Help Students Create Community Garden in Guatemala

About Us 

The mission of Terps for International Agriculture Science Club (TIAS) is to collectively improve food security, reduce malnutrition, and increase collective knowledge between global entities. We strive to provide opportunities for students and other agricultural workers to collaborate with international NGOs on improving sustainable agriculture practices. 

We regularly communicate with students and organizations virtually, but there is so much more we can learn in person! 

Community Garden Project

TIAS has the opportunity to transform raw land that has been vandalized into a community garden. The land is located in El Ampero, in the San Marcos Department of Guatemala, which is in the highlands and experiences a tropical savanna climate. Our goal is to collaborate with the owners of the land and experienced Guatemalan farmers to grow crops, install a water pump for irrigation, and establish a composting system. The project will provide us with opportunities to grow in communication, leadership, planning, and advocacy. We aim to support Guatemalan farmers who face challenges related to climate change, economic constraints, limited government support, and food insecurity. 

El Amparo, Guatemala is a region characterized by wet and dry seasons. The climate supports the growth of crops such as sugarcane, coffee, bananas, avocados, and vegetables. We look forward to learning about how local farmers face challenges related to climate change, economic constraints, and food security (satellite image from Google Maps).

 

Why Contribute?

Your donation will help UMD students put knowledge into practice. As a developing club, TIAS has focused primarily on online and classroom-based education and has not been able to gain practical skills in sustainable agriculture. There is a limit on how much we can learn about another country online. Only by experiencing local farming and land development in Guatemala can we understand how sustainable agriculture can be practiced in a location with fewer resources available than our own. Your contribution will support the local community as neighbors gather together to care for the garden and produce crops like coffee, corn, and avocados, improving economic stability and reducing malnutrition. Additionally, this is the first step to future construction of a school on the property, encouraging sustainable agriculture education for the youth. Donations will go towards travel, lodging, supplies, and assistance from Guatemalan farmers.

Gifts in support of the University of Maryland are accepted and managed by the University of Maryland College Park Foundation, Inc., an affiliated 501(c)(3) organization authorized by the Board of Regents. Contributions to the University of Maryland are tax-deductible as allowed by law. Please see your tax advisor for details.