Written by Siena Mann

The Interethnic Commission for Peace of Blanquita Murri celebrated its 7th agro-ecology school for youth from Afrodescendent, indigenous and campesino communities in the region. The monthly school brings together youth to develop their shared commitment to protecting and living sustainably in the territory. The students practice regenerative and sustainable agricultural practices, which in addition to producing sustenance, maintains the biodiverse ecosystem of forests and rivers in Murrí. Beyond agriculture, the school is a laboratory for peace through relationship-building.

This weekend the students learned about the dangers of genetically modified seeds and the far-reaching impacts of pesticides in an eco-system. They discussed examples of toxicity in their communities, and reports of mercury contamination in the water-systems. The students took measurements of the climate, including temperature and rainfall, as well as taking notes with observations about the plants. In this way, they are developing an instinct for farming through the everyday noticing of the health of their land.

One of their first experiments resulted in a success! Months ago, they planted organic rice to test how it would grow at Casa Madre. This weekend, students harvested 4 bushel of rice! They plan to plant more in the future. Along with the rice harvest, the students calculated how much money their families spend on a monthly basis to bring in food from Frontino. This led them to reflect on how much money they can save by producing some of their own fruits and vegetables. These calculations also gave them a sense for the economic value of the skills they are learning, the value of being able to sustain oneself.

Importantly, agro-ecology is not practiced in isolation. The school emphasizes the importance of collective care for the territory and the community. Agro-ecology invites collaboration through the practice of seed-saving and seed-sharing. Collecting, saving and exchanging seeds is essential for not only the lives of those acclimatized seed varieties, but also for our lives and our future generations. Typically, seeds are shared through the practice of “trueque”, or exchange in English. Students put trueque into practice after making medicinal salves. Each student traded a salve they made with another student.

The youth in the region face significant challenges living in an isolated community that continues to be marked by violence. As much as they fight to protect the forests of Murri, the impacts of environmental violence in the world are felt here. Global climate change is already causing temperatures to rise in Murrí, slowly but surely shifting the type of vegetation the climate can support. The student’s ability to connect and listen to their land, to respect the diverse and complex ecosystems that surround and support them, and to work together to find solutions, is essential to their survival and the survival of our planet. It is beautiful to see youth come together to seed peace through their shared commitment to caring for their environment.