Venezuela: Urban Agriculture in the Heart of Caracas: A Conversation with Glenda Vivas

Urban gardens, inspired by methods developed during Cuba’s special period, are being used to promote food security in Venezuela.

By Cira Pascual Marquina
Venezuela Analysis
March 29, 2024

Excerpt:

The Bolívar 1 Organoponic Garden is a two-acre plot in the center of Caracas. Wedged between concrete high-rises, this flagship garden produces a variety of food crops using Cuban-inspired methods of urban agriculture, while offering educational workshops for both adults and children. The Bolívar 1 project is affiliated with the Urban Agriculture Ministry – a stone’s throw away from the garden – and falls under the purview of the Venezuelan Corporation of Urban and Periurban Agriculture [CVAUP]. In this interview, we talk to Glenda Vivas, the project coordinator, about the history of this project, how it responds to the blockade-induced crisis, and about the worldwide need to shift to organic agriculture.

The Bolívar 1 Organoponic Garden was founded by Comandante Hugo Chávez Frías on March 31, 2003. It was conceived as a prototype – a seedbed, if you will – for urban agriculture in Venezuela. With this garden, Chávez aimed to demonstrate that many of our vacant urban plots could yield useful food crops and satisfy the needs of the people.

Located between two of Caracas’s primary thoroughfares, the Bolívar 1 Garden currently provides a variety of healthy foodstuffs to urban dwellers and serves as an educational center for the community.

Over time, Bolívar 1 has also evolved into a hub for various urban food production initiatives, including vertical chicken coops, rabbit breeding enclosures, and hydroponic gardens. In short, the Bolívar 1 Garden is an initiative that aims to promote food sovereignty, which is particularly important for a country under siege.

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