Farmer Rosa Gaibor

Rosa Gaibor was born in 1974 and raised near Guaranda, Ecuador in the Bolivar Province. Rosa comes from an agrarian family and like the rest of the small family farmers in the province, grew up with little commodities. She and her siblings were expected to help their parents in the duties around the farm from a very young age. Rosa did not enjoy the farm work when she was a child, because she had ambitions to do more through education. Rosa really enjoyed school growing up, and had ambitions to even become a doctor and continue her studies. However, because of the lack of a secondary school in her area that wouldn’t require a long commute, her family’s need of help at the farm, and her family’s tough financial situation, Rosa could not continue her education and pursue her dream. However, as time passed, Rosa grew to love the work at the farm, learning about the natural world around them. While she was growing up, Rosa remembers the Ecuadorian government offering scholarship programs for college for youth around the country. However, due to her own life barriers and a halt of some educational support programs as the country also faced turbulent times, the dreams of Rosa and other youth to pursue higher education without leaving a heavy financial burden to their families disappeared.

Despite the adversities that prevented Rosa pursuing the professional path she wanted, she loved agriculture: it was the work her parents and grandparents and those before them did, and passed their lands down to her.

Despite the hardships she faced as a single mother, Rosa raised her two children well and like her when she was younger, they helped her out in the farm. Rosa continues to work hard in her farm despite the unexpected challenges that a changing climate brings every season. Her daughter Daniela got a college degree, and works in the nearby city of Guaranda. Daniela welcomed a baby daughter in 2024, and Rosa is now a grandmother, giving her newfound hope to keep working and building a better world for generations to come.

Growing FAMILY

In August of 2024, Rosa welcomed her first grandchild, Mayte, born to her daughter Daniela. It was difficult for Rosa to watch her daughter go through the physical pains and discomforts of pregnancy, and supported her wherever and whenever she could. On the delivery day, Rosa was able to be in the delivery room to provide moral support to her daughter. It was an honor for Rosa to have witnessed her granddaughter’s first moments of life. Although Daniela now lives with her partner and his family, Daniela visits her mother. as often as she can, and Rosa is so grateful for her growing family and is hopeful for a better future for her children and now, grandchild.

nEW HOPE: Shifting to AVOCADOS

The Bolivar province of Ecuador heavily relies on maize as its main crop because the crop has grown well in the region for centuries, able to withstand the sometimes harsh environments of the Andes. In the maize harvest of 2023, Rosa experienced the worst crop loss of her life as most of the maize she grew rotted in record rate before it was all harvested. To make matters worse, the maize she was able to harvest was sold for meager price. With soil depletion, climate change, plagues, and other factors that have been making the crop less profitable each year, a lot of farmers like Rosa are considering switching over to new crops not previously heavily produced in the region. Rosa is increasing her avocado production as a solution to the labor to reward disparity that she has been experiencing with traditional crops. The past couple of years and in line with high avocado demand from countries like the U.S., Ecuador has been increasing its avocado exports, bringing much needed income to farmers who are looking for more profitable crops. Rosa hopes that dedicating more resources to this crop can pay off long term, and plans to keep producing avocados.