Magdalena Rodriguez

A Colombian farmer who pioneered sustainable agriculture practices in Latin America

Magdalena Rodriguez (1925–1994) was an unsung heroine of ecological conservation in Colombia, credited with transforming agricultural practices in the Andean region. Born in a coffee-growing family, she witnessed the devastating effects of soil erosion caused by monoculture farming. In 1958, she founded the Magdalena Sustainable Agriculture Collective, which introduced contour farming and agroforestry techniques to 800+ farmers. Her innovative 'terraced crop rotation' method increased crop yields by 30% while reducing deforestation. Rodriguez's 1967 manual was adopted by FAO programs across South America. Her advocacy led to the 1970 Colombian Agricultural Code reforms, which mandated sustainable practices. Though largely unrecognized in her lifetime, Rodriguez's work inspired the Greenpeace Colombia campaigns in the 1980s. The National Geographic featured her methods in a 2010 documentary highlighting her contributions to climate resilience.