GUIDING QUESTION  ─

How can we protect the existing forest and be a conduit for regenerative agribusinesses?

By working with the indigenous Naporuna Kichwa farming communities. This ensures that they can continue to coexist in harmony with their environment by implementing time honored, and sacred practices to sustainably grow the nutrient rich products.

As a consultant, I will work with both organizations to gurantee we are equitably co-creating innovative solutions, grounded in indigenous knowledge. The potential opportunities could be integrating into new business markets, agronomy services, or farm technology - the research insights will drive this solution!

(WORK IN PROGRESS) 

SKILLS  ─

Design Research
Design Strategy
Place-Based Strategy
Systems Thinking
Strategic Foresight
Social Organization

Design Journey

WHO
The project grew out of the partnership with the Amazon Rainforest Alliance and Yhú Life. The Amazon Rainforest Alliance and Yhú Life’s mission is to protect existing forests and to profitably regenerate abandoned pasture into traditional agroforestry systems that are owned and managed by indigenous smallholder farmers.

LISTENING
I will be conducting in-depth social research to understand the range of experiences of being a smallholder farmer in Ecuadorian Amazon Rainforest. We will dig deep into critical needs and identify opportunities for big impact solutions. Empathy is at the core all the research to co-design solutions.

OBSERVATION
The Naporuna Kichwa community is based in Ecuador. Their main specialities are growing plaintains, odorata vanilla, guyusa leaf, and Cacao.