Growing Tensions: The Agro-export Economy, Food Culture, and Nutrition Surveys, 1950-1965 -- Tensions Revealed: Food Politics, Natural Disaster, and Social Conflicts, 1965-1979 -- The Enthusiastic Founding Stage: Early Revolutionary Food Policy, 1979-1982 -- The Revolutionary Consumer: Food Consumption, National Self-Sufficiency, and External Aggression in the Early 1980s -- Food Policy Deteriorates into Crisis Management: Economic Cuts, Industrial Agriculture, and Food Aid in the Mid-1980s -- Food Policy in Tatters: The Return of Hunger during Economic Transition, 1988-1993 -- Caribbean Transitions: Agricultural Colonization, Nostalgia, and Food Cultures, 1960s-1990s -- Epilogue. Nicaragua's Role in the Debates on Food Security and Food Sovereignty, 1980s-2019.
Historias de la globalización : el comercio del café y la inmigración alemana en América Central en el siglo XIX -- La fragilidad de las redes en la década de 1920 : las crisis de la posguerra, la nueva inmigración y los "años dorados" de 1924 a 1928 -- El comercio del café en tiempos de crisis : la crisis económica mundial, los gobiernos autoritarios y el nacionalsocialismo -- Fragmentación de las redes del comercio cafetalero : la segunda guerra mundial, internamientos y expropiaciones -- La década de 1950 : el regreso de los descendientes alemanes y la reconstrucción de las redes comerciales
El artículo analiza el impacto de la Primera Guerra Mundial en aquellas economías centroamericanas, caracterizadas, desde el siglo XIX, por su dependencia de las exportaciones de café y plátano. Dado el importante papel que los migrantes europeos en Centroamérica tenían en la actividad económica, el artículo aborda también los cambios en las redes comerciales fraguadas por estos actores. En este contexto, los años del conflicto armado trajeron distintos conflictos para las economías centroamericanas: Primero, la competencia económica entre los Estados Unidos y los países europeos por el control de la región. Segundo, el intento de la diplomacia de las potencias en guerra por utilizar a los migrantes europeos para sus propios fines políticos, lo que propició tensiones de distinto orden . Tercero, la utilización de la guerra por parte de los gobiernos centroamericanos como moneda de cambio para beneficiar sus propios intereses económicos. Esto a pesar de que sus posibilidades de éxito en ello fueran escasas, dado que no producían materias primas de valor estratégico para la guerra. Aunado a todo esto, el deterioro de los precios del café y de la depreciación de las monedas de los países centroamericanos afectaron la actividad económica de la región en su conjunto. Asimismo, después de que la Gran Bretaña y los Estados Unidos elaboraran listas negras de empresas consideradas como enemigas entre 1915 y 1917, se obligó a estas a definir de qué lado habrían de posicionarse en el contexto beligerante. Al final, los Estados Unidos impusieron la expropiación de empresas alemanas en Guatemala y Honduras. Aunque la mayoría de ellas fueron devueltas a sus antiguos dueños después de la guerra, el fin de esta no atenuó la competencia entre los Estados Unidos y Alemania. Ambos países siguieron disputándosela influencia económica en la región durante los años posteriores.
The article discusses how the First World War affected the Central American economies mainly dependent on the export of coffee and bananas. As European immigrants played a key role in the coffee business, the article also analyzes changes in their trade networks. During the war years, conflicts existed on three levels: first, the U.S. and European powers struggled for economic influence in the region. Second, diplomats tried to exploit immigrants for their political purposes which led to tensions. Third, the Central American governments attempted to use the global conflict for their own economic interests. However, their scope was small as the Central American countries produced no strategic raw materials for war. Deteriorating coffee prices and local currencies losing value affected the regional economy. After Britain and the U.S. established Black Lists with enemy firms between 1915 and 1917, companies had to (re)define their national belonging. Given the strong presence of immigrants and the international trade networks this was a difficult task. Some firms tried to demonstrate a neutral profile, while others eliminated German partners from their business. Finally, the US expropriated German firms in Guatemala and Honduras. However, most businesses were returned to former owners around 1920. In the following decade, the US and Germany competed again for economic influence in Central America. ; The article discusses how the First World War affected the Central American economies mainly dependent on the export of coffee and bananas. As European immigrants played a key role in the coffee business, the article also analyzes changes in their trade networks. During the war years, conflicts existed on three levels: first, the U.S. and European powers struggled for economic influence in the region. Second, diplomats tried to exploit immigrants for their political purposes which led to tensions. Third, the Central American governments attempted to use the global conflict for their own economic interests. However, their scope was small as the Central American countries produced no strategic raw materials for war. Deteriorating coffee prices and local currencies losing value affected the regional economy. After Britain and the U.S. established Black Lists with enemy firms between 1915 and 1917, companies had to (re)define their national belonging. Given the strong presence of immigrants and the international trade networks this was a difficult task. Some firms tried to demonstrate a neutral profile, while others eliminated German partners from their business. Finally, the US expropriated German firms in Guatemala and Honduras. However, most businesses were returned to former owners around 1920. In the following decade, the US and Germany competed again for economic influence in Central America. ; El artículo analiza el impacto de la Primera Guerra Mundial en aquellas economías centroamericanas, caracterizadas, desde el siglo XIX, por su dependencia de las exportaciones de café y plátano. Dado el importante papel que los migrantes europeos en Centroamérica tenían en la actividad económica, el artículo aborda también los cambios en las redes comerciales fraguadas por estos actores. En este contexto, los años del conflicto armado trajeron distintos conflictos para las economías centroamericanas: Primero, la competencia económica entre los Estados Unidos y los países europeos por el control de la región. Segundo, el intento de la diplomacia de las potencias en guerra por utilizar a los migrantes europeos para sus propios fines políticos, lo que propició tensiones de distinto orden . Tercero, la utilización de la guerra por parte de los gobiernos centroamericanos como moneda de cambio para beneficiar sus propios intereses económicos. Esto a pesar de que sus posibilidades de éxito en ello fueran escasas, dado que no producían materias primas de valor estratégico para la guerra. Aunado a todo esto, el deterioro de los precios del café y de la depreciación de las monedas de los países centroamericanos afectaron la actividad económica de la región en su conjunto. Asimismo, después de que la Gran Bretaña y los Estados Unidos elaboraran listas negras de empresas consideradas como enemigas entre 1915 y 1917, se obligó a estas a definir de qué lado habrían de posicionarse en el contexto beligerante. Al final, los Estados Unidos impusieron la expropiación de empresas alemanas en Guatemala y Honduras. Aunque la mayoría de ellas fueron devueltas a sus antiguos dueños después de la guerra, el fin de esta no atenuó la competencia entre los Estados Unidos y Alemania. Ambos países siguieron disputándosela influencia económica en la región durante los años posteriores.
The article analyses the most significant public debates related with food policy and consumption in Nicaragua. It focuses on three specific moments of Nicaraguan history: First, the period of the Somoza dictatorship, second the Sandinista revolution and third the neoliberal government of President Violeta Chamorro. In general, this paper reviews the perspectives of three groups: Nicaraguan governmental institutions and politicians, international organizations, and civil society.On the one hand, it explains hunger and malnutrition among the urban and rural poor; on the other hand it describes the forming of new consumption habits among the middle classes and elites, mainly in urban areas. The article is based on the reports of Nicaraguan government institutions, newspaper articles and studies of international organizations. ; En este artículo se analizan los debates públicos más significativos relacionados con la independencia alimentaria en Centroamérica y particularmente en Nicaragua; a partir de tres momentos históricos:cambiar el gobierno totalitario por la dictadura de los Somoza, el triunfo de la revolución sandinista y la llegada al poder de un gobierno neoliberal al mando de Violeta Chamorro. Se abordan las iniciativas de los grupos en el poder, la participación de los organismos internacionales y la respuestade la sociedad civil, en torno a los problemas derivados del hambre y la desnutrición en las clases bajas y las zonas rurales, así como la formación de nuevos hábitos de consumo en las clases media y alta, principalmente en los sectores urbanos. Lo anterior en función de definir los parámetros de una independencia alimentaria en las agendas políticas de la región, a partir de la década de 1980. La metodología consiste en una investigación bibliográfica y de fuentes periodísticas, así como el análisis de los informes emitidos por instituciones externas de bien social.
The article discusses how the First World War affected the Central American economies mainly dependent on the export of coffee and bananas. As European immigrants played a key role in the coffee business, the article also analyzes changes in their trade networks. During the war years, conflicts existed on three levels: first, the U.S. and European powers struggled for economic influence in the region. Second, diplomats tried to exploit immigrants for their political purposes which led to tensions. Third, the Central American governments attempted to use the global conflict for their own economic interests. However, their scope was small as the Central American countries produced no strategic raw materials for war. Deteriorating coffee prices and local currencies losing value affected the regional economy. After Britain and the U.S. established Black Lists with enemy firms between 1915 and 1917, companies had to (re)define their national belonging. Given the strong presence of immigrants and the international trade networks this was a difficult task. Some firms tried to demonstrate a neutral profile, while others eliminated German partners from their business. Finally, the US expropriated German firms in Guatemala and Honduras. However, most businesses were returned to former owners around 1920. In the following decade, the US and Germany competed again for economic influence in Central America.
Kaffee ist nicht nur ein beliebtes Getränk, sondern vernetzte auch unterschiedliche Welten: Der Kaffeehandel band Hamburg und Bremen in transnationale Netzwerke ein, die sich zwischen Europa und Lateinamerika erstreckten. Zentralamerika war für den globalen Kaffeehandel wichtig, weil die Region als erste die "nasse" Form der Aufbereitung einführte. Die hohe Qualität dieser "gewaschenen" Kaffees machte sie auf dem Weltmarkt begehrt. Deutsche Einwanderer prägten die Handelsverbindungen zwischen den zentralamerikanischen Kaffee-Anbauregionen und den norddeutschen Hafenstädten: Sie gründeten Exportfirmen, erwarben Kaffeeplantagen und beteiligten sich an der Vorfinanzierung der Ernten. Christiane Berth analysiert Biografien und Netzwerke deutscher Kaffee-Akteure in Guatemala, Costa Rica und Chiapas. Dabei zeigt sie, wie deren Handelsnetzwerke durch wirtschaftliche Krisen und neue außenpolitische Konstellationen brüchig wurden, im Nationalsozialismus unter Druck gerieten und während des Zweiten Weltkrieges zerbrachen. Trotzdem blieben auch in der Nachkriegszeit Handelsbeziehungen zwischen Nationalstaaten, Netzwerke in der Kaffeebranche und Biografien der Kaffee-Akteure eng miteinander verknüpft.
Coffee is not only a popular drink, but also linked different worlds: The coffee trade linked Hamburg and Bremen to transnational networks between Europe and Latin America.Central America was important for global coffee trade because the region was the first to introduce the "wet" form of treatment. The high quality of these "washed" coffees made them sought-after on the world market. German immigrants shaped the trade links between the Central American coffee-growing regions and the North German port cities: They founded export companies, purchased coffee plantations and participated in the prefinancing of the harvests.Christiane Berth analyses biographies and networks of German coffee actors in Guatemala, Costa Rica and Chiapas. It shows how their trade networks became fragile as a result of economic crises and new foreign policy constellation, how it came under pressure in National Socialism and broke up during the Second World War. Nevertheless, trade relations between nation states, networks in the coffee industry and the biographies of coffee players remained closely interlinked, even in the post-war period.
Since the late 1950s, nutrition experts have debated whether foods enriched with micronutrients such as protein could alleviate world hunger. Industrial production of such 'wonder foods' began in the 1960s, making the food industry an actor in international food aid. Following a brief review of the history of scientific nutrition research, the article analyzes the first boom of fortified foods between the 1950s and the 1970s. With particular reference to the NGO CARE and the Institute of Nutrition of Central America and Panama (INCAP) with its product Incaparina, it shows how the conflict-ridden cooperation between humanitarian actors, governments, business and science developed. In addition to looking at contemporary debates about prices, quality controls and marketing strategies, consumer perspectives must be considered in order to understand the success or failure of new products. After a temporary slump in euphoria from the 1970s onwards, ›wonder foods‹ have experienced a revival since the 1990s - mainly because the networks between governments, nutrition experts, international organizations and the food industry were further cultivated and greater consideration was given to the needs of consumers.
Coffee is not only a popular drink, but also linked different worlds: The coffee trade linked Hamburg and Bremen to transnational networks between Europe and Latin America.Central America was important for global coffee trade because the region was the first to introduce the "wet" form of treatment. The high quality of these "washed" coffees made them sought-after on the world market. German immigrants shaped the trade links between the Central American coffee-growing regions and the North German port cities: They founded export companies, purchased coffee plantations and participated in the prefinancing of the harvests.Christiane Berth analyses biographies and networks of German coffee actors in Guatemala, Costa Rica and Chiapas. It shows how their trade networks became fragile as a result of economic crises and new foreign policy constellation, how it came under pressure in National Socialism and broke up during the Second World War. Nevertheless, trade relations between nation states, networks in the coffee industry and the biographies of coffee players remained closely interlinked, even in the post-war period
