FARMING ON SANTA CRUZ ISLAND

Agriculture is an important part of the Galpagos landscape, providing approximately 10% of the food supply for roughly 25,000 residents and 175,000 visitors every year. It also provides important land management services that contribute to the overall health of the Galapagueo ecosystem.
Copyright 2012 Santa Cruz Island, Galapagos, Ecuador Cornell University Student Multidisciplinary Applied Research Team (SMART)

Through visual depictions, this book illustrates what agriculture looks like on the Island of Santa Cruz. The collection of photographs provides a view into the life of farming what biodiversity looks like on farms, who the farmers are, the variety of produce they grow, where and how they sell their products, and who consumes their produce.

FARMING ON SANTA CRUZ ISLAND

Galpagos Islands, Ecuador

In addition to providing stewardship of the land, farming provides a livelihood for hundreds of families and a mainstay economic activity for Santa Cruz residents.

Farming on the island faces a number a challenges. The islands are a fragile environment that requires careful maintenance, and few young people pursue future careers in the industry. The cost of labor is very high and there is a deficit in the necessary technical know-how.

Water is scarce on Santa Cruz, and invasive plants, insects and rodents perennially threaten farmers produce. The use of agrochemicals is extremely limited on the Galpagos Islands so as to protect soil, animals, plants, and natural water sources. Together, these factors contribute to a high production cost for farmers.

A DAY IN A FARMERS SHOES

TOMATO GREENHOUSE

COFFEE PRODUCTION

DAIRY PRODUCTION

AGRITOURISM

SANTA CRUZ MARKETS

What does the future look for agriculture in the Galpagos Islands?

Before looking at the future, it is critical to understand how agriculture is currently interwoven into the lives and daily activities of those that live in the Galpagos Islands. Through a deeper understanding of the challenges that come with living, working, and interacting with this unique environment, we can begin to see what opportunities exist for the continuation of sustainable development on the islands for all its inhabitants.

ABOUT THE AUTHORS

Photography Credits
Hao Lu: 13, 14, 42, 43, 51, 56, 60, 64-69, 70-75, 79 Nora Hansanugrum: Front Cover, Pages: 4-12, 15-21, 23-41, 43-50, 52-55, 57-59, 61-65, 76, 78, 80-81, 82-83 Patricia Polo: 22 Shoshana Perry: 32

Acknowledgements
Special thanks to all the agencies, organizations, farmers, and community members that not only shared their time, but also their wonderful stories with our research team.

Research Team
Professor Gabriela Valdivia University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill Professor Wendy Wolford Cornell University University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill Patricia Polo Cornell University Hao Lu Jennifer Nelson Nora Hansanugrum Shoshana Perry

Additional Remarks
Photographs were taken throughout Santa Cruz Island during the period of May 9th - June 5th, 2012. Copyright 2012

Design and Layout Nora Hansanugrum