CEPC-Tolimán's story

The village of Quixaya (where CEPC-Toliman operates) is an incredible story of transformation. In the 1980s, 63 Kaqchikel Mayan families living in the Quixaya community were able to legally take back their ancestral lands after generations of working for a plantation owner. The families joined together to start an ecological community initiative. Using traditional Mayan knowledge and agroecological practices, they transformed the industrial monoculture farm into a lush, biodiverse permaculture system. In 2018, community members established CEPC-Tolimán (Centro Ecologico de Permacultura Comunitaria Toliman) to continue practicing ecological agriculture and working towards food sovereignty.

Their work focuses on: 1) Providing practical training and workshops that teach local Mayan families about ecological agriculture and nutritional foods; and 2) Managing community food systems which includes: ‘milpa’ native crop farms (Mesoamerican diversified system); community and family-intensive gardens; aquaculture systems (tilapia and vegetables); a food forest & agroforestry nursery; a community chicken coop; a demonstration kitchen & processing center.

Highlights of CEPC-Tolimán's work

Permaculture projects and training

CEPC's work is based on a blend of principles from the Maya Cosmovision and Permaculture, which both stress the importance of working with natural systems. Their on-site projects and trainings focus on:
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1) Providing access to healthy, organic food
2) Protecting local ecosystems
3) Strengthening indigenous communities
4) Increasing self-sufficiency and regional stability

They also publish educational videos on the social media page of their partner organisation, CIELO, to teach people about their permaculture, aquaculture and agroforestry systems.

Organic market

The community aims to build an organic market within the Quixaya community to have their first local produce market within the village. Currently, community members have to travel 40 minutes (16km) to the nearest town to buy or sell fruits and vegetables.

Native pollinators project

In order to protect and restore a native bee species, locally known as ‘Doncella’ (Tetragonisca Angustula), bee hives are being implemented in four agroforestry areas of fruit and coffee trees, totaling 1,600 m². The community is reclaiming ancestral stingless beekeeping practices and sharing their knowledge through hands-on workshops where participants build bee boxes, plant native flowers and learn ethical honey harvesting techniques that have been passed down for generations. Melipona bees (stingless bees), long honored in Maya traditions for their spiritual and medicinal significance, are now thriving in 12 active colonies at the community center. Beyond technical training, the workshops act as spaces of cultural renewal and ecological care, where producers strengthen their relationship with the land and with each other through story, memory, and skill.

Living Maya Destiny Cards

With their partner CIELO, they produced The Living Maya project, created by Maya people dedicated to advancing Maya culture and art. The contributors include an Ajq’ij (spiritual guide), artists, writers, and cultural practitioners. The project is produced and run by the non-profit CIELO, and all proceeds from this project go back into funding indigenous-led initiatives in Guatemala. Support this project by visiting The Living Maya website.

Supporter donations have enabled CEPC-Tolimán to:

Project Manager Salary - Ramiro, who founded CEPC and has a wealth of knowledge in ecological agriculture and the Mayan cosmovision, is currently volunteering to run the organisation which offers food security and economic opportunities in the village.
Mushroom Project - This project aims to jumpstart local production of oyster mushrooms and serve as an additional model for training and workshops.

Future workshops - More funds means the capacity for more and better workshops, with workshops ranging from nutritional cooking, food processing, permaculture systems, and more!
Maintain and expand their infrastructure - in order to maintain the greenhouse for the agroforestry system, the bee hives, the community kitchen and the food processing center, continuous funds are needed to continue providing trainings and workshops, and to support their goal of food sovereignty.
Native seed bank - for the storage and distribution of native and heirloom seeds. This will ensure local availability of native seeds, improve local seed genetic diversity, and maintain Mayan seed heritage and legacy.

Donate to CEPC Tolimán