In Guatemala, indigenous and local communities joined farmer associations to develop agroecology schools to recover ancestral practices and educate farmers on building local economies. Agroecology covers a wide range of techniques, including seed saving, rainwater harvesting, fish ponds and natural fertilizer production, based on traditional knowledge. The schools facilitate the transfer of knowledge and farming skills, allowing farmers to identify challenges, develop solutions, and gain technical support, which can then be shared with other farmers. The curriculum is largely shaped by the participants themselves and includes both theoretical and practical classes. Students decide what they want to learn in this collaborative learning environment. Various solutions to farming problems and experimental techniques are explored.
If no one in the class has experience with a particular issue, someone from another community with relevant skills is invited to share their knowledge. School attendance is free, and former students provide technical support and guidance to the next group of farmers. This replicates the natural passing down of knowledge through generations, a process known as ‘farmer to farmer’. Time-honored farming techniques and ancestral farming practices are documented and shared.
Courses include organic composting, native seed selection and protection, crop planting and management, soil conservation, and rainwater harvesting. The widespread implementation of these agroecology schools has reportedly improved the lives of tens of thousands of families.
The success of these schools, particularly in empowering women farmers, highlights their potential to provide opportunities and self-reliance in farming communities.
