{"id":1707,"date":"2019-01-31T12:44:26","date_gmt":"2019-01-31T17:44:26","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.presbyterianmission.org\/food-faith\/?p=1707"},"modified":"2021-01-29T11:05:45","modified_gmt":"2021-01-29T16:05:45","slug":"revival-of-natural-farming-in-puerto-rico","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/centernet.pcusa.org\/food-faith\/puertorico2\/","title":{"rendered":"Revival of natural farming in Puerto Rico"},"content":{"rendered":"

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\"Ian

Ian Pag\u00e1n-Roig, farmer at Finca Josco Bravo, takes break to talk with Jes\u00fas and me about the agroecology training they just completed<\/strong><\/p><\/div>\n

This is the second part of a two-part series on Puerto Rico, Climate Change and Food<\/strong>. Part one can be found<\/span> here<\/strong><\/a>.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

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\u201cBack to the Land\u201d and Agroecology<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Jes\u00fas V\u00e1zquez Negron and I visited Ian Pag\u00e1n Roig at Finca (farm) Josco Bravo in Toa Alta, Puerto Rico, which is one of the three sites at which Josco Bravo Project provides agroecology trainings. Within these trainings, an advanced course just finished on Friday and they are now preparing for the next course<\/a> for agroecology producers and promoters.<\/p>\n

Agroecology for Producers and Promoters\"\"<\/strong><\/h3>\n

The efforts to revive local food production using organic and sustainable agricultural approaches – called agroecology – are happening in many places around the archipelago.\u00a0This is happening in a big way through the agroecology training programs at the Finca Josco Bravo, led by\u00a0Ian Pag\u00e1n Roig<\/a> and a team of young local farmers.\u00a0They have carried out four semester-long intensive training programs and have graduated more than 100 students, several of whom are farming full-time.\u00a0Finca (farm) Josco Bravo is a member of Organizaci\u00f3n Boricu\u00e1, the winner of the 2018\u00a0Food Sovereignty Prize<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Beyond the innovative, tradition-based farming approaches, agroecology re-centers agency into the hands of producers and communities. Agroecology brings communities together in the creation of their own solutions to produce healthy food and conserve soil and water. Agroecology is the primary building block of food sovereignty.<\/p>\n

Here is a 2-minute video in Spanish about Ian and the program.<\/em><\/p>\n