Ariana Gallardo
Program Specialist Mario Fierro (left) and Agricultural Specialist Desiderio Romero stand in front of a remodeled trailer Feb. 15 at the Hub of Prosperity Farm in Edinburg.
The Center for Sustainable Agriculture and Rural Advancement, along with the UTRGV Agroecology Program, launched a mobile lab extension of the Hub of Prosperity Farm, aiding rural farmers in sustainable practices.
The lab provides hands-on training and resources to farmers in rural communities, promotes sustainable agricultural practices and increases food security.
The mobile lab has been in the making since 2019, starting off as a donation from Rio Texas Methodist Church and now becoming a learning center for anyone interested in building their own sustainable garden.
Program Specialist Mario Fierro said the trailer is an example of the amount of work that is being put into the program.
“It’s a showcase for the work been done not just at the farm but through our other program,” Fierro said. “We do workshops on how to start a garden, how to troubleshoot plants.”
Fierro said the objective is to make the outreach program accessible to people everywhere in the Valley.
“That is why the trailer was created, to reach colonias or people that already have a small farm that need more education,” he said. “That kind of assistance is what we are doing.”
Fierro hopes by expanding the program’s reach, more individuals will be able to benefit from the resources and knowledge provided. The ultimate goal is to empower communities.
He said as a program specialist, he has enjoyed learning through his own curriculum as well as through trial and error.
“I have had a lot of fun learning,” he said. “As I’m teaching, I’m learning and then as I practice, I’m learning, and every time I make a mistake or something dies, I just learn from that and teach others.”
For more information, visit UTRGV Agroecology and Resilient Food Systems website.
This is Ariana Gallardo for Vaquero Radio.
