(CNN) – From farm to table and from field to plate, Rodrigo Pacheco wants food to be more sustainable.
For nine years, Pacheco has been growing and serving sustainable food in Bocavaldivia, his restaurant and creative permaculture project in Puerto Cayo, off the coast of Ecuador.
Here he has been planting native food species among the indigenous plants to create what he calls an “edible forest.” The result is a lush and biodiverse environment where previously there was a barren land. Now he hopes to cultivate the largest edible forest on the planet.
For Pacheco, food sustainability means both reducing harmful agricultural practices and reversing the impact already being felt. In the last year it has been goodwill ambassador of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) for the International Year of Fruits and Vegetables.
Via Call to earth, CNN is reporting on the environmental challenges our planet faces, and how to understand the solutions. Pacheco will be the Call to Earth Guest Editor, as the series explores topics related to food production and agriculture, contributing their experience and commissioning articles on the subject.
CNN spoke with Pacheco about his love for plants and the strong ties between culinary, culture, and climate.
This interview has been edited for clarity and brevity.
Pacheco says he draws on local and indigenous knowledge to create a means of food production that benefits the planet.
CNN: Your approach to cooking is very focused on sustainability. You call it “regenerative gastronomy”, what does this mean to you?
Rodrigo Pacheco: Regenerative gastronomy is a type of gastronomy that aims to transform, reconnect landscapes and people. It is about knowing the cycle of life, of the planet, of the plant.
Climate change is here, and this is a form of gastronomy that tries to contain it. Gastronomy plays a great role in the good health of ecosystems.
CNN: What is an edible forest and how are they key in your work?
Rodrigo Pacheco: All the elements that work in a normal forest, we try to replicate them in an edible forest. They are indigenous species, we are not creating artificial ecosystems. We are just gathering all the edible species and putting them together in one place.
When we got here it was a totally flat and empty ecosystem and … nine years later it became a forest. We are growing mainly species of Ecuadorian origin, such as purple potatoes, corn, cocoa, papaya, peppers, pineapple, avocado, chili peppers, squash.
We are here trying to do the best we can with what we have. We are using the land wisely, adapting to what already exists, but making sure to leave the place much better than we found.
CNN: Why is it important to harness indigenous practices to improve sustainability in food production and what can we learn from ancient food traditions?
Rodrigo Pacheco: I learned in the Amazon that they use a part of papaya to make straws. The papaya branch is totally empty inside, so they use a huge straw to drink the chicha [una bebida fermentada de yuca].
When I found out about that, we transformed our restaurant counter with those straws and we’ve served over 40,000 of those straws in the past nine years, when we totally banned plastic straws, so much of that inspiration comes from them.
Using agriculture to replace the plastic elements used in the hospitality industry, I think it’s incredible. And we are learning it from these ancient cultures.

Pacheco grows edible plants within the natural ecosystem.
CNN: What are the critical issues facing agriculture right now?
Rodrigo Pacheco: If we all close our eyes and X-ray our refrigerators, no matter where in the world we are, we will find the same products. There are 1,000 types of edible plants in the world and we are using 20 of them. So we have to rethink this model, we have to rethink and change our habits, and try to discover all these beautiful plants that have a lot to say.
One third of the planet is being affected by desertification. We are losing biodiversity, we focus on these 20 types of crops … I want to give my children the opportunity to make a difference on this planet.
My mission as a special FAO Goodwill Ambassador comes from years of work, being out here, being in contact with nature.
I have followed the cycle of life, of plants, of being passionate about research, and also about the next step: cooking. Cooking is a continuation of agriculture, and agriculture is a bridge to connect humans with nature.
CNN: Is it possible to make food production work for the planet and not against it?
Rodrigo Pacheco: I am very hopeful because I see how resilient nature can be.
We have to see trees and plants as the highest technology. They work for us to create a better environment, a richer environment in food. So plants are our allies.
The more plants, the more resistant we are to the climate, the more resources we have, the more carbon we sequester, the more food we can obtain.
So plants are definitely a solution for humans.
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