Author: Ana González

The host site for this project was the Fundación Cauce Ciudadano A.C., which operates a demonstrative and experiential space called Ciudad Retoño. This space was formerly a liquor production plant and is now a community center where they carry out community actions that have impacted around 20,000 people since 2017, primarily children, youth, and women.

Ciudad Retoño is located in the municipality of La Paz, in the State of Mexico, one of the municipalities with the lowest social development indicators and high levels of violence and insecurity, which pose risks to the people in the community. Although the municipality spans 26.71 km², it only has 22 green areas, of which 9 are in optimal condition, while the rest are in fair to critical condition. None of these areas are conducive to biodiversity conservation.

While there are many issues, the challenges of urbanization, biodiversity loss, and environmental degradation were the focus of this challenge, sparking an integral solution that combines technology, awareness about pollinator preservation, and community participation. It is worth mentioning that Ciudad Retoño already has an urban beekeeping project called “NEKTLI,” which was the starting point for the proposed solution. This solution was strengthened by the diverse perspectives and talents of the international team in collaboration with the community.

Our project, “Sprouting Life, Pollinating the East,” is an integral proposal and a business model that will allow the foundation to continue developing actions around environmental education and the community’s holistic development. On one hand, it highlights the importance of biodiversity conservation and reducing the negative impact of excessive cement use in urban areas. On the other hand, it promotes the sustainability of community actions through the adoption of gardens and beehives, where donations from various actors, such as educational institutions, organizations, companies, and families, support the foundation’s efforts to continue transforming a degraded urban environment into a more sustainable and resilient space.

We developed a prototype of a pollinator garden and a smart beehive using sensor technology and LoRaWAN networks. This proposed monitoring solution brings multiple benefits: data collection to keep the gardens and beehives in optimal condition, increased food production for pollinators, higher honey production, greater community impact, and more environmental education and awareness. It is worth noting that we have already started a pilot and consolidation process for the project that will allow us to test the business model.

In conclusion, the “Sprouting Life, Pollinating the East” project represents a significant step forward in seeking sustainable solutions to the environmental challenges cities face. By combining technology with active community participation, this initiative aims to demonstrate that it is possible to transform degraded urban spaces into thriving and resilient ecosystems.