On Farm Research & Projects

Location: San José de Minas, Ecuador Alum Project Leader: María José Romero For María José Romero, MESA 2007 alum, sustainable agriculture includes the conservation of natural resources.  In the community of San José de Minas, near Quito, Ecuador, María teaches children at three rural schools about conserving local biodiversity.  Through interviews with the school children […]

Location: Mala and Omas Valley, Peru Alum Project Leader: Mauro Chumpitaz Alfredo Villegas Juan Carlos Chumpitaz As a MESA Steward at Morning Song Farm in 2006, Juan Carlos Chumpitaz was introduced to two hand-held weeding tools that he had never used before: the stirrup sickle and wheel sickle.  He realized that this non-chemical weed control

Location: Pokhara, Nepal Alum Project Leader: Krishna Bhandari Krishna Bhandari served as a MESA intern from 2005 to 2006.  Upon returning to Nepal, Krishna realized the need local organic farmers had for a separate market for their products.  He saw that organic farmers were often forced to sell their vegetables, fruits, and livestock products at

Location: Barrio Chachas, Quito, Ecuador Alum Project Leader: María Sosa From April to November 2006, María Cristina Sosa trained as a MESA steward at Live Earth Farm. After returning to her home country of Ecuador, Maria Cristina drew on her education through the MESA Program and at Agriculture School of the Central University of Ecuador

Location: Imbabura, Ecuador Alum Project Leader: Ronnie Franklin José Guzmán Franklin Sanchez With the support of the local non-governmental organization Red MACRENA (Network for Community Natural Resource Management) and CEMOPLAF (Medical Center for Orientation and Family Planning), three MESA Alumni have undertaken a community garden project to educate 50 farmers from communities in Imbabura, Ecuador.