Introduction

Most governments in Latin America—like others around the world—tend to subsidize and encourage large-scale, export-oriented agriculture.  This type of agricultural policy does not guarantee food security for their populations nor serve the needs of family-scale farmers—by far the majority of farmers in Latin America. As an integral part of this globalized food system, it is also necessary for most of these Latin American countries to import a large percentage of their food.
       
These policies have led to hunger and malnutrition as basic foods have become unaffordable for large numbers of people, and they have forced millions of family farmers off their land, with a resultant loss of their skill base. The situation has accelerated as the economy continues to deteriorate, and with the ongoing depletion of oil, soil and water. As grain surpluses diminish rapidly worldwide and wealthy nations outbid others for the limited supply, food prices will continue to rise, increasing greater hunger, malnutrition and social unrest. Soon, there is a strong possibility that there will no longer be a significant surplus food supply in the world.

Through the years, the purpose of Ecology Action and ECOPOL (Ecology and Population) has been to assure that a sophisticated, low-technology safety net—GROW BIOINTENSIVE Sustainable Mini-Farming—is widely in place before more major challenges strike. As Juan Manuel Martinez, Director of ECOPOL explains: “The Biointensive Method is one of the few alternatives for all those people who have been left out to survive with dignity and obtain additional income. The Method also awakens their conscience so that they take part in concrete actions to take care of their soil, environment and natural resources.”

An increasing number of studies worldwide are proving that small-scale, organic agriculture is more productive and environmentally friendly than the current industrialized system.

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Background on Biointensive

Since 1972, Ecology Action has been developing and practical testing GROW BIOINTENSIVE, a small-scale agricultural system based on traditional techniques that produce abundant and healthy food in small areas, using no fossil fuels and much fewer resources than conventional agriculture. Properly used, the system can restore and maintain soil fertility while producing high yields. Through publications, workshops, internships and apprenticeships, Ecology Action has spread this method worldwide and has catalyzed Biointensive programs in Mexico, Kenya, Afghanistan, Argentina, Russia and Uzbekistan.

In 1989 John Jeavons, Director of Ecology Action, and Juan Manuel Martinez, at the time Director of Food Programs for the Mexican Department of Social Security, met to strategize the most effective way of disseminating the Biointensive Method throughout Mexico and all of Latin America. In order to accomplish this mission, Juan Manuel Martinez established ECOPOL. Since its inception, ECOPOL has promoted the Biointensive Method among communities, producers, churches, agricultural schools, universities and NGO's in Latin America and the Caribbean, catalyzing an increasing network of organizations and individuals dedicated to promoting this vision of sustainable organic agriculture. 

In March 2006, ECOPOL and Ecology Action co-sponsored a Six-Day Biointensive Workshop in Costa Rica. One hundred and sixteen people from 18 Latin American countries attended. The enthusiasm for the Biointensive method generated by that Workshop has triggered increased demands for follow-up trainings in Mexico, Central and South America and the Caribbean. Since the Costa Rica Workshop, Juan Manuel Martinez has traveled to over 15 countries to give follow-up workshops and make presentations. He also keeps reaching out to other organizations to introduce the Biointensive method and catalyze future contacts.

As the world situation intensifies, we feel it essential to disseminate the Biointensive method as widely and as quickly as possible. Sustainable food-growing skills could very well provide a means of survival and empowerment for a large number of people in these difficult times. We see converging factors creating an ideal situation for a second Workshop leading to the development of qualified trainers situated in many parts of Latin America to teach these skills. First of all, the very seriousness of the situation is drawing more people to look for alternative solutions. Then, the years of combined work of ECOPOL and Ecology Action have created a network of dedicated trainers in Mexico and Latin America, many of whom have requested another conference/workshop to upgrade their skills, a widespread web of organizations that have received training (See Who Uses Biointensive?), and a series of mature and developing demonstration/training centers as examples for others to follow. Juan Manuel has spent the last year and a half further developing alliances with governmental agencies that have oversight of rural training and development. Juan has been connecting these agencies with some of the Biointensive trainers and their organizations and has also been encouraging networking among the organizations. He is tending to the future dissemination of food-growing skills in Mexico and Latin America by encouraging a group of younger trainers to work together as a training team.

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The Biointensive Workshops

To take advantage of these many factors, a second International Biointensive Conference, with two three-day workshops, has been scheduled for May 3rd to 8th, 2010, and will take place at the Xochitla Ecological Reserve Conference Center, near Mexico City. Two hundred selected participants from 24 countries are expected at the conference.  The event is being organized by an international collaboration of ECOPOL, Ecology Action and ADYS—an Ecuadorian NGO directed by Mercedes Torres. In addition to essential training given to trainers and potential trainers, it is also expected that important collaborations will be established during the event.

The conference and workshops will be divided into two three-day segments:

• The first will be training in basic- level Biointensive practices and more. Key learning will take place around the structuring of Biointensive demonstration sites, since this will be one of the goals for many of the participants learning to be trainers. During this segment, fieldwork carried out by the participants will result in a multi-bed demonstration garden being developed at the Xochitla Foundation site. Xochitla, visited by thousands of people a year has great potential to introduce Biointensive to many different types of populations after the Workshop has been concluded. Two hundred participants from 24 countries are expected to attend — 120 invitees and 80 public participants.
  
  
• In the second segment, the new interactive Basic Level Biointensive Training Manual will be presented to approximately 35 potential trainers. The workshops will be documented by a professional photographer.

There will also be an extra day at the end of these two workshops for key trainers who are interested in Intermediate-Level GROW BIOINTENSIVE Teachers Certification, so they can learn more about the certification process.

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The Biointensive Basic-Level Training Manual

The Biointensive Interactive Basic-Level Training Manual has been in production since 2002. It has been tried out in workshops in Mexico and Ecuador, with materials and suggested techniques from the participants incorporated into subsequent revisions. The Manual is complete in its English version and the Spanish translation will have been completed by the time of the workshop. The purpose of the Manual is to help trainers present Biointensive techniques in an easily understood and consistent way, and also to serve as a permanent reference that will help trainers understand and remember the importance of all the techniques and so convey the materials in an understandable way to those people they are teaching.

The Manual also helps trainers improve their teaching skills. Since the experience level of trainers varies, the Manual will be a reference point for standardizing training. This is very important. Because GROW BIOINTENSIVE Sustainable Mini-Farming is an intensive agricultural system, leaving out any of its eight component parts, or using them improperly, could deplete the soil quicker than conventional agriculture. The Manual will help maintain the integrity of the method. It is a publication that can be used not only in Latin America but, translated into other languages, could serve the same purpose in countries worldwide. 

During the workshop, the Manual will not only be introduced but actively used and so will become familiar to a large number of people. This hands-on use of the Manual may also provide valuable feedback on possible improvements that could be incorporated.

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The Purpose of the Latin American Conference and Workshops

As the world situation intensifies, we feel it essential to disseminate the Biointensive method as widely and as quickly as possible. Sustainable food-growing skills could very well provide a means of empowerment and survival for a large number of people in these chaotic times. We believe this second workshop will further this goal in the following ways:

Upgrade Training/Incorporate Biointensive into Other, Related Training

It is estimated that about 80 of the participants from the Costa Rica Workshop—over two-thirds—will be returning. The majority of these have long histories of working with organizations that train rural populations. The first workshop encouraged them to introduce Biointensive methods into their programs and/or upgraded their previous skill in the method. This upcoming conference workshops will help consolidate that training and add a greater understanding of the underlying techniques that make the system work. Another estimated 40 people did not attend the Costa Rica Workshop but have become interested in Biointensive since then through contacts initiated by Juan Manuel. They will be given a more basic training in the method. A final estimated 80 participants will be people from government agencies, NGOs, universities or other organizations that Juan will invite because their work is in agriculture or rural development and they could be important in disseminating the method more widely. Some of these will already have a basic knowledge of Biointensive and for others it will be a new concept.

Introduction to and Familiarization with the Interactive Biointensive Basic-Level Training Manual:

The purpose of the Manual is described above.

Inspiration through Networking

Participants will listen to the experiences of other trainers and their organizations. Learning about successes will provide goals for them to strive towards. The workshops will also provide a venue to discover the solutions to what has not worked. Being taught by John Jeavons—who developed the GROW BIOINTENSIVE system—and Juan Manuel Martinez—who has spread the method throughout Latin America—along with a large group of people working towards the same goals, will provide inspiration for participants to increase their efforts in teaching sustainable food-growing skills when they return home.

Provide an Example for Representatives from Other Countries

Representatives from the Former Soviet Union, Kenya and China are expected to participate in the workshops. They will be attending to learn how Biointensive is being taught in Latin America as a possible guideline for training in their countries.

Discussion of a New Broader Approach to the GROW BIOINTENSIVE Teachers Certification Process

Basic, Intermediate and Advanced-Level Teacher Certification was initiated by Ecology Action to help trainers maintain the quality of GROW BIOINTENSIVE teaching and to help potential students know their trainers are qualified to teach the method correctly. Juan Manuel Martinez and Jennifer Ungemach have been revising the certification process, making it more approachable for people outside the U.S. to qualify. The certification process has qualifying guidelines and details specific steps that lead participants slowly towards greater proficiency. Discussion of the certification process may encourage more participants to become involved in this hands-on program that will guide them in continuing improvement of their own GROW BIOINTENSIVE farming skills and their subsequent ability to pass them on to others.

Support from Key Institutions

Juan Manuel has spent the last year and a half further developing connections with agriculture-related agencies of the Mexican government. Three of these will be co-sponsors of the Workshop: SEMARNAT (Secretaria de Medio Ambiente y Recursos Naturales / Department of the Environment and Natural Resources), CECADESU (Centro de Educación y Capacitación para el Desarrollo Sustentable/Education and Training Center for Sustainable Development), and INCA Rural (National Institute for the Development of the Rural Sector). For a list of other co-sponsors, click here.

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About the Latin American Conference Workshops

The Latin American Dual Biointensive Workshops have concluded;
they occurred on May 3-8, 2010.

The workshops were divided into two three-day segments: May 3-5 and May 6-8. The first workshop had a limited number of tickets for sale to the public; the second workshop was not open to the public (participation by invitation only).

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• First Workshop: The 3-Day Biointensive Workshop with Tropical Breakout Sessions, May 3-5, 2010.
  
  

For more information about this workshop, click here

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• Second Workshop: 3-Day Interactive Training Manual Workshop with Tropical Breakout Sessions, May 6-8, 2010.
  
  Participation in this workshop was by invitation only.

For more information about this workshop, click here

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The workshops took place at the Xochitla Ecological Reserve Conference Center, near Mexico City.

Xochitla means “Place of Flowers” in Nahuatl (the language of the Aztecs, ancient inhabitants of Mexico’s Valley).  Visited by thousands of people a year to exercise, sight see and enjoy its gardens, Xochitla has great potential to introduce Biointensive to many different types of populations.

Two hundred participants from 24 countries were expected at the Workshops. 

The event was organized by an international collaboration of ECOPOL, Ecology Action and ADYS.

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Workshop Logistics and Groups

 First Workshop: Biointensive Training

Workshop participants were divided into three groups:  people who attended the Costa Rica Workshop, people who are new to learning about Biointensive, and people from government agencies, NGOs, etc., many of whom may also be new to Biointensive. There may be some cross-over as it becomes apparent what individual levels of learning are.

The first day all participants gather together for the Opening Ceremony and Introduction. Then the groups will divide for the rest of the day’s learning activities. Three subjects—Bed Preparation, Compost/Compost Crops, and Intensive Spacing/Companion Plantings and Rotations--will be taught to all the participants by John Jeavons and other key trainers. The subject will be taught at the basic or intermediate level or a combination of the two, depending on which group is being taught at the time.

The second day the whole group meets to learn about Soil Fertility and Fertilizers, taught by John Jeavons. Then participants break into 15 groups and adjourn to the demonstration site where they will have hands-on practice in the subjects taught the day before, each group being supervised by one of the trainers. Each of the 15 groups will be working on their own growing bed, which will become one of the permanent beds of the Xochitla demonstration garden. Field practices will continue throughout the day.

On the third and last day of this segment of the workshop, the whole group meets together. Karla Arroyo will teach a class on Open Pollinated Seeds and there is an opportunity for participants to exchange seeds. John Jeavons teaches Sustainability/Soil Health/Insects and Disease before lunch and Diet after lunch.

Second Workshop: Basic-Level Biointensive Training Manual

The next three days are devoted to an introduction to the interactive Basic-Level Biointensive Training Manual as well as using it in field practices. Mercedes Torres (one of the developers of the Manual) and Maria Clara Arango facilitates this section, with some help from Juan Manuel Martinez (who was also instrumental in developing the Manual). All workshop participants are invited to attend this segment, whatever their skill level. Because it is a basic-level manual, it should be able to be understood by all after they have completed the basic workshop training. A large percentage of the workshop time during this second three days is devoted to having participants apply the use of the Manual in field practice. For this purpose the large group is broken into 24 groups by country. The experiences are then reported back to all the participants gathered as a whole. Groups have the opportunity to work with a selection of five of the training topics listed in the Manual.

Summary of Workshop Logistics

Classes and other activities during the first half of the workshop are structured to correspond to the participants’ level of familiarity with the GROW BIOINTENSIVE® system. Classes given on the first day are reinforced on the second by means of field practice. Breaking into 15 groups for the field practice gives all participants a chance to be fully involved in the hands-on training. Trainers upgrade their teaching skills and are able to compare their understanding of Biointensive techniques against what is being taught. The introduction of the interactive Basic-Level Biointensive Training Manual in the second half of the workshop provides a new tool for each participant that gives them a deeper level of understanding of the system as well as teaching guidelines. The structure and content of the Manual are presented in classes and used in practice sessions. Feedback on the Manual is given to facilitators by participants. On the last day participants from each country develop plans for training in their country. The Certification Program is discussed so that participants become aware of the program as a way to continue to develop their GROW BIOINTENSIVE® skills over the years.

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Map/Directions for Xochitla

Click here to see how to get to Xochitla Ecological Reserve.

 

 

 

 

Dates, Prices, Food, Lodging and Deadlines :: Schedule

Required Reading :: Cancellation Policy :: Additional Information

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Dates, Prices Food, Lodging & Application Deadlines

Xochitla, Mexico Xochitla Ecological Reserve Conference Center May 3-5, 2010

$2500 pesos for Mexican citizens, $223 USD for foreign visitors (without lodging) $2600 pesos for Mexican citizens, $235 USD for foreign visitors (with lodging*) NOTE: This workshop is finished.

This price includes registration, workshop materials, documentation of attendance, inclusion in the field practice sessions and all meals during the 3-Day Biointensive Workshop with Interactive Tropical Breakout Sessions.

Two hundred participants from 24 countries are expected to attend — 120 invitees and 80 public participants. The number of public participants for the workshop is limited to 80.

*Lodging in the dormitory-style accomdations at Xochitla is available for 40 of the public participants on a first-come, first served basis at a cost of $150 pesos/$12USD per person; once these places fill (or if you prefer other accomodations), public participants will be responsible for providing their own lodging for this workshop.

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Schedule

Just as GROW BIOINTENSIVE mini-farming functions as a whole system (rather than isolated techniques), this workshop constitutes a whole, with each section building on previous sections; it is therefore important to attend the entire workshop. Transportation should be scheduled so that participants can remain through 5:30 PM (16:30) on Wednesday for this workshop.

For a detailed schedule of topics for this workshop, click here.

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Required Reading

The list below contains required reading,
which you should do before you come to the workshop

• How to Grow More Vegetables...
  
  Available from Bountiful Gardens in Spanish (6th edition, 2004) and English (7th ed., 2006)
  

• The Sustainable Vegetable Garden
  
  - Available in Spanish for free, in PDF format (click here to download the PDF (4.29MB file)
  
  - Available in English from Bountiful Gardens.

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Cancellation Policy

1) If a person cancels his/her workshop registration by March 31, 2010, $1950pesos/$175USD (workshop fee minus $550pesos /$50USD processing fee) will be refunded

2) If a person cancels his/her workshop registration by April 15, 2010, $1250pesos/$115USD (workshop fee minus $1250pesos/$110USD processing fee) will be refunded.

3) If a person cancels his/her workshop registration after April 15, 2010, no refunds will be given.

 

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Additional Information

• Your understanding of the workshop will be enhanced if you already know the following information about your area: elevation, first and last frost dates (if applicable), rainfall by month, monthly high and low temperatures. (Click here to download the form: Spanish(70KB file) English(94KB file). You are welcome to bring along photos of the project you are involved in!
  
  
• For information about similar workshops, see Ecology Action Workshops
  
  
• We hope you'll join us! Tape recorders or video cameras are not permitted at the workshop. Please bring your own mug for hot beverages. Also, please bring along a calculator, pencil, sturdy shoes or boots with good tread and gloves. As the weather could be cold, wet and/or sunny, it is recommended that you dress in layers. Consider bringing your own water bottle and a mosquito repellant.
  
  
• Meals will be provided, and some lodging will be available (see above). If you have any special food allergies or dietary restrictions, we recommend you bring your own food.

 

 

May 3-5, 2010
3-Day Biointensive Workshop with Interactive Topical Breakout Sessions
(200 Participants from 24 Countries)

Taught by John Jeavons with the assistance of key trainers.

Monday, May 3, 2010
Time	Activity	Observations
7.00	Breakfast
8.00	Participant and Guest Registration
9.00	Opening Ceremony*	Guest Authorities
9.30	Introduction  Vision of Sustainability and the Range of Complexity of the Biointensive Method:  Addressing Organic Matter Availability for the Future	John Jeavons
10.30	Recess
11.00	Group Rotations-All participants will have a chance to learn all 3 topics: Bed Preparation: Initial and Continued Management Decisions Compost and Compost CropsCompost Crop Production within Integral System: Sustainable Proportions                  Creative Sources for Nitrogen and Carbon within System Intensive Spacing/Companion Plantings and Rotations: Advantages	John Jeavons   Instructor to be confirmed     Instructor to be confirmed
12.30	Lunch
14.00	Second Group Rotation
15.30	Field Practices:  Bed Preparation	John Jeavons, Instructors
19.00	Welcome Dinner and Cultural Events

* During the opening ceremony, John Jeavons will sign a collaboration agreement with SEMARNAT, with the Secretary of State for the Environment and Natural Resources Department serving as the Mexican signatory. Another agreement will be signed with the General Managers of the Xochitla Foundation in order to assure that the Biointensive Demonstration Garden/Mini-Farm developed by the Workshop participants will be maintained as a permanent demonstration, research and training center.

Tuesday, May 4, 2010
Time	Activity	Observations
7.00	Breakfast
8.30	Soil Fertility and Fertilizers	John  Jeavons
10.30	Recess
11.00	Third Group Rotation
13.00	Lunch
14.30	Field Practices: Compost and transplanting	John Jeavons, Instructors
19.00	Dinner
20.00	Special Presentations	Ecuador, Colombia and México

 

Wednesday, May 5, 2010
Time	Activity	Observations
7.00	Breakfast
8.30	Open Pollinated Seeds	Karla Arroyo
10.00	Seed Exchange:  Sharing Mexico’s Seed Heritage	Karla Arroyo
10.30	Recess
11.00	Sustainability/Soil Health/Insects and Disease	John Jeavons
13.00	Lunch
14.30	Diet	John Jeavons
15.30	Evaluation,  Conclusions and General Information	Participants
16.30	Fieldwork Transfer to Xochitla Foundation	Participants, Authorities
16.30	Closing Ceremony	Guest Authorities

 

 

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Dates and Prices

Xochitla, Mexico Xochitla Ecological Reserve Conference Center May 6-8, 2010

No Fee for Invitees

Participants will receive workshop materials, documentation of attendance, inclusion in the field practice sessions, lodging and all meals during the 3-Day Interactive Training Manual Workshop with Tropical Breakout Sessions. If you have any special food allergies or dietary restrictions, we recommend you bring your own food.

 

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Schedule

Just as GROW BIOINTENSIVE mini-farming functions as a whole system (rather than isolated techniques), this workshop constitutes a whole, with each section building on previous sections; it is therefore important to attend the entire workshop. Transportation should be scheduled so that participants can remain through 3:30 PM (14:30) on Saturday for this workshop.

---

Required Reading

The list below contains required reading,
which you should do before you come to the workshop

• How to Grow More Vegetables...
  
  Available from Bountiful Gardens in Spanish (6th edition, 2004) and English (7th ed., 2006)
  

• The Sustainable Vegetable Garden
  
  - Available in Spanish for free, in PDF format (click here to download the PDF (4.29MB file)
  
  - Available in English from Bountiful Gardens.

 

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Application

There is no need to register for this workshop as it is open to invitees only.

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Cancellation Policy

If you have been invited to attend this workshop and will not be attending, please let us know as soon as possible. To contact us, call (707) 459-0150

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Additional Information

• Your understanding of the workshop will be enhanced if you already know the following information about your area: elevation, first and last frost dates (if applicable), rainfall by month, monthly high and low temperatures. (You can find forms for this information in EA Booklet #26, available from Bountiful Gardens.) You are welcome to bring along photos of the project you are involved in, if you wish.
  
  
• For information about similar workshops, see Ecology Action Workshops
  
  
• We hope you'll join us! Tape recorders or video cameras are not permitted at the workshop. Please bring your own mug for hot beverages. Also, please bring along a calculator, pencil, sturdy shoes or boots with good tread and gloves. As the weather could be cold, wet and/or sunny, it is recommended that you dress in layers. Consider bringing your own water bottle and a mosquito repellant.
  
  
• Meals and lodging will be provided for this workshop. If you have any special food allergies or dietary restrictions, we recommend you bring your own food.

 

May 6-8, 2010
3-Day Workshop Exploring the New Interactive Basic-Level Biointensive Training Manual Including Topical Breakout Sessions
(122 Participants from 24 Countries)

Facilitated by Mercedes Torres and Maria Clara Arango with assistance from Juan Manuel Martinez.

Thursday, May 6, 2010
Time	Activity	Observations
7.00	Breakfast
8.30	Introduction and Formal Understanding of the Manual	Mercedes Torres Ma. Clara Arango
10.30	Recess
11.00	Manual’s Methodological Model Analysis	Mercedes Torres Ma. Clara Arango
13.00	Lunch
14.30	Educational Management of the Manual, Practice Preparation	Mercedes Torres Ma. Clara Arango
16.00	Recess
16.30	Manual Application Practices and Feedback  Session 1 *	Participants and Facilitators
19.00	Dinner
20:00	Special Country Presentations	Argentina and Paraguay

 

Friday, May 7, 2010
Time	Activity	Observations
7.00	Breakfast
8.30	Manual Application Practices and Feedback Session 2*	Participants and Facilitators
10.30	Recess
11.00	Manual Applications Practices and Feedback Session 3*	Participants and Facilitators
13.00	Lunch
14.30	Manual Application Practices and Feedback Session 4*	Participants and Facilitators
4.30	Recess
17.00	Manual Application Practices and Feedback Session 5*	Participants and Facilitators
19.00	Farewell Dinner
20.00	Cultural Events

 

Saturday, May 8, 2010
Time	Activity	Observations
7.00	Breakfast
8.30	Training Operating Plans by Country	Participants and Facilitators
10.30	Recess
11.00	Levels of Teaching:  Basic, Intermediate, Advanced and “Expanded” and Teachers Certification Agreements and Commitments	Participants and Facilitators
13.00	Lunch
14.30	Agreement Approval, Evaluations, Closing Ceremony	Participants and Authorities

*For the Manual Application Practices and Feedback, the large group will be broken into 24 groups by country.  The facilitators with each group will be pre-selected and instructed by the event facilitators. The goal is to have many small groups work in preparing and using sessions from the manual.  The experiences will then be reported back to all the participants gathered as a whole.  Groups will have the opportunity to work with a selection of five of the following training topics:

• World Situation
• Soil Preparation
• Compost
• Compost Crops
• Calorie Crops
• Close Spaced Planting/Living Mulch
• Companion Planting and Rotations
• Open Pollinated Seeds
• Whole System
• Insects and Disease
• Sustainability