By Rafael R. Díaz Torres
Of the Daily Sun staff
rdiaz@prdailysun.net
The taste of eco-organic agriculture will be featured at the “First Agro-Ecological Cocktail” in San Juan May 3.
Sponsored
by the organic agriculture network “Boricuá,” the event will kick off
at 7:00 p.m. at the Olympic House in Puerta de Tierra, with the
participation of farmers from different parts of the island, vegetarian
chefs, experts in organic gastronomy, and educators who act as advisers
to individuals and families who farm.
“This is the first time
that sponsors, ecological farmers, chefs, organic food restaurants,
eco-friendly stores, nonprofit organizations, and consumers join efforts
in Puerto Rico to formally present what has been done by the
agro-ecologic movement in the last 20 years with regards to the
conservation of our native seeds, and support the principle of
Agricultural Sustainability, said “Boricuá” president Yanna Muriel
during a press conference Thursday at the Chiwinha organic store, in Río
Piedras.
Boricuá was founded 1989 after a group of farmers
from the island’s central mountain region met to exchange ideas and
establish an island wide network that would integrate farmers,
educators, and consumers.
Today the organization is
represented throughout Puerto Rico. Its members describe the network as
based on a horizontal model that fosters a constant dialogue, through
which farmers and supporters share knowledge and promote strategies
geared towards becoming self-sustained in food production.
“Boricuá
came about in response to the need for networks between farmers and
consumers, and to reach urban areas where there are more consumers,”
Boricuá members Katia Raquel Avilés told the Daily Sun.
“The
best part is that it was the farmers who founded these networks, as a
means of finding markets for their products, and Boricuá is inclusive,
allowing participation by everyone who is interested in finding ways to
reach food sustainability for the island,” Avilés added.
In
addition to the educational and production-related dimensions of
Boricuá, organization members have also been lobbying to influence the
Legislature in developing public policy relevant to the promotion of
agriculture and organically grown products.
Boricuá
contributed to the development of Law 228 of 2003, which provides
incentives for the production and consumption of organic products in
Puerto Rico.
Tickets for the May 3 Cocktail are $50 each.
Event organizers said the proceeds will be used to foster an increase in
local farming, benefit farmers, and strengthen existing farmers
networks.
“The event represents a unique opportunity for
farmers to display their crops and products in the metropolitan area,
and for consumers to taste fresh organic food,” Muriel said.
For
more information about the organization and the First Agro-Ecological
Cocktail, access the Boricuá website: www.organizacionboricua.org.
