Hand in Hand to produce food and preserve biodiversity based on science, education and agritourism

Quito – On the margins of the 37th Session of the FAO Regional Conference for Latin America and the Caribbean, in Ecuador, the FAO Director-General, QU Dongyu, visited a rural community where family farmers produce diversified food while protecting and restoring biodiversity, in a combination of science, education and agritourism.  

The Finca Hostería Isabuela is supported by the Andean Landscapes Project and is located in Area of ​​Conservation and Sustainable Use in Perucho (province of Pichincha), just about 50 kilometres from Quito. 

During the visit, the Director-General had the opportunity to see the production of various fruits and vegetables – including tangerine, avocado and medicinal plants - as well as that of camelids and small ruminants. He also had the opportunity to observe several practices used to preserve soils, process waste and irrigate crops in an innovative way (drip irrigation), as well as the use of digital tools such as mobile apps and drones.  

“This is a beautiful mountain village with biodiversity and sustainability. This will bring you good fortune for generations and generations,” the Director-General said in a message to the community at the conclusion of his visit.

The farm is just a small component of the project Andean Landscapes: Promoting the integrated management of landscapes for sustainable livelihoods in the Ecuadorian Andes, which has been implemented by FAO through the Hand-in-Hand Initiative, in partnership with the Ministry for Agriculture and Livestock and the Ministry for Environment, Water and Ecological Transition of Ecuador, with the financial support of the European Union.

The Andean Landscapes project seeks to provide rural communities with the opportunity to solve the problem of deforestation, land degradation and mismanagement, promoting collaboration mechanisms to establish effective intersectoral governance that favours synergies between climate change, biodiversity, food security and poverty reduction strategies and objectives. The project is carried out in four provinces in Ecuador: Pichincha, Imbabura, Cotopaxi and Bolívar.