Sowing Hope: Urban Farming Transforms Medellín, Colombia

Through innovative urban agriculture, they are transforming their physical environment and their social and economic landscape.

The Latin American Post Staff
March 17, 2024

Excerpt:

In Medellín’s Comuna 13, once plagued by violence, Terrazas Verdes’ innovative urban hydroponic agriculture project transforms lives, especially for mothers, providing jobs and fresh produce.

Terrazas Verdes, a unique urban hydroponic agriculture project, is flourishing in Comuna 13, a once-violence-ridden neighborhood in Medellín, Colombia. The project offers a lifeline to its residents, particularly mothers, by providing employment opportunities, fresh produce, and a sense of hope.

In the heart of Comuna 13, on the terraces of homes built with brick and zinc tiles, lush vegetables and lettuce thrive. Yeniffer Alexandra Romaña, a 26-year-old mother of four, found hope after fleeing poverty and violence in her hometown of Quibdó.

“I come every day to check on the plants, add nutrients, and remove the bad leaves,” Yeniffer says, standing amidst her lettuce crop, which will be sold as an organic mix in a supermarket chain.

This innovative project provides Yeniffer with a livelihood and allows her to feed her children and be close to them. “I have the desire and determination to succeed,” she says, expressing her enthusiasm for learning about hydroponics.

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