Stevia: Zero-calorie natural sweetener Refined sugar can have harmful effects and create health problems. Because of health problems associated with sugar diets people are looking for healthy alternatives. There are many low-calorie sweeteners on the market, but most of them are artificial. After 2008, when the FDA (Food and Drug Administration) approved stevia as a dietary supplement, the market has evolved rapidly and stevia has become immensely popular in recent years. Stevia is a 100% natural, zero calorie sweetener with a number of health benefits that have been confirmed in human studies. The stevia plant is native to South America. It is a leafy plant that has been used for medicinal purposes for many centuries. The plant has also been bred for its strong, sweet flavor and used as a sweetener. The main sweetening ingredients in stevia are Rebaudioside A (Rebiana) and Stevioside. Rebiana is currently the main ingredient in stevia products. Currently, there are a few stevia plantations in Guatemala, but none is cultivating organic stevia. Also, there are no facilities for processing stevia leaves into stevia sweetener. The applicant Arnold Suhr B.V. and local partner Inversiones Estrada S.A. will establish a joint venture in Suchitepéquez for the cultivation of 50 ha organic stevia and set up a processing plant for the processing and extraction of stevia sweetener. To be able to secure enough raw material (organic stevia) project partners will contract ten farmers for the cultivation of 10 ha. These small farmers will be trained in sustainable cultivation practices. The joint venture will pay them fair prices. The joint venture will generate employment for 82 people, 40 will be for female workers.Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR)The joint venture will employ 82 people, which 40 will be female. The joint venture will pay will pay salaries at least 7% higher than the legal minimum wage. The employees will have social security. The joint venture will provide health and safety trainings to all employees. The joint venture will offer education funds for workers that have children. The employees will receive yearly two medical and one dental check-up.Outgrowers will be paid fair prices and will be trained in sustainable cultivation practices, also will be assist in choosing seeds or seedlings, methods of harvesting, irrigation, collection, and drying. The outgrowers will also be organic certified.The cultivation of stevia will be organic certified and the production facility ISO and HACCP certified. The joint venture will be as soon as possible be supplied with renewable energy.Impact•	Employment and working conditionsThe joint venture will employ 82 people, which 40 will be female. The joint venture will pay will pay salaries at least 7% higher than the legal minimum wage. The employees will have social security. The joint venture will provide health and safety trainings to all employees. The joint venture will offer education funds for workers that have children. The joint venture will install carbon filters in all houses of the workers so they have clean water.•	Innovation/Transfer of knowledgeCurrently, organic stevia is not being cultivated in Guatemala, there also are no processing facilities for the extraction of stevia as sweetener. The organic stevia plantation will be organic certified. The production facility will be ISO 22000 and HACCP certified. The 50 ha the joint venture will cultivate will provide 260,000 kg of the 300,000 kg dried stevia leaves needed for the maximum production of the extraction facility. The joint venture will attract, and train 10 small local farmers to provide for the rest of the necessary production.•	Chain effectsImpact on local suppliersThe joint venture will work with 10 local farmers. These outgrowers will be paid fair prices and will be trained in sustainable cultivation practices, also will be assist in choosing seeds or seedlings, methods of harvesting, irrigation, collection, and drying. They will also be organic certified.The rest of all needed supplies will be local purchased.Impact on local customers or consumersNo direct contribution, most of the production will be for export.•	Impact on the sectorThe joint venture will collaborate with Universidad San Carlos by establishing test sites and studies of stevia crop. The joint venture will create three internships by the end of the project. The project partners will also cooperate on studies and research on ‘healthy food and living environment’ with the University of Wageningen. The joint venture will work with the Ministry of Agriculture, Agexport and private associations to share knowledge and grow the number of stevia plantations.•	EnvironmentThe cultivation of stevia will be organic certified. The joint venture will be as soon as possible be supplied with renewable energy.•	Position of womenThe joint venture will employ 82 people, which 40 will be female and 6 of the 40 medium/high positions. To start the cultivation of 50 ha organic stevia and establish a processing plant for the processing of 300 tons dry stevia leaves per year. The joint venture will cultivate in collaboration with ten small farmers a total of 60 ha organic stevia. The proc