Biodiversity Agriculture

We believe in the power and importance of biodiversity in the landscape. We feel that the ability to save seed and propagate plant material is one of the most important skills and responsibilities that humans possess. We are dedicated to the identification, preservation, and dissemination of indigenous and exotic plant and animal species. Much of our work lies in planting and evaluating the performance of new, potentially useful species, as well as in saving seed and propagating useful plants for later dissemination.

At the heart of Atitlan Organics is a plant nursery and seed-saving project that boasts over 60 plant species that are directly or indirectly useful to humans that live in subtropical climates. We feel that through biodiversity and knowledge of a diverse set of plants, a new form of agriculture will emerge. An agriculture that is not dependent on chemicals and large machinery, antibiotics or large capital investments. Rather, this new agriculture will be one that is incredibly low-input and non-capital intensive, one that can be practiced on very small parcels of land but still yield incredible amounts of food and other useful items.

The nursery at Atitlan Organics offers a wide array of useful plants for sale and trade. We work hard to disseminate new, potentially useful species and want to ensure that these plants survive the first period of their life, before they become productive. To that end, we always charge something for our plants, even if it is nominal, as we feel this will encourage someone to protect their investment with greater care and patience.