as is often confused.
It is common for some Dominican producers to complain about the durability of plastics for three or four years (three-year guarantee), and with good reason, but it happens that these plastics have been manufactured or formulated in countries with less ultraviolet radiation than the conditions of the area with greenhouses in other Latin American regions and therefore the quantity of anti-UV additive is insufficient.
The thickness of the low-density polyethylene treated with an anti-UV additive, used mostly in greenhouses is 150 to 200 microns, and the most frequent width is 6 m, although it exists up to 8 m wide.
Each type of polyethylene is technically and economically justified in different situations, according to the area and type of crop.
Brightness is very important to increase the photosynthesis of plants and raise the temperature of the greenhouse. On the one hand, the design of the construction, as well as the angle of the roof directly affect the interior luminosity. It is known that the maximum luminosity is achieved in circular greenhouses (tunnel type) and the lowest in those with a low slope roof. The control of the luminosity inside a greenhouse can be done through the use of hat shades, curtains, or the contribution of artificial light.
Ventilation is essential to regulate the temperature and humidity inside the greenhouse. Therefore, installations must have sufficient ventilation surface and a quick and comfortable opening and closing mechanism. Ventilation can be done naturally or by artificially forcing it, with natural ventilation being the most widely used. In some cases it is ventilated only with the air inlet through the side walls, while in others the air inlet is established through the sides and the outlet through skylights or zenith windows, located in the roof of the building (zenith). This zenithal type ventilation system is the most recommended.
There are many types of greenhouses, depending on the form that is adopted and the materials used. However, in the Dominican Republic, at least three types or forms are used: shed, tunnel and chapel, represented in Figures 1, 2, 3 and 4.
This type of structure was maintained for many years, and is still found today, but tends to disappear due to the lack of ventilation in its central sector. Producers have evolved to the use of two-water chapel-type structures, called Quillotano greenhouses.
Another type of structure that initially took shape is the metallic tunnel-type greenhouse, made from galvanized steel tubes, 7 to 9 m wide at the base and 2.50 to 3.10 m high, with a variable length that was generally 85 m. This type of greenhouse, very easy to install, has lost interest among tomato growers due to its low height.
The third type is characteristic of a greenhouse, whose use has spread to other areas maintaining its shape, but with variation in its dimensions, although keeping relation to the construction materials used. Thus, as the wooden structures predominate, the pieces of which are 3.2 m long, it is common to find ships from 6 to 7 m wide, which are arranged next to each other, with no other limitation than the width. of the pasture or the willingness of the producer to have productive units of modular type in order to have better control of labor and production. The fact that the ships are united on their sides, means that ventilation must be zenithal and for this purpose, skylights and front openings (front and rear) for the entry of outside air. This, together with the reduced height: 2,5 to 3 m to the gutter and 4 m to the maximum height of the ridge, makes the greenhouses not be very long because they would generate problems of accumulation of heat and humidity in the center of them, finding ships of 20 to 50 m long.
The current trend is to make the greenhouses taller, for multiple reasons a greater surface volume ratio is being favored, among which mention is made of obtaining a greater thermal inertia (slower heating and cooling), thereby generating a more stable environment. Hence, in modern structures a gutter height of 4 to 5 m is considered adequate, the maximum being between 6 and 7 m.
Regarding covers, other countries have definitely leaned towards the use of polyethylenes with anti-UV additives that give it greater durability (two to three seasons); as they have also incorporated into polyethylene some components that give it thermal properties such as vinyl acetate, or ethylene vinyl acetate EVA, in a proportion of 15 to 18%, or as an intermediate component in three-layer plastics, which allows retain thermal radiation (heat) inside the greenhouses, maintaining a higher temperature and therefore providing greater protection against frost. Other advances are related to the anti-drip additives, allowing the water that condenses on the inside of the cover, to drain to the sides and finally light diffusers,that minimize shadow and avoid the magnifying effect.
The sum of the previous characteristics translates into a better quality cover and a longer duration, and therefore there is a decrease in the cost per square meter of greenhouse due to not having to change the cover every year. The cost-benefit ratio of a thermal cover versus a non-thermal cover, must be done, among others, on the basis of productive parameters such as the advance of harvests, higher volumes harvested in the initial stage of production and a reduction in the risk of frost.
It is worth mentioning that the use of a two-season cover, with respect to the one-season plastic, implies a greater commitment to temperature management, since it was usual that late in the season the farmer proceeded to break the plastic of the greenhouse to allow a greater ventilation and avoid excess temperature.
Regarding control systems, with the existing technology today it is possible, for example, to grow plants in inert media; supplement caloric energy and the availability of carbon dioxide (CO2); manage both root and aerial development; control the application of nutrients and their consumption; in addition, to establish the amount of water that the plant requires daily.
A climate control system regularly contemplates a central controller and a network of sensors strategically placed in the greenhouse, which provide information on ambient temperature, concentration of carbon dioxide, and solar radiation, among other parameters.
Likewise, an irrigation and fertilization control system collects information about the quantity and distribution of water and fertilizers, levels of electrical conductivity and pH, in addition to the nutrient contents of the nutrient solution. Despite the fact that this technology is available and its use is on the rise, it is not yet widespread enough, and requires progress in modeling processes.
Much could be said about specific cultivation issues and greenhouse production techniques. However, there are relevant aspects of a general nature, which emerge from the above and are related to the approach to approach this type of business.
Although this productive system allows the control of the climatic conditions offering the important advantage of cultivating certain species, in times when outdoors it would be difficult or impossible to achieve it. It does not constitute by itself a guarantee for the success of the results.
The availability of structure and cover materials, in particular plastic materials with increasingly better thermal and resistance properties, as well as the availability of equipment and technologies for irrigation, productive management and control of relevant variables, do not constitute a limitation for cultivation. under greenhouse of certain species.
However, it is not enough just to invest in an installation that meets the requirements for managing the desired factors. The important thing is to carry out the control of these factors, in a timely manner and applying the appropriate techniques required for each crop, area or type of installation. But above all with an efficient use of the resources involved, such as labor and other inputs.
This would be directly reflected in the economic results of the business. A correct handling implies, on the one hand, not to incur excessive and unnecessary expenses and, on the other hand, to obtain positive productive results, both in terms of yields and quality, which would ensure this higher value, for this type of product, in the demanding competitive current markets.
Vegetables to produce in greenhouses
- Chili (different varieties); Tomato (different varieties); Cucumber; yFresa.
Financial projections for greenhouse production
Since this document contains a “basic profile” of the project, a direct benefits analysis has been developed in a basic way based on the study carried out by Dr. Rafael Ortiz Quezada, former director of the National Council for Agricultural and Forest Research (CONIAF).) and the Ph.D. Marvin Melgar Researcher at the School of Organic Evolutionary Planning (EPOE), which is based on the five-year projection in Dominican pesos of a 5,000-square-meter multifunctional tunnel greenhouse. The data presented concentrates on the gross profit based on the production of Cucumber for commercialization in local markets.
| Year | Total production | Net income |
| one | 2,160,000.00 | 765,000.00 |
| two | 2,323,000.00 | 1,155,000.00 |
| 3 | 2,350,000.00 | 1,450,000.00 |
| 4 | 2,350,000.00 | 1,655,000.00 |
| 5 | 2,350,000.00 | 1,655,000.00 |
Source: Ortiz, R and Melgar, M 2006.
Note: Dominican Peso exchange rate RD $ 43.00 x 1 Euro (January 2007)
The net profit has an exponential trend in terms of its area since the greater the area under greenhouse management, the maintenance and labor costs are significantly reduced, as well as the type of crop and quality, for example, chili, tomato and Strawberry are more profitable than cucumber cultivation.
Productive Value Chain (CPV)
Given the agro-productive experience of the Spanish Colony, from the beginning its successful social growth has been due to always consider the parameters of "added value" and "commercialization", which today is known as "Productive Value Chain" (CPV), being considered within the project framework as the “main” tool to ensure the long-term financial sustainability of the project.
The integration of the “links” of the production chain is and will be one of the main actions to channel the success of the project, being able to affirm it due to the 50-year experience of immigrants in efficiently promoting marketing channels, the opportunities that they grant the geopolitical location of Constanza, the recently inaugurated “Héroes 14 de Junio” Airport and the inclusion of the Dominican Republic in the Free Trade Agreement (FTA), could ensure a framework of sustained growth and expansion of the project.
Project operating system
The project will be managed jointly within a “business” framework, by the members of the Galician immigrant community, considering as the pivot of the project the children of immigrants, whose desire is to keep the work of their parents, how to continue with the example so worthy of development that has left in the Dominican Republic a lasting footprint in time and space.
Financial potential of the project for the Fundación Galicia Emigración ”
One point to consider during the process of the feasible negotiation of the "Project" is the associative framework that the "Fundación Galicia Emigración" may have within the operational and financial framework of the project, considering that the growth options of the project can serve as a prop to achieve the financial sustainability of the Foundation, to the subsequent consolidation of the company and project.
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