Cultivation in the Ecuadorian Amazon
What is a chakra?
An Amazonian chakra is a forest garden tended by a family. In Ecuador, Kichwa communities grow food crops, fruit trees and other useful plants together, drawing on knowledge passed down through generations. Macambo grows in these diverse cultivation systems too.
A forest garden with many purposes.
In a chakra, plants with different roles grow together at different heights. Tall trees provide shade; cacao, fruit trees and low-growing food crops can grow beneath them. The plants a family grows also depend on its needs and location.
A chakra provides food for everyday life and produce to sell. It is also a place where cultivation knowledge is passed on. Women, often called chakramamas , play an important role in this. Find out more about life and cultivation in a chakra at GUYA.
With Sebastian
Tour a chakra with Sebastian.
Join Sebastian, volunteers and Kichwa farmers on a tour of a forest garden in Ecuador. The section on macambo begins at 09:27. Full tour: 17 min 49 sec
Jungle-Harvest is a GUYA brand. That is why you can find videos by founder Sebastian Freidank on the drinkGUYA channel. Discover GUYA and more treasures from the Amazon.
What does the Chakra Amazonia certificate mean?
The Chakra Amazonia certificate refers to the Sello Chakra Amazónica . It is part of a participatory guarantee system, known as SPG. The organisations involved assess how chakras are managed against shared principles. Producers take part in this system.
The nine principles include preserving Indigenous knowledge, agroecological management, diverse food production, biodiversity and women’s participation. Community organisation and opportunities to earn an income are included too. Sebastian explains these principles in detail in the GUYA article about the Chakra seal.
The process distinguishes between recognising a chakra and granting permission to use the seal on processed or resold products. The Corporación Chakra publishes the accredited organisations and the rights of use granted. This makes it possible to see which organisations and products a certification covers.
What did the FAO recognise in 2023?
In 2023, the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) added the Amazonian chakra system in Ecuador to its Globally Important Agricultural Heritage Systems (GIAHS). This recognition honours agricultural heritage: the relationship between cultivation, biodiversity, livelihoods and knowledge passed down through generations.
GIAHS recognition applies to the farming system. The Sello Chakra Amazónica has its own assessment and labelling system for chakras and products. The two terms therefore refer to different things. The FAO explains its recognition and the Amazonian agroforestry system here.
How is our macambo connected to a chakra?
Our macambo comes from Kichwa chakras in Santa Rita, Napo, Ecuador. On the packaging, we introduce Floreana Andrea Bara and her family tradition. The tour above brings this way of growing to life: you see a tended chakra, meet local people and discover macambo alongside other plants.
Jungle-Harvest is a GUYA brand founded by Sebastian Freidank. Here, we give macambo a place of its own. You can also discover more treasures from the Amazon at GUYA.
More about our origins and Sebastian · More Amazonian products at GUYA