Regenerative Agroforestry & Soil Restoration

Shuar de la Selva is advancing regenerative agroforestry practices that allow communities to grow food and forest products without destroying the forest. A central part of this work is the collaboration with Dr. Rafael Morales, a biologist from Loja, whose expertise spans plant genetics, soil biology, and regenerative cultivation systems adapted to Ecuador’s ecosystems.

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Together with Shuar farmers, this work focuses on moving away from slash-and-burn practices, which degrade soil and force communities to continually clear new land. Instead, regenerative agroforestry systems are being developed that restore soil life, build long-term fertility, and allow crops to thrive year after year in the same place.

By working with soil biology, plant diversity, and forest structure, these systems integrate food crops, medicinal plants, and tree species in ways that mimic natural ecosystems. Healthy soils retain nutrients and water, reduce erosion, and increase resilience to climate variability—making farming more productive while keeping the forest standing.

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This approach strengthens food sovereignty, reduces pressure on surrounding forests, and supports a living bio-economy rooted in regeneration rather than extraction. Over time, it enables communities to cultivate abundance on existing land, ensuring that both people and forest can flourish together.