Friends of Amarun Pakcha Support Livelihoods and Regenerative Agriculture in Ecuador
The Fundación Amarun Pakcha, based in the Kichwa community of Wawa Sumaco, Ecuador, uses three areas to drive change: conservation, regenerative agriculture, and community tourism. Together, these efforts are building a resilient, sustainable future.
Earth Rising is proud to support the Chakra project within the Fundación Amarun Pakcha’s regenerative agriculture program. This year the Chakra Project has advanced regenerative agriculture rooted in ancestral Kichwa farming traditions. The project introduces sustainable crops for family use and for sale locally and internationally while providing as many as 45 local farmers with tools and training to implement organic and regenerative practices. A majority of these local farms are women led. It is the hope of Fundación Amarun Pakcha that these innovations in agriculture reduce deforestation, increase household income, and strengthen ecological and community resilience.
In line with their regenerative approach, Fundación Amarun Pakcha also focuses on conservation of the region’s rich biodiversity. They also purchase parcels of neighboring land and build capacity in community tourism. This form of tourism hires local residents and provides sustainable incomes. Together, these interconnected efforts support sustainable livelihoods, cultural preservation, and environmental stewardship.
The Chakra Project ranged from soil testing at each participating farm to attempts to partner with the local health clinic in order to monitor the health impacts of increased regenerative agriculture in the region. This multi pronged approach ensured the success of the project and allows for community led initiatives.
For example, Fundación Amarun Pakcha also conducted their annual agricultural surveys. This survey showed that most farmers are interested in coffee farming and remain committed to sustainable farming practices. From this Fundación Amarun Pakcha hosted several training sessions focused on soil management, agroforestry techniques, traditional farming principles, market and livelihood enhancement, among much else. These trainings are expected to be reinforced and built upon the through the pilot farm that was established. The pilot farm serves as a demonstration site for best practices in regenerative agriculture, including chakra systems, organic farming techniques, and biodiversity preservation. It also provides a hands-on learning environment for farmers and serves as a model for scaling project goals across the community. It also provides a site for processing locally harvested coffee beans for eventual sale under a brand to be created by Fundación Amarun Pakcha.
Fundación Amarun Pakcha’s adaptability to unforeseen circumstances and willingness to engage with people on their own terms can be seen in their use of WhatsApp to remain in contact with remote participants in the program, their growing partnerships with organizations and their school partnerships for additional pilot gardens.
The Chakra Project has been successful at deeply engaging farms in educational and economic development opportunities. Earth Rising is excited to see how this project continues to grow and to witness the long term benefits of these initiatives.
Learn more about Amarun Pacha here.