About

Restoring Nature with Organic Agroecology

Mandela is a social enterprise, currently in the concept phase with a small group of four Panamanians and one US citizen developing plans, budgets and tools for launching the business. Mandela will be dedicated to nurturing small-scale farms by delivering vital training in agroecological methods, opening doors to income opportunities, and supplying appropriate tools & equipment.
Our business champions small-scale agroecology farms, bolsters livelihoods, and advocates for environmental stewardship, aiding farmers in embracing practices that enrich soil, foster biodiversity, and strengthen climate resilience.

Empowering Communities with Eco-Friendly Farming

Discover the passionate experts driving our mission forward.

Florence Reed

Chief Entrepreneurship Officer

Flo has founded two nonprofits and two businesses to build community and a food system based in small-scale agroecology. She got her start as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Panama, before founding Sustainable Harvest International, where she still works. She volunteers in her free time to develop the plans for launching Mandela.

To Be Announced Soon

Chief Agroecology Officer

A rural development professional with decades of experience. He volunteers in his free time to develop the plans for launching Mandela.

Yasmin Quezada

Chief Business Officer

Yasmin holds a bachelor’s in Food Science and a master’s in agriculture focused on agricultural extension. With experience working for the UN’s FAO and Panama’s Ministry of Agriculture, she has expertise in market studies for sustainable rural development, and she helps manage her family’s small business. She enthusiastically volunteers to help create Mandela.

You?

Chief Financial Officer & Bookkeeper

Soon, we’ll be looking for two people to fill these positions, part-time to start.

Cesar Gutierrez

Agroecology Advisor

Cesar has worked in agriculture for over 30 years, starting with his grandfather at 12-years-old. A bachelor’s degree in agronomy and love of agriculture has led him to work raising chickens, root crops, fruit trees and vegetables as well as with gravity, drip irrigation systems, reforestation and agroforestry. He volunteers in his free time to develop the plans for launching Mandela.

Jose Rubiel Perez

Agroecology Advisor

José Rubiel Pérez Reyes is an agronomist who was born into a farming family dedicated to growing coffee and raising cattle. This sparked his love for agroecology and led him to work with diverse organizations that support agroecology practices for farmers in remote areas. He volunteers in his free time to develop the plans for launching Mandela.