Sustainable Farming & Urban Agriculture
Coordinator | Monique
Coordinator | Monique
Book with Flex Option!
Choose new departure dates or change to a different volunteer program at no extra costs.
Highlights
Learn local techniques for sustainable tropical agriculture.
Help to create food sovereignty on Isla Isabela.
Increase the nutritional content of the food available in Isabela.
Gain Spanish fluency by living with a host family and sharing daily life with locals.
Volunteers will learn local techniques for sustainable tropical agriculture and will help the town of Isabela maintain their greenhouses.
This volunteer program is especially suitable for:
Age 18+
Singles
Couples
Families
Groups
50+
Role Overview
The farms of Isabela Island are starting work in greenhouses to optimize production year-round in a sustainable and environmentally-friendly manner. The highland town of Tomás de Berlanga is about 10 miles uphill from the coastal part of town, where IOI headquarters (your accommodations, social life, and the beach) are located. Located on the side of Volcano Sierra Negra, the highlands are fertile, lush lands with rich volcanic soil - perfect for agriculture!
Volunteers will learn local techniques for sustainable tropical agriculture and will help to create food sovereignty, lower the carbon footprint of island life, lower waste from shipping materials, lowers cost to local consumers, increase local income, and increase the nutritional content of the food available in Isabela.
Requirements:
- Basic level of Spanish.
- Ability to work independently as well as in a team.
- Flexible schedule that accounts for the day to day needs of working with a local institution.
- Physical ability to work outdoors with potentially high sun, element, and temperature exposure.
- Volunteers will be provided with materials they need.
Accommodations
Accommodation is provided by one of our carefully selected host families or in our volunteer housing. In both types of housing, volunteers have their own room, a fan, bed, desk, dresser, and bathroom, as well as warm water and drinking water. In our volunteer housing, breakfast is not included, but you have access to our fully equipped kitchen facilities to cover your needs. Lunch and dinner is provided at your choice of various restaurants in town, which are usually open-air seating with local cuisine. You simply sign for your meal and we’ll pick up the bill at the end of the month.
Our host families have experience with outside culture and international living and provide an amazing immersion experience. All host family houses are nearby the IOI offices and the local schools in the beach town of Puerto Villamil. Homes are fairly simple, clean, and welcoming. You will have breakfast and dinner with your family. Lunch is at the above mentioned restaurants.
We at IOI pair you with your host family and we are available at any time to help if any issues arise with the restaurants, your host family, the volunteer site, if you get sick and need to visit the doctor, etc.
Participation Fee
The program fee is necessary to cover your cost of living and logistics. Our overhead is covered by other means so 100% of any funds that exceed your direct cost will go towards the project you participated in.
To book you need to pay a Reservation Deposit.
That deposit WILL BE DEDUCTED from your program fee.
What’s Included
Cost includes food, full room and board, permits, Transient visa, local coordination and training at respective facility, local transport, full access to our facilities, etc.—everything minus personal expenses, travel insurance, and your airfare to Galápagos.
**To safeguard yourself, our host local communities, staff, and other participants, IOI requires all participants to show proof of having received a full dose COVID vaccination.**
Please contact us for more info.
Typical day
Schedule
Our schedules are based on 30 hrs/week. It is about a 30-minute bus ride up to the highlands at 7:00am and the bus leaves the highlands at 2:30pm.
After you arrive back to Isabela at 3:00pm you will have the rest of the day to explore, adventure, or rest on the beach. You can enjoy food at one of the local restaurants or spend the afternoon playing volleyball, hanging out with your host family (if you choose) or watching the sunset from the beach.
Free-time activities
There is a lot to do in your free time! You can definitely look up tours in Isabela - there are many snorkel tours, scuba, hiking in the volcano, etc. There are also free things to do like snorkeling at the concha de perla, walking to the muro de lagrimas, various wetlands trails, etc. It is easy and inexpensive to rent bikes and surfboards. You will quickly and easily make friends here - it is a very community-driven place so people spend a lot of time with others and there is always fun stuff to do. We also have other short volunteer opportunities like environmental education days, helping clear invasive species with the National Park, and more that happen frequently but are just one day/one afternoon activities that we love to have extra help with.
Water Sports
Swimming
Diving/
Snorkling
Snorkling
Climbing
Safari/
Zoo
Zoo
Hiking
Sports
Riding
Yoga/
Meditation
Meditation
Requirements
In order to join the program you need to be at least 18 years old on the program start date. There might be exemptions if you can provide the permission of your legal guardian(s) or if your are accompanied by your parents.
You need to speak English (intermediate level)
or Spanish (basic level)
No restrictions. Helping hands from all over the world are welcome.
- Basic to intermediate level of Spanish in order to communicate with fellow workers
- Genuine passion for the outdoors and conservation of nature
- Physical ability to work construction and gardening type jobs outdoors with potential allergens, sun and temperature exposure
- Ability to work independently as well as in a team
- Basic knowledge of non-motorized tools and their safe usage
- Genuine passion for the outdoors and conservation of nature
- Physical ability to work construction and gardening type jobs outdoors with potential allergens, sun and temperature exposure
- Ability to work independently as well as in a team
- Basic knowledge of non-motorized tools and their safe usage
Your helping hand will be required on
Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday
from
07:00
- 15:30
What's Included
Cost includes food, full room and board, permits, Transient visa, local coordination and training at respective facility, local transport, full access to our facilities, etc. — everything with the exception of personal expenses, travel insurance, and your airfare to the Galápagos.
The program fee is necessary to cover your cost of living and logistics. Our overhead is covered by other means so 100% of any funds that exceed your direct cost will go towards the project you participated in.
Accommodation is provided by one of our carefully selected host families or in our volunteer housing.
In our volunteer housing, breakfast is not included, but you have access to our fully equipped kitchen facilities to cover your needs. Lunch and dinner is provided at your choice of various restaurants in town. You simply sign for your meal and we’ll pick up the bill at the end of the month.
Our host families have experience with outside culture and international living and provide an amazing immersion experience. You will have breakfast and dinner with your family. Lunch is at the above mentioned restaurants.
Good access at the project site
Visa, flights, travel insurance or vaccinations are NOT included in the program fees.
An airport pickup isn't included within the program fees either.
The nearest airport is Baltra Airport (GPS) in Galapagos Islands. We assist you to find cheap flights to Ecuador.
Going abroad is an adventure and it is always best to be prepared. Sudden illness or injury, cancellation or theft - a travel insurance for Ecuador provides security and is a plus to have.
If you are intending to volunteer in Ecuador you should seek medical advice before starting your social journey. Check your required vaccinations for Ecuador.
Dates & Fees
NO CREDIT CARD FEES
Details on arrival
Arrivals are on Mondays and departures are on Saturdays or Sundays. Project staff will pick you up and drop you off on these days. Please ensure this works with your travel plans.
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
2 - 12 weeks
Program fees
2 weeks
(min. stay)
$1,700
3 weeks
$2,200
4 weeks
$2,700
5 weeks
$3,200
6 weeks
$3,700
7 weeks
$4,200
12 weeks
(max. stay)
$6,700
Average fees
$704
/week
Please note that the above shown program fees are estimated.
IOI - Empowering Galapagos
will let you know about the final price during your application process.
The deposit is simply to reserve your volunteer placement. Payments are handled by PayPal, our trusted global payment provider. If you don't have a PayPal account, you can also pay using a credit card.
Your final payment will be agreed with IOI - Empowering Galapagos during the application process. Common solutions are either via bank transfer or a cash payment at the project site.
Why book with Volunteer World
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application process
- including all necessary payments. Planning your next meaningful trip with Volunteer World gives you free access to our:
Quality Assurance
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Change your reservation at no extra costs
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Our services are free of charge!
All program fees are charged directly by IOI - Empowering Galapagos.
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Sustainable Farming & Urban Agriculture
Volunteers will learn local techniques for sustainable tropical agriculture and will help the town of Isabela maintain their greenhouses.
$704/week
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