CALI, Colombia — Sowing Life, a new documentary produced by FUNDAEC, offers a compelling glimpse into how local communities can apply scientific knowledge alongside spiritual insights to address environmental degradation and food insecurity.
The film explores FUNDAEC’s “Transforming the Environment” project which is rooted in the organization’s Preparation for Social Action (PSA) program. The project has mobilized more than 1,500 participants across 170 communities, planting over 22,500 trees since mid-2022 and partnering with 45 other organizations, including educational and government institutions.
Unlike conventional large-scale planting efforts, the initiative emphasizes long-term stewardship of nature. Participants are encouraged to make a personal commitment to nurture each tree over the years, seeing the project as more than just a planting exercise.
Leslie Stewart, a special centers director at FUNDAEC, described the approach as cultivating “a deeper, spiritual, and more sustainable connection with the land.”
The project emerges from a recognition that the country faces climate vulnerability. According to Colombia’s Third National Communication on Climate Change, all regions face climate risks which affect food security. By integrating fruit and nut trees into gardens, the project addresses degradation of ecosystems while diversifying local food sources.
Roberto Nahuel, project coordinator, observed: “In many regions of Colombia—and around the world—we are witnessing a loss of agricultural vocation, a decline in the value placed on planting.”
Mr. Nahuel added: “This project has inspired many individuals and families to reconnect with the land, to rediscover the joy of planting, of creating a garden once again.”
Sowing Life shows the power of the project’s approach. In Córdoba and Sucre, the project has established nurseries that are now managed by families, with each nursery producing some 1,500 trees each annually.
Many communities are responding by planting diverse tree species—fruit and nut trees for nutrition, native varieties for biodiversity preservation, and culturally significant trees that are being restored after decades of monoculture dominance.
A digital platform tracks each tree’s growth, enabling evidence-based decision-making while applying scientific knowledge about soil regeneration and organic fertilizers.
Mr. Nahuel explained that principles such as service to society, the oneness of humanity, the inherent nobility of every person, and the concept of material and spiritual development form part of the conceptual framework shared among participants.
“These principles illuminate participants’ efforts and are put into practice as a way to help build a materially and spiritually prosperous society,” he said.
Beyond environmental benefits, the project has strengthened intergenerational relationships and fostered a culture of knowledge sharing. Communities have become empowered to shape their own development, which has strengthened a sense of collective purpose in neighborhoods and villages.
FUNDAEC (Fundación para la Aplicación y Enseñanza de la Ciencia)—a Bahá’í-inspired organization that is marking its 50th anniversary—was founded in Colombia in 1974 and has been dedicated to developing capacity in people to contribute to the well-being of their societies.
“Over the past 50 years, three generations of people’s lives have been touched by FUNDAEC’s programs,” said Bita Correa, executive director of the organization.
Dr. Correa added: “The true impact is cumulative and deeply interwoven, where one program reinforces another, creating a profound, exponential effect that is beautiful to witness, though challenging to fully capture.”
The film can be viewed below or on YouTube.
