WHY NATIVE FOODS

Native foods are enduring and wholesome crops that have sustained Indigenous people for millenniums. The seeds of these plants, and the understanding of how to grow them, are crucial for the conservation of agricultural biodiversity.

The resilience of our food systems depends on them.

Corn, beans, squash, amaranth and chile are key examples of crops that have shaped identities and cultures – crops that have resisted through colonization, and continue to carry the essence of ancient cultures.

They built the foundation of our modern food systems, and sustain and nurture the world population today.

AMARANTH AND CHILE CAHABONERO

ECOSOL’s Amaranth and Chile Cahabonero Initiatives support Indigenous Maya communities in Guatemala by directly contributing to their food sovereignty.

By partnering with these communities, we support their work of resistance against mega projects, including hydro-electric dams and agroindustry, which destroy local ecological diversity and the knowledge that sustains it.

Through these initiatives, ECOSOL supports communities and individuals in the cultivation, use, processing and marketing of native foods as a way to nurture the work of defending the land and its people against destructive economic development projects.