Last Thursday, January 18th was the Latin American premiere of the documentary Common Ground. We were fortunate that Culiacan was the venue for this event, being the Botanical Garden where dozens of growers, technicians, businessmen, authorities, researchers, and friends gathered to enjoy, and above all to raise awareness with this documentary. It is worth mentioning that it was organized by the Culiacan River Farmers Association, AGRODER, and CAADES, represented by Veggies from Mexico.

This documentary is the sequel to another one that can be found on Netflix: Kiss the Ground and is directed by Josh and Rebecca Tickell. Both documentaries seek to raise awareness in North America and the world of the benefits of regenerative agriculture, and mainly, how with good use of soils we can even influence and stop climate change.

To communicate this the documentary Common Ground had the support of renowned actors and actresses who bet on the project among which we can highlight Jason Momoa (Aquaman), Woody Harrelson (The Hunger Games), and Laura Dem (Jurassic Park), among others. We must also mention the participation of farmers sharing their experiences both in the United States and Mexico.

We do not doubt that the trend in agriculture is towards sustainability, the use of biological products, and integrated pest management, among other strategies that will allow us to continue evolving in our sector. We are aware that this is a slow process and that we cannot put food production at risk by doing this from one day to the next. But the fuse has been lit.

It is important to mention that this premiere was embellished with a keynote speech by researcher Martha Zarain on the topic “The Future of Our Earth”. She explained the importance of the presence and care of microorganisms in the soil to make it productive and keep it that way.

A panel of experts entitled “The Challenges of Sustainable Agriculture” was also held, where the participants concluded that the trend towards sustainability has no turning back, but will require the participation of the private, public, and academic sectors to achieve its expected objectives. The event was also attended by various authorities such as the Secretary of Agriculture, Mr. Jaime Montes Salas; the president of the AARC, Mr. Enrique Riveros, and the general director of AGRODER, Mr. Ricardo Morales. Let’s hope that Culiacan continues to host such important events, which continue to position us as a national food leader.

By: Georgius Gotsis Fontes – Veggies From Mexico / Eleven Rivers Growers CEO