Reflections, Perspectives, and Notes from the Field

The first 1,000 days of life is a critical period for child development. From the moment of conception up to age two, caretaker decisions have an immediate impact on a child’s physical health and future cognitive abilities. At Seeds for a Future, we work with rural families and particularly young parents to optimize family nutrition…

My name is Mia Di Virgillio. After six months of traveling through Europe and Central America, I arrived in Antigua, Guatemala, where I spent two months volunteering and learning Spanish. This turned out to be one of the highlights of my travels. From the moment I arrived, Guatemala captivated me with its warm and friendly…

By Roland Bunch Antonio Guterrez, the Secretary General of the United Nations, has described the rapidly worsening famine around the developing world as a “hurricane of hunger.” Some experts say that as many as 100 million Africans are in danger of dying, and the increasing disaster has no end in sight. If even just 60…

Suzanne and I first visited Chocolá in 2004 as part of a volunteer group helping archaeologists investigate a pre-Columbian Maya site surrounded by volcanos on the Pacific piedmont in Guatemala. Archaeologists speculate that in the time of the Maya, and the Olmecs before them, the ancient city of Chocolá may have been a major regional…

We’re excited to add Lombricultura, or vermiculture, to the permaculture and regenerative methods we share with participating rural Guatemalan families.  This addition was announced at our Field Day — Dia de Campo — at the home of don Jacinto and doña Herminia in the village of Lolemi. Nearly 100 local families and assorted invited guests listened…

The village of Chocolá, Guatemala, has a long and complex history, from the Pre-classic Maya period (2000 BCE to 250 CE), to the effects of colonization across Central America, to prominence in the early 20th century as producer of coffee, to today, as the community continues to seeks its forward path. Through the centuries of…

Why is agency important?  How can agency transform lives and drive community development to produce food security, health, nutrition, and income opportunities?  Defining Agency While “agency” is a frequently used term in development contexts, it’s often misunderstood outside academic circles. Agency refers to the capacity of individuals or communities to actively and autonomously make choices,…

Seeds for a Future’s mission is creating long-term food security and health through sustainable, permaculture practices. We work in regions where subsistence farming has fed families for generations, creating an opportunity to address food security and nutritional health through permaculture gardens. We knew there had to be a central meeting point for our team and…