The Nandamojo Valley is home to thousands of acres of pastureland, much of which sits unused year after year. Local agriculture has declined in importance as cheap food sources from other parts of the country (and world) have become available in Guanacaste. Where land is abandoned, the lasting consequences include topsoil erosion, poor water infiltration, and lowland flooding during the rainy season.

In addition to reforestation projects, Restoring Our Watershed believes that creating a sustainable, local food economy is vital to valley residents’ future and will encourage respect for and better treatment of the land that they rely on. To achieve this goal, ROW is teaming up with local landowners to produce natural, sustainable food products under our sister brand, Mi Tierra.

Social investors provide the starting capital for our partners to begin production. This might include buying beehives for honey production or materials to build a chicken coop for eggs. Mi Tierra accepts repayment of the loan in the form of product, at a fair exchange rate. Once the loan has been repaid, the farmer can sell their product directly in the local marketplace.

Buying local in our watershed will do more than provide residents and visitors with high quality, organic foods; it will improve land use practices, create jobs, and reduce the amount of petroleum used to transport food into the area. Communities around the globe are adopting this mantra and we believe that it is one of the key actions underlying the creation of a sustainable future.

Read about our Micro Loan fund and look for Mi Tierra Productos de Guanacaste in the following local points of sale: