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ACÁ
Training Programs
Asociacion Comunitaria de Autosuficiencia A.C.
ACÁ's Jaltepec Farm models
A variety of horticultural examples of integrated plant poultry and pest management systems, for organic food production systems. The inspirational farm and gardens boast operational models such as...
- Results of composting, mulching and other soil enrichment models such as no till farming and utilizing green crops to rebuild the soil.
- Utilizing herbs, companion planting and inter-cropping as part of a integrated pest management system, and propagation of a complete selection of culinary, repellent, beneficial and medicinal drought resistant varieties. Encouraging households to produce herbs in containers, as a means of supplementing income.
- Corral & small animal project, integrating animals both as a source of protein for a new emerging market and a model of an efficient system for restoring the damaged soils using poultry stock as insect control and integrating waste management utilizing the gray water as a fertilizer for the gardens.
- Year round organic garden model of intensive planting. Over 40 varieties of vegetables, small fruit on compost enriched raised beds, and models of inter-cropping to increase yields without the use of dangerous pesticides and fertilizers.
- A comprehensive system of conserving water for the field, plant nursery, green house and seeding houses.
ACÁ focus on community development
ACÁ facilitates an awareness of human and eco-system health through the creation of community based, safe, agro-opportunities for women and families. ACÁ promotes preservation of farmland, rural resource management, farmer technical resources and local gardener enrichment programs that make sound ecological sense. Our grassroots approach has rippled into an established base in Jalisco, putting ACÁ in a unique position, where our students are now the teachers, enrolling more communities to seek community based solutions to address the current ecological concerns specific to each region and community.
Growth of student base & gardens
Four organic gardens have been established locally as a result of ACÁ training and two have bee established internationally. ACÁ growth rate statistics for 1997 to 2002 clearly show the increasing local demand for tours, courses and outreach for safe agriculture education and non toxic produce. ACÁ's growth of 213 students from communities including; Chapala, Jocotepec, El Chante, and other lakeside communities, groups and schools in Guadalajara.
We are now experiencing the growing pains of the amazing ripple effect of ACÁ's grassroots training.
International Eco-Tourism
Last year the gardens hosted 1200 international visitors, an amazing 186% jump in one year.
Student Intern Program
Since its inception in 1997, ACÁ has created a grassroots ripple effect, developing an extensive network of schools, service groups and businesses to promote local action on environmental strategies. The learning environment at the Eco Training Center is a key component of this effective network. ACÁ’s training programs are so successful because they provide interns with the tools to help others, the opportunity to be decision makers that actually address regional issues. The community-wide cooperative exchange of ideas creates the necessary awareness for change, while increasing the demand for further training. To accommodate this demand, ACÁ is networking locally and internationally.
We offer and demonstrate the following to our interns...
- Regionally applicable models to farmers.
- Inspirational and experimental school gardens that aid domestic studies, science and biology curricula, benefit lunch programs, and create family-based after-school activities that draw community participation.
- Skills that benefit the participants and communities in a lifelong way.
- An opportunity for families and communities to benefit from more nutritious produce and foods.
- Personal benefits of increased self esteem and the pride that results from contributing significantly to the community.
- A personal share of the produce.
- Increased awareness of toxic dangers created by inorganic farming
- Field to kitchen training: we show every step between planting a seed and eating an organically grown meal.
- Compensation and scholarship opportunities for families with limited financial means.
- A commitment to the needy: we provide food to local facilities which serve the low income seniors and children. Many of our projects would serve as landmark examples of addressing the food-based challenges faced around the world.
ACÁ-related employment opportunities:
Marketing Support -Participants can join the two established co-operatives, as the Eco Center does. These co-ops focus on small home based ventures, but any of the ACÁ conservation models can be adapted to a home setting. These established models are...
- Vermiculture in the back-yard
- Herbal oil co-op of the Tala Women’s Project
- Weekly Organic Markets
- Organic circle of growers and producers - Guadalajara
- La Raza organic market - Guadalajara
- ACÁ Eco Center Co-op Store - Jaltepec
From Around the World
ACÁ students have come from the United States, Canada, Belgium, Mexico and Poland. They leave us inspired from the excellent hands-on educational experience and also from the multi-cultural environment in which they live and learn. Since 1997 ACÁ has provided this practical learning experience to students from around the world. The knowledge and experience gained here is now being applied worldwide. Many interns have already gone on as trainers to other environmental and agriculture programs. Inspired to support and develop “stand-alone" environment projects elsewhere, they are integrating what they’ve learned and applying it in whatever career field they choose to pursue. The value is best described by a former intern:
“In the process of working with these women, I connected with them as human beings and got a glimpse into their world. Having this opportunity revealed so much about what obstacles stand in the way of Mexico’s development. One of these is the deeply-rooted gender roles that exist there. The farm, which employs only women, is one of the few progressive places I saw”. By Connie Kuo. (Northwestern University, March 2004)
Learn more, experience more culture with an ACÁ internship
- In-Field Study of integrated pest and plant management systems.
- Water Conservation.
- Hands-On In field Experience.
- Beautiful, safe environment cultural activities.
- n-field study of eco-safe agronomy.
- Hands-on community service experience.
- Multi-cultural experience and Spanish language immersion.
- Beautiful, safe environment.
Room and Board…And Never be Bored!
One small fee provides everything needed, food, lodging and an unbeatable practical eco experiential education.
Interns, volunteers and visitors can all enjoy this safe, beautiful and tranquil location high in the mountains and on the shoreline of a lake Chapala.
Short term visits
Visits for one week to a month are $400 per month.
The ACÁ internship program
Fees are for room & board, which is $800 pesos a week ($80 U.S Dollars) which includes, 1-2 home cooked meal a day, laundry facilities, computer access, private bedroom, shared living room & kitchen. There are individual living quarters and one for larger groups. ACÁ has an extra curricular intern activity coordinator who can take you on day trips around the area on your scheduled weekends off. (Fees vary: See Patsqcuaro, Tequila, hot thermal pools, thieves market, mariachi lane in Guadalajara and zillions of other interesting areas.)
After interns complete the introductory package they may be invited to be placed in an outreach posting for an additional 6 months to a year.
ACÁ Training & Outreach
- Student Subsidy Fund development.
- San Juan Cosala “Eco Club Pipil” development of community based edible schoolyard model.
- Organic marketing locally, consumer information & Farmers Market support.
- Product development, merchandising at Gg's Country Co-op store.
Occasionally partial subsidies are available to assist local and international financially challenged students.
If you still see yourself fitting in and being effective in these areas then we encourage you to contact us and apply. In spite of all the work we believe ACÁ International Internship program is a safe, supervised and sensational educational cultural experience. Imagine the multi-cultural experience of living, working and learning in this beautiful mountain paradise of Central Mexico.
Short-term funding and revenue-generating eco models
ACÁ is continually improving on-site models and most especially those which are revenue generating. Serving two purposes; first as an impressive teaching tool, and second as revenue generating function to cover operating expenses at the Jaltepec farm. It is these same operational farm models that inspire people and communities. The farm models provide the means to experience and see solutions to the area's natural resource problems and promote sustainable use of those natural resources at the local level. Our grassroots work with people in the communities help them to make choices for their community - whether they work on land conservation, water management, environmental enhancement, community development or something unique to their particular area. In every case, local people, groups schools and communities are the decision makers.
Each on-site farm model creates operational revenue by increasing efficiency and production levels. Each year ACÁ becoming more self sufficient and less reliant on external sources of capital.
Revenue-generating functions include:
All grant funding and proceeds from Ggs’ Country Store Co-op, the plant nursery, and farm fund raisers at the organic gardens fund ACÁ’s programs that are designed to teach and inspire a deeper grasp of safe alternatives for students, farmers, volunteers or consumers.
ACÁ has initiated a donor investment campaign to handle the immediate need for short term cash flow to operate the farm training center. Creating farm revenues ensure sustainability of the farm operation supplementing both ACÁ training function as well as rising cost of farm operations. However as a experimental training site, student mishaps become valuable learning tools This being true ACÁ’s ability to fund itself entirely by production is unrealistic and further complicated by environmental risks such as weather, water and pests which all play a role in the final harvest. this training environment often limits our ability to guarantee crops or bank on them. Thus the need for outside funding on both a short and long term basis to expand the scope of ACÁ’s operations a necessity for the association to achieve long range sustainability.
Community Outreach & Enrichment
hese programs utilize co-operative marketing activities for ACÁ and the Circulo of organic growers; six grower support conferences yearly and on-going support for ACÁ student/community garden enterprises.
Naturally a multiplier effect has occurred on many levels, locally and throughout Jalisco, and the need for organic agro-education internationally has grown.
To help illustrate this growth ACÁ has, with the help of Tony Burton, designed a web map of eco-growers highlighting regional pockets of organic sites and educational, networking and marketing activities of the participating farmers, organic producers, Circulo of growers, and independent community student gardens. The map can be seen here .
Jaltepec Models Onsite Development Plan
Donor funds are needed to fund farm improvements, restorations, develop more efficient systems and to complete the plans for the coral, the small animal poultry project and the renovation of the produce processing area.
Outreach, community development support, Co-operative support, and collective research are funded by corporate contributions and foundation grant funding, and progress of these projects depends entirely on funding.
Grant funds are solicited yearlong for on-going development of sustainable farm models and programs to mobilize communities to address serious ecological problems at a grassroots level. Community based solutions empower people, enrich communities, create safe employment, and inspire the development of micro economies - growing solutions from the inside out.
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