Volunteer: Sustainable Agriculture, Food Systems, and Conservation in the Galapagos Islands

Global Nomadic is offering a volunteer position in Sustainable Agriculture, Food Systems, and Conservation in the Galapagos Islands, Ecuador. The role involves maintaining seedbeds, assisting with germination, and supporting sustainable practices for a minimum of 4 weeks. Participants will learn about agriculture, contribute to local food security, and engage with the community. The position requires a fee for food and accommodation but does not cover travel expenses.
Location: Galapagos Islands, Ecuador • Duration: minimum 4 weeks • Start Dates: each month – enquire when applying • Cost: $500 for the first week + $350 for each additional week • Fee Includes: all food, accommodation, pre‑departure & in‑country support, orientation, and all project related activities • Does Not Include: flights, airport pickup, travel insurance, personal spending, visas and vaccinations

Benefits

Learn methods of sustainable agricultural production and food systems from experts

Contribute to the islands’ food security, soil conservation, and regeneration

Gain experience in the maintenance, design, and implementation of sustainable agriculture and permaculture systems

Forge meaningful relations with locals while living with a host family

Research & dissertation support available, if requested

Introduction
The Galapagos Islands are one of the most biodiverse regions on Earth, home to unique species such as Galapagos penguins and giant tortoises. While many local and international efforts protect the islands, challenges remain—lack of food security, reliance on imports, invasive species, and insufficient seed‑saving practices. This internship provides an opportunity to collaborate with a farm researching autonomous, resilient, chemical‑free, regenerative, and profitable agriculture, and that farm is also an agro‑ecology school and the founder of the first local seed bank (of edible species) in the Galapagos.

Responsibilities

Maintain the vegetable seedbeds

Assist with seed germination processes and care of the seed banks

Construct apparatuses and design new permaculture systems

Assist with garden maintenance (weeding, excavating, making compost, pruning, applying natural fertilizers, etc.)

Reforest native or endemic plants

Conduct personal research or study on:

water use and conservation

new water capture systems

improvement of soil texture

improvement of soil nutrients (soil regeneration)

human or natural innovations to control pests such as rats and wild cats

Support the farm’s marketing and social media

Conduct language tutoring exchanges with staff and community members (English, Spanish)

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