Executive Director and Chef
Bocavaldivia
Rockefeller Fellow bio
At a Glance:
- Rodrigo Pacheco is a world-famous chef, and FAO National Goodwill Ambassador for Ecuador.
- He created the world’s largest biodiverse edible forest (food forest) located on the coast of the Ecuadorian province of Manabi, where he sustainably grows ingredients for the food served in his restaurant Bocavaldivia. He also founded the Bocavaldivia Foundation.
- Chef Pacheco is a Rockefeller Fellow and a frequent speaker at international events that focus on climate change, agro-biodiversity, and sustainable gastronomy.
Big Bet:
“Create the world’s largest Biodiverse Edible Forest to protect nature, ancestral knowledge and create economic opportunity for local communities to put biodiversity on the plate.”
Project:
“Create the largest cross-country corridor of regenerated forest producing edible native species. This innovative approach leverages downstream food systems to protect, strengthen, expand, and reconnect natural ecosystems and cultural diversity of indigenous peoples across northern Latin America.
This project conserves primary forest in its pristine state; monitors biodiversity; restores deforested areas with regenerative methods; promotes sustainable gastronomy and ecological tourism as sources of transversal economy; and trains future generations to continue the work.”
Bocavaldivia is the art of culinary expression as an instrument for transformation.
Contact Information
- ProjectManager@bocavaldivia.earth or +593-99-857-4432
- Prepared by: Christine McCullum-Gomez, PhD, RDN, Sustainable RDN, Bogotá, Colombia, www.sustainablerdn.com
Questions? Ideas? Feedback? Contact: ICDAsfs.coordinator@acadiau.ca
The ICDA SFS Toolkit is made to be used & shared freely.
Please cite the authors of the resources you use, and the ICDA SFS Toolkit if you are able:
InternationalDietetics.org/Sustainability
Created 2021, updated 2025 May