Hector Marin was already a knowledgeable and professional farmer when he joined Raíz. His farm, El Porvenir (The Promising Future), quickly become an example for nearby Raíz members. As an innovative farmer in his late 20s, Hector joined Raíz specifically for the market access and to expand his understanding in four areas - plant renovation, crop nutrition, soil recovery, and water conservation.

“Thanks to Raíz and the continuous support from the agronomist, I improved my farm’s profitability 15% in just one harvest cycle,” said Hector. He accomplished this growth by improving soil conditions through regenerative agriculture practices such as planting green cover crops, reducing herbicide usage, and planting trees and grasses in strategic locations to reduce erosion.

Hector has taken additional measures to protect two acres of native forest, and all the water sources running through his land with extended buffer zones and water treatment installations for post-processing cleaning. 

Hector’s commitment to environmental protection drove our decision to invest more Raíz resources in his farm. We have provided him 200 native trees and 250 cover crop seedlings that work together to reduce erosion, increase biodiversity and buffer zones for wild areas, and protect coffee quality. 

Hector’s success in Raíz is a fantastic example of the program’s purpose. Raiz was created to provide resources and knowledge that empowers farmers to build prosperous, sustainable farms regardless of where they are on their sustainability journey when they join.