Clínica Verde - Holistic Wellness benefits from Bio-Intensive Gardening

Clínica Verde is a global healthcare organization that designed and operates a prototype of a sustainably designed health hub in Nicaragua. Through medical services and frequent trainings they are taking a preventive approach to the wellbeing of their patients. Clinical care, nutrition, and health education are provided in an environment designed to support and improve health outcomes.

A bio-intensive garden at their facility serves as a teaching tool for women, family members, and the community to learn about growing and cultivating produce. Full time garden manager Juan Miguel Garcia, a graduate of the National Agrarian University in Camoapa, has recently become certified through Bio-Nica's intensive garden program. He is not only maintaining the garden, but also training young adults living in the area.

According to BioNica: "Biointensive agriculture is an organic agricultural system which has been shown to result in maximum yields from the minimum area of land, while simultaneously improving and maintaining the fertility of the soil. It is particularly designed for the small-scale grower."

Brad Ward, director of ECHO's Central America / Caribbean Region recently helped facilitate a workshop at Clinica Verde in which 23 people were trained in seed saving techniques.

Clinica Verde is unique in the sense that it has dedicated both staff and space to teaching, as opposed to just delivering medical care. Their large bio-intensive garden produces food for their patients and for the meals served during training classes. -Brad Ward

If you would like to learn more about Clínica Verde or BioNica, and the methodologies they demonstrate, both organizations will be represented at the ECHO conference in Managua next month.

ECHO Central America / Caribbean Agriculture and Community Development Conference

September 27-29 | Hotel Best Western Las Mercedes, Nicaragua

Related Resources on Bio-Intensive Farming:

Book: How to Grow More Vegetables*
(and fruits, nuts, berries, grains and other crops)
*Than you ever thorugh possible on less land than you can imagine