UC Berkeley Nicaragua Winter Break 2016

Start Date: Dec 27, 2015 11:00 PM
End Date: Jan 7, 2016 11:00 PM

Community organic agriculture, nutrition, and clinical practice at Clinica Verde in Boaco, NIcaragua.

Clinica Verde Project Overview
The project is a collaborative effort by our organization, Global Student Embassy, and Clinica Verde to create organic agriculture, nutrition, and health programming in Boaco, Nicaragua. The programming will be carried out through the building and utilization of a demonstration farm. The farm was part of the original plan for the clinic, but they haven’t had the time (the clinic sees roughly 1,500 patients per month) nor resources to carry out their vision.
The building of the demonstration farm, on approximately 3/4 acres of open land behind the clinic, will serve as a platform, in conjunction with the clinic, to carry out the various goals of the project, including: (i) conduct hands-on workshops for individuals interest in a holistic approach to organic agriculture, nutrition and health; (ii) foster collaboration between all participants, both local and international; (iii) increase access to healthy foods; (iv) increase access to some of the materials needed to build a small-scale home garden; (v) conduct surveys to determine impact and monitor program implementation and effectiveness; (vi) host international educational programs to allow for cross-cultural collaboration; (vii) utilize the demonstration farm as a model for the future building of school gardens in and around Boaco.

The holistic approach taken by the GSE and CV collaboration looks into the interconnections between organic agriculture, nutrition and health. Students will have the opportunity to gain not only valuable clinical experience, but also to engage in cross-cultural collaboration on a farm while learning about bio-intensive, organic methods of food production. In addition, students will be able to work alongside doctors at the local hospital, a maternity ward and, possibly, a mobile rural health clinic. These varied clinical settings will provide insight into the many ways clinical care is carried out in one municipality in Nicaragua.