Regenerate the social & natural fabric in Oaxaca

No need to say, we are going through difficult times. Last March we were forced to close our demonstration centers to public and volunteers, following instructions from local authorities, both in San Andres Huayapam and San Pablo Etla. The children´s program was also suspended, as classes at schools stopped. This critical condition has not changed ever since. 

Special safety measures were also taken, and we have been keeping certain activities to a minimum; some things can be carried out from distance, but in permaculture there is always something to do at field level. After the dry season (and it was dry indeed!) we started preparing farmland for milpa, this unique combination of corn, beans and squash, together with other endible plants. And we planted.

 The rain season started late, but has been heavy. Clearly climate change is happening: after months of drought we had to face floods. Perhaps this is going to be the future condition: less water, less predictable weather patterns, extreme meteorological events. But this is what we have been preparing for; regenerating the natural fabric means enhancing more stable microclimate conditions.       

If we have learned something in these times of uncertainty is that we have toreally change our ways. So we kept on reforesting, took care of bees and fish, rised the milpa harvest, and continued the dissemination activities in broadcast media. With this pandemic we have also rediscovered the value of solidarity, and this includes, for example the grat effort made by all of our supporters  during the last little by little campaign. Thank you very much!

Links:

• INSO Conference on Water

Difficult and challenging times indeed. The pandemic condition has meant several changes in our project: interns and volunteers, specially those from abroad, were requested to leave by local authorities. Also, as elementary schools have been closed, we suspended our children´s program. The activities at the regeneration demonstration center have continued, though. This season, the beguinning of rains is a time for planting, specially the milpa. Milpa is a traditional way to combine corn, beans and squash. We work milpa in the traditional sustainable ways of local indians, but introducing some improvements such as contour plowing and terracing.

We also participated in the climate action campaign with GG. It was interesting and rewarding, nos so much in terms of donations but in the way of new connections and dissemination of our work. Despite of the critical condition with Covid, we found queen interest in many people and organizations. After all, with the pndemics we are learnig, in the hard way, that we require urgent changes in our way of living.

Injuly will be slowly gettin back to many or our activities. We are adding a new task: to work with our partner communities in information and prevention measures related to deseases. We are on our way.

Links:

• good description of the project in spanish