Agroecology: Friends of the Earth El Salvador/ Centro Salvadoreño de Tecnología Apropiada (CESTA)

An unsustainable agricultural model based on high use of chemical inputs has polluted communities and ecosystems and has brought poverty and dependency.

Friends of the Earth El Salvador/ Centro Salvadoreño de Tecnología Apropiada (CESTA) works with 18 communities around El Salvador promoting agroecological farming through training and plot development. We have a particular focus on women encouraging their participation and shared responsibility between men and women. Through popular education communities learn about the negative impacts agrochemicals have on the environment, health, soil and biodiversity.

We also learn about the ecological management of soils with emphasis on the recovery of natural fertility, the development of organic inputs (manure, botanical insecticides, mineral broths) and agroecological management of pests. These practices are then used in the development of communities’ farm plots. Practices include; managing soil fertility through the use of biomass from trees, addition of organic matter to the soil and soil remineralization, planting diversified crops, animal husbandry of small animals (birds, fish, goats) that contribute to the generation of protein for the family, conservation and recovery of native seeds and farm planning with an emphasis on climate change. As a result communities have diversified sources of food during a productive cycle (one year) and diversified family diets containing more protein (vegetables, eggs, milk).  The use of synthetic chemical inputs was reduced and communities created polycultures by planting fruit and forest tree species. Native seeds were also planted, preserved and rescued.