The University of Georgia Costa Rica 2014-2015 Sustainability Report UGA Costa Rica 2014 - 2015 Sustainability Report | Page 24

Sustainable Agriculture

30%

30 percent of the UGA Costa Rica
campus is used as agriculture and
pasture land.

GOAL: By 2015, increase
on-site food production to 33
percent and increase on-site
and locally-purchased to 50
percent between January –
July and 67 percent between
August – December.
There is no single consensus on
what defines food as “local”, with
accepted distances ranging up
to 400 miles in the USA. In this
report, we define local as within
the Monteverde region, which
includes the San Luis Valley and
the nearby town of Santa Elena.
The time frame of data analyzed is
between May 2013 and April 2015.
UGA Costa Rica has been unable
to meet its on-site production
goals. Limitations and potential
strategies for increasing
production are presented in this
section. However, the campus
has done an admirable job of
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University of Georgia Costa Rica

purchasing as much locally as
possible, with the campus far
surpassing its established goals of
combined on-site farm production
and locally purchased food. The
campus purchasing policies are
also presented in this section.

Between the rugged landscape
and high winds, agriculture is no
simple task in this region. The
campus has developed a number
of strategies to combat these
issues and maintain agricultural
production and high crop yields.
The campus has adapted to the
landscape by employing terrace
farming, promoting more efficient
land use and reducing soil
erosion. Taller plants are used
as windbreaks, placed on the
outside of plots to protect smaller
plants on the inside. Seedlings
are first grown in flats to have a
better chance of survival when
exposed to wind.

the campus has done an
admirable job of local
purchasing as much as
possible.
Rather than using chemicals,
the diversity of crops grown
creates a natural check and
balance system among pests.
Specifically, aromatic herbs such
as lemongrass, lavender, and
cilantro deter insects; marigolds
deter aphids and nematodes;
and various types of plants in the
genus zinnia attract pollinators. As
opposed to a monocrop farming
system, the organic farm at UGACR
is less susceptible to disease
and pest outbreaks, which have
the potential to wipe out entire
harvests. A diversity of crops also
helps protect soil quality and
nutrient regeneration, vital to
maintaining high production.