Urban Organic Agriculture: Promoting Healthy and Financially Secure Communities in Ecuador - UCLA

The Problem:

Since dollarization occurred in 2000, Ecuador has faced chronic malnourishment due to rising food prices. Impacting women and children the hardest, 26 percent of Ecuadorians lack proper nutrition. 62.6 percent of children under the age of five are malnourished.

Additionally, Ecuador ranks as one of the world’s highest users of agricultural pesticides. Children of farmers face the highest risk of toxicity due to continuing chemical exposure. As a result, there exists a growing demand for organically grown produce throughout Ecuador.

Our Project:

Helping Quito’s most vulnerable urban and suburban areas, we aim to construct two greenhouses that will support organic agriculture. Our project engages local governments, the private sector and communities in a collaborative fight against malnourishment. Constructed at schools, the greenhouses will be endowed to neighborhood families who will maintain and harvest the crops. We will provide the costs of training, technical assistance, building materials, tools, organic certification and sanitary registration.

Long Term Impact:

By providing the infrastructure to support urban organic agriculture, this project has unbounded benefits. Organic greenhouses create a sustainable supply chain and improve the quality of life. Producing six hundred kilograms of tomatoes each year, an average tomato greenhouse provides an abundant source of healthy nutritious food. Selling surpluses at local markets, communities have an average monthly income of around $350 USD. The orchard generates $67 - $122 USD in savings and $55 in sales of surplus production. Focused on helping children, we strive to stop malnourishment in hopes of building a better future for Ecuador.

Our goal is to build two greenhouses. Each greenhouse costs $2000 USD for training, agro engineering assistance, seedlings, wormeries and drop-by-drop irrigation systems.