Juan Jose Molina Echeverry
Veterinarian & Rancher, El Hatico Natural Reserve
A veterinarian and rancher, Juan José Molina Echeverry is a member of the ninth generation of the Molina family and runs the family’s El Hatico Natural Reserve outside Cali, Colombia. He is also an associate researcher with the Center for Research on Sustainable Agricultural Systems (CIPAV Foundation). He manages El Hatico’s dairy production using intensive silvopastoral systems and also produces sugarcane. Both his dairy and sugarcane crops are managed under agroecological principles and organically certified. The main objectives of his family’s company are:
- Contribute practical knowledge to sustainable cattle ranching and agroecology that is adapted to tropical conditions.
- Demonstrate that it is possible to have an economically viable production that holds to sustainability and agroecological principles.
- Demonstrate that production and conservation are activities that go hand in hand.