Fungi Lab

The project process, guided by Design Thinking, delved into the social, cultural, and economic context of Simijaca’s rural community in the “El Pantano” area, Cundinamarca. Simultaneously, an environmental assessment identified key factors:

– Autonomy in practices and solutions.
– Expertise in land and crop care.
– Peak times of agricultural waste production.
– Management practices for invasive forages.
– Existing infrastructures.
– Soils with high acidity levels.
– Low microbial diversity.
– Ecosystem disturbance due to grazing pastures.

Tools and strategies employed for co-creation:

1. Educational Workshops: These sessions enlighten the community about microorganisms’ role in climate resilience, fostering participation and knowledge exchange.

2. Creation of a Game: Developed as a tool to comprehend the power of microorganisms in climate resilience and adaptation.

3. Microorganism Cultivation Kits: Distributing kits establishes a connection between people and microorganisms, facilitating hands-on experience.

4. Biofertilizer Production: A community-driven bio-factory was established, producing, and testing biofertilizers with locally cultivated fungi. This initiative enhances soil health and promotes sustainable agriculture practices. Additionally, a brand was created for production and local commercialization.

5. Technology Integration: Actually, Fungi Lab is working to democratizes technology through workshops and affordable devices, ensuring technology access to monitor and optimize the bio-factory processes for efficient biofertilizer production.

Overview of the issue and your approach: The overarching issue revolves around climate change-induced challenges, including natural disasters and environmental instability. Fungi Lab takes a unique approach by harnessing the power of microorganisms, specifically fungi, to address these challenges. By cultivating beneficial fungi, we aim to bolster resilience in agriculture, promote sustainable land management, and contribute to climate change adaptation. Our approach seamlessly integrates traditional practices with biofertilizers made in situ, an outcome of a co-creation process with the community. Guided by their unique context and needs, the community actively shaped the solution using the scientific knowledge we provided. This collaborative effort aims to achieve environmental equilibrium, ensure economic stability, and empower the community by combining local wisdom with cutting-edge solutions for sustainable agriculture.
The stakeholders in your project: Stakeholders in Fungi Lab include:

Local Community: Engaged in microorganism cultivation, biofertilizer production, and knowledge exchange.
Scientists and Researchers: Involved in developing and optimizing the technology for biofertilizer production.
Local Educational Institutions: Collaborating to conduct workshops and spread awareness.
Environmental Organizations: Supporting the project's alignment with climate action goals.
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