At Maya Mountain Research Farm, we view biodiversity as the foundation of food security. As both a research and training center, MMRF demonstrates how ecological diversity ensures long-term stability, productivity, and resilience. Most of the food we eat is produced right on the land, and since 2004, our surplus harvests have supported the elderly feeding program in Punta Gorda Town—providing fresh, nutritious meals through our partnership with Helping Older People Equally and the help of MMRF interns.

Food security means everyone has reliable access to safe, nutritious food. In our systems, that security begins with diversity. A farm rich in species diversity is more stable and waste-free—every byproduct becomes a resource for another cycle. This interconnectedness creates resilience against pests, weather extremes, and market fluctuations, ensuring both ecological and economic balance.

Diverse farms also provide better nutrition. When multiple crops and varieties grow together, they supply a wider range of nutrients and calories than a single-crop system. Polycultures require less external energy but greater ecological understanding, mirroring the complexity of natural ecosystems. By designing with nature rather than against it, we build systems that sustain both people and the planet.

Species diversity also protects livelihoods. If one crop fails or prices fall, others still provide food or income. Within our agroforestry systems, valuable species like cacao, vanilla, and mahogany offer both ecological benefits and long-term security.

The ripple effects of a diverse ecosystem extend beyond our farm. Polycultures help sequester carbon, support pollinators, create wildlife habitats, and preserve soil and water resources across the watershed. They also serve as living seed banks for indigenous species.

Globally, agriculture is losing its biological and cultural diversity. As industrial systems replace traditional ones, communities become dependent on imported inputs and lose local knowledge. MMRF works to reverse this trend by teaching and demonstrating food production methods that are sustainable, locally adapted, and culturally rooted—ensuring that future generations inherit both fertile land and the wisdom to care for it.

Some of the food production models we practice include agroforestry and rotational animal husbandry, and some of the valuable marketable crops we have include cacao and vanilla.