What is the name of your organization?
Gaia Pacha Foundation
What is the name of your solution?
Arborea
Provide a one-line summary or tagline for your solution.
Demonstrative educational center of agroecology
In what city, town, or region is your solution team headquartered?
Cochabamba, Bolivia
In what country is your solution team headquartered?
Bolivia
What type of organization is your solution team?
Nonprofit
Film your elevator pitch.
What specific problem are you solving?
n Cochabamba, Bolivia, schools face a critical gap in environmental education that connects students with local food systems and ecological sustainability. While environmental themes are part of the national curriculum, they are often taught in abstract ways, disconnected from students’ daily realities. As a result, most children and adolescents grow up without practical knowledge of agroecology, sustainable land use, or the impact of climate change on their communities.
This disconnection is especially concerning in a region like Cochabamba, where land degradation, water scarcity, and loss of traditional agricultural practices threaten food security. According to national data, over 30% of Bolivia’s land is degraded, and youth under 18 represent more than 30% of the population—yet their involvement in environmental solutions remains minimal.
Globally, more than 1.6 billion children are affected by climate-related risks (UNICEF), and food systems contribute over one-third of greenhouse gas emissions (IPCC). Agroecology, recognized by the FAO as a key strategy for sustainable transformation, remains underutilized in education.
Our project addresses these challenges by integrating agroecology into school programs through hands-on environmental education, empowering youth as active participants in building resilient, sustainable communities and restoring their connection with nature and food production.
What is your solution?
Fundación Gaia Pacha implements “ARBÓREA”, an educational initiative that promotes environmental awareness and agroecological practices among children and adolescents through a combination of theoretical, practical, and technological methodologies. The program is carried out in public schools in urban and peri-urban areas of Cochabamba, Bolivia, where access to environmental education is limited.
The project integrates digital tools,such as interactive mobile applications, audiovisual content, and virtual garden simulators, with ancestral knowledge related to soil care, seed preservation, and water cycles. This fusion allows students to connect modern science with indigenous Andean worldviews, fostering a deeper understanding of ecological balance and food sovereignty.
In practical sessions, students build and manage school gardens using agroecological principles, apply composting techniques, and experiment with water-saving irrigation systems . These hands-on activities are linked to classroom content through a structured environmental curriculum co-designed with educators.
The initiative not only enhances climate literacy and ecological empathy, but also fosters youth leadership, as students become environmental ambassadors in their schools and communities. By bridging digital innovation with ancestral wisdom, Gaia Pacha empowers the next generation to actively care for the environment and reimagine sustainable food systems. Link: https://www.facebook.com/share/v/1BXnPGtW9G/
Who does your solution serve, and in what ways will the solution impact their lives?
Our solution directly serves children and adolescents aged 10 to 18 in public schools in urban and peri-urban areas of Cochabamba, Bolivia. These students often come from low-income families and face limited access to quality environmental education that is practical, culturally relevant, and empowering. Despite being among those most affected by climate change, they are frequently excluded from discussions and decisions related to sustainability and food systems.
Currently, these young people receive fragmented environmental content, often theoretical and disconnected from their lived experiences. They lack opportunities to engage with nature, understand agroecological practices, or explore the use of digital tools in environmental learning.
Fundación Gaia Pacha’s initiative addresses these gaps by integrating theoretical knowledge, hands-on agroecological practices, and technological innovation, including mobile applications, digital garden design tools, and multimedia storytelling. It also incorporates ancestral Andean knowledge, offering a holistic and identity-affirming approach to sustainability.
Through this solution, students gain practical skills in growing food, managing natural resources, and leading community-based environmental actions.
