The Municipality of San Lorenzo and Boys & Girls Clubs of Puerto Rico have signed a collaborative agreement to introduce children and young people to agriculture through hands-on educational experiences aimed at fostering environmental awareness, community engagement and appreciation for Puerto Rico’s farming sector. Mayor Jaime Alverio Ramos announced the initiative will be coordinated through the municipality’s Office of Agriculture, led by Maritza Ortiz.
"When we teach a child how to plant, we are not only showing them how to cultivate the land, but also how to cultivate values, responsibility, and appreciation for our own resources,"
The program will serve students from kindergarten through 12th grade, as well as their families, with agricultural workshops, field activities and educational projects focused on farming, natural resource conservation and sustainable community development. Officials said participants will get direct experiences with nature while developing values such as responsibility, teamwork, environmental stewardship and civic engagement. "When we teach a child how to plant, we are not only showing them how to cultivate the land, but also how to cultivate values, responsibility, and appreciation for our own resources," Alverio Ramos said in a statement.
Ortiz said the program seeks to strengthen connections between youth, families and the agricultural sector while raising awareness of agriculture’s role in food security. The collaboration is also designed to encourage young people to view agriculture as a viable educational, professional and personal development pathway, and Alverio Ramos said the municipality will continue developing partnerships that support generational renewal in farming.