Maya Mountain Research Farm

Location: San Pedro Columbia, Toledo, BELIZE
Project Start Date: 1988
Expected Completion Date:

Project Concept:

The Maya Mountain Reserach Farm (MMRF) demonstrates the value of biological diversity in agriculture.

Detailed Project Description:

MMRF is a registered NGO in Belize, working on issues of food security and biological diversity. The farm is located 2 miles from San Pedro Columbia, the largest Kekchi Maya settlement in Belize. The farm started out as a semi abandoned cattle and citrus farm, and is now a very well developed stacked polyculture with hundreds of species of trees.

The farm offers training and internships to local and international students in subjects ranging from permaculture, agroforestry, renewable energy and alternative building techniques.

We produce a lot of food, raise animals, have large timber trees, and the largest collection of vanilla vines in Belize.

Project Duration & Schedule:

Work is ongoing, through the calendar year in the agroforestry system.

Projects for the near future include piggery/pig-tractor/biogas-plant, sheep/goat dairy, pond based aquaculture system and eventual aquaponics system.

Project Needs, if any:

MMRF is a well developed working farm as well as a demonstration project, hence there are opportunities for people to plug into ongoing work throughout the year.

We host paying interns who come to MMRF to learn, either as part of a college or university based program, or as individuals looking to acquire skills that are useful. We have interns assist in ongoing work. The services MMRF provide is mostly self funded by fees paid by paying interns, and interns help keep MMRF moving.