Social & Economic Development

At SEED we are committed to collaborating with local communities, individuals and  organizations to share resources and develop capacity. Over the past 10 years we have built strong partnership with the neighboring local communities and indigenous elders and knowledge holders. 

SEED executives and community members offered weekly onsite English and math classes to children and their families in the neighboring community. These classes were later held at the local school. 

SEED also hosted month-long internships for undergraduate students on themes related to sustainable resource management and 

We facilitated a number of course on bamboo construction for local builders and families from Cahuita with a bamboo specialist from Mexico. These courses were hugely successful and inspired construction of bamboo buildings in and near Cahuita.

We have been hosting retreats on various topics including portrait paintings in the tropics, basket weaving and indigenous approaches to sustainable construction. 

SEED collaborates with local women to sell various products such as fruit and rice from the farm in the community.

We have formed farming partnership with local families, giving them access to SEED's fertile land to grow rice and beans. Annually, SEED produces over 1000 kg of organic rice.