Agroecology

Respect for the land and nature is the foundation of a balance between food, well-being, and quality of life. At Para la Naturaleza, we cultivate a culture of agroecology by facilitating access to low-cost land for farmers committed to caring for it through regenerative agricultural practices, as well as by designing and offering community workshops on organic agriculture, permaculture, and food preservation, and by supporting the agricultural sector through grants aimed at strengthening local production.

In the aftermath of Hurricane María, many farmers lost their crops and infrastructure and lacked the capital needed to restore their production. This situation exposed the fragility of the food system in the islands of Puerto Rico, as well as its heavy dependence on imports, since the archipelago imports 85% of the food it consumes—a figure that increased in 2019.

Thanks to the support of our collaborators, Para la Naturaleza created an agroecology unit and expanded its support for the agricultural sector through grants aimed at strengthening local production, as well as through training in areas such as organic agriculture, permaculture, and food preservation, and technical assistance for farm management.

Today, through the coordination of the Agroecology Program, more than 150 farmers have been supported across more than 1,500 hectares of land. In addition, more than 183 hours of workshops have been delivered to over 500 farmers, and 28 community workshops on organic agriculture, permaculture, and food preservation have been led. Likewise, more than 4,500 fruit trees and 11 tons of compost have been distributed to 110 farmers. Additionally, demonstration gardens and orchards have been established in our visitor centers and within programs run by community partners and Montessori schools.

Agroecology strengthens the sustainability of all components of the food system, from the land and seed to the table, while promoting economic viability and social equity. There is also increasing evidence that agroecological systems help retain carbon in the soil, foster biodiversity, improve soil health, and increase crop yields. In this way, they provide a solid foundation to secure the livelihoods of many families—an urgent need in the islands of Puerto Rico.