Instituto Mesoamericano de Permacultura (IMAP)

What Instituto Mesoamericano de Permacultura (IMAP) does

The Instituto Mesoamericano de Permacultura (IMAP) is a Guatemalan non-profit civil association founded in 2000 by Maya Kaqchikel permaculture practitioners and based in the Pachitulul community of San Lucas Tolimán, on the shores of Lake Atitlán. Its mission centers on food sovereignty, agrobiodiversity conservation, agroecological education, and the empowerment of smallholder farmers and indigenous communities in the Lake Atitlán basin and broader Mesoamerica. The organization operates an integrated permaculture demonstration center comprising a community seed bank (Ra Choc Ijatz') preserving more than 70 native and creole species, an amaranth processing facility producing the Super Atol nutritional supplement, a 638.59 m² bird sanctuary established in 2021, and demonstration infrastructure including dry composting toilets, greywater management systems, solar dehydrators and ovens, biointensive gardens, and bioconstruction examples.

IMAP's product portfolio includes a 105-hour Permaculture Design Certificate (PDC) residential course, custom workshops and field tours, a minimum 15-day volunteer program, school and family garden implementation services, and the sale of native seeds and amaranth-based products. The organization generates revenue through a mix of restricted and unrestricted grants from international donors (OIM, Cultural Survival, Earth Rising Foundation, LUSH Spring Prize, IPSL, ATCF, REDSAG, Japan/IDB funds, BES, and others), custom-quoted fees for educational programs and tours, sales from its seed house and Super Atol production (subsidized 50% for partner organizations), and a youth artisan bracelet partnership with the Pulseras Project. Since 2000 it has reportedly trained more than 18,000 small producers, established 80 school gardens, and supported 2,000 children with Super Atol during pandemic-era nutrition programming. The go-to-market relies on grassroots community training, inbound volunteer and student placements through international partner networks (IPSL, Where There Be Dragons, Transformational Connections, Gotoco), and organic social media presence on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.

Name

Instituto Mesoamericano de Permacultura (IMAP)

Legal name

Instituto Mesoamericano de Permacultura

Website

https://imapermacultura.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2000

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Instituto Mesoamericano de Permacultura (IMAP) is a Guatemalan non-profit founded in 2000 that delivers permaculture education, food sovereignty programs, and biodiversity conservation rooted in Maya Kaqchikel knowledge, serving smallholder farmers, indigenous families, and international students and volunteers at its Lake Atitlán demonstration center.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Permaculture Education and Agroecological Training Services

NAICS

Educational Support Services (611710)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Outdoor & Survival Skills Lessons (Bushcraft, Navigation, Foraging) (THAJAKAM)

Keywords

• Permaculture education
• Agroecological training
• Food sovereignty programs
• Native seed conservation
• Sustainable agriculture services

Headquarters

HQ city

San Lucas Tolimán

HQ country

Guatemala

HQ region

Latin America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Grants and Project Funding: IMAP operates primarily as a non-profit civil association sustained through grants, project funding, and in-kind support from international donor organizations. Major funders include OIM, Cultural Survival, Earth Rising Foundation, LUSH Spring Prize, IPSL, ATCF, and others who support specific programs in food sovereignty, biodiversity, agroecology, and indigenous knowledge preservation.
2. Educational Programs and Training Fees: Revenue generated from Permaculture Design Certificate (PDC) courses (105 hours, July 2026), custom workshops tailored to visitor groups, and field tour fees. Prices are custom-quoted based on group size and program content.
3. Local Product Sales: Sales of native and creole seeds through the Ra Choc Ijatz' seed house, amaranth-based Super Atol nutritional supplement (subsidized 50% for partner organizations), and bracelets crafted by young artisans through the Pulseras Project partnership. Seed sales operate through donations, exchanges, credit, and purchase/sale mechanisms.
4. Volunteer Program Fees: Volunteers participate in a structured program (minimum 15 days) with personalized work plans aligned to IMAP priorities, contributing practical labor in exchange for accommodation, meals, and permaculture learning. No explicit fee is stated but volunteers are hosted on-site.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

IMAP delivers hands-on permaculture education and training rooted in Maya Kaqchikel ancestral knowledge from its demonstration center at Lake Atitlán, Guatemala. It sells certified Permaculture Design courses, customized workshops, field tours, and structured volunteer placements, alongside a community seed bank (Ra Choc Ijatz'), an amaranth-based nutritional supplement (Super Atol), and school/community garden implementation programs.

Product overview

IMAP offers a unified portfolio of permaculture education and sustainable agriculture services centered on food sovereignty and biodiversity conservation. The core offerings include the Permaculture Design Course (PDC) certification, customized workshops on topics like native cooking, soil fertility, amaranth production, and medicinal gardens, as well as educational tours of the center's integrated systems. Supporting programs include the Ra Choc Ijatz' Casa de Semillas (community seed bank with 70+ native species), the Bird Sanctuary, the Voluntourism/Volunteer Program, Food Sovereignty initiatives producing Super Atol nutritional supplements, and Integrated Gardens for schools and communities. These services work together to promote food sovereignty, biodiversity preservation, agroecological education, and the empowerment of small farmers in Mesoamerica.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Permaculture Design Course (PDC) Certification A 105-hour intensive residential Permaculture Design Certificate course directed at technicians, promoters, students, and individuals seeking food sovereignty and sustainable environment design skills; delivered in-person at the IMAP center on Lake Atitlán.
• Customized Workshops Theoretical and practical permaculture workshops tailored to groups or families, covering native cooking, biointensive gardens, soil fertility, water/soil conservation, amaranth production, seed houses, edible forests, lunar-influence agriculture, medicinal gardens, and amaranth processing; pricing adapted to group budget.
• Educational Tours (Giras) Custom-quoted guided field tours of IMAP's permaculture demonstration center showcasing agrobiodiversity, seed houses, ancestral Maya practices, water management, biointensive systems, bioconstruction, appropriate technologies, integrated chicken coops, dry composting toilets, soil nutrition, and the bird sanctuary; bookable via email.
• Volunteer Program (Voluntariado) A minimum 15-day immersive volunteer program in which participants live on-site at the IMAP permaculture center, contribute daily labor to defined projects alongside staff, and learn permaculture principles and Maya Cosmovision; application via online Google Form with basic Spanish suggested.
• Ra Choc Ijatz' Community Seed House A community seed bank conserving over 70 species of native and creole plants and seeds, including native maize varieties, available to smallholder farmers through donations, exchanges, purchases, and credit; contact [email protected] for orders, with a downloadable seed catalog.
• Super Atol Nutritional Supplement Amaranth-based nutritional supplement processed at IMAP's Amaranth Processing Center from roasting to packaging, sold at cost to partner organizations and subsidized 50% for organizations working with malnourished children; used to combat chronic malnutrition in the Sololá region and supplied to Hospitalito Atitlán and 32 Volcanes.

Quantifiable outcome

• 18,000+ small producers trained in native plant production and native seed conservation since 2000, increasing climate adaptability
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

16 partnerships are on record, tiered core, secondary and minor.

• Organización Internacional para las Migraciones (OIM / IOM)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOIM supports the 'Jóvenes y familias productoras de amaranto promoviendo el comercio local en los municipios de San Lucas Tolimán y San Pablo La Laguna' project, providing workshops and accompaniment in amaranth production, planting, maintenance, harvest, drying, and product creation. Jointly establishing a novel agroecological store for new producers.
• Cultural SurvivalcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCultural Survival supports the 'Semillas del Futuro' project based on indigenous values of the Earth Guardians Fund, providing workshops on ancestral Maya knowledge, agroecological planting, seed houses, native plant uses, and birdwatching. With their support, IMAP has provided Super Atol to Hospitalito Atitlán and 32 Volcanes, and participated in meetings and training for REDSAG.
• Earth Rising FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEarth Rising Foundation has been important for food sovereignty, agriculture, and community garden projects. Collaboratively, IMAP has implemented an irrigation system for producers, delivered Super Atol to children in communities (tracking height and weight), provided purified water access via ecofilters to families, and implemented gardens with families and organized women's groups.
• IPSL (International Partnership for Service and Learning)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIPSL, affiliated with the National University of Natural Medicine (NUNM) in Oregon, USA, develops academic programs with IMAP. Students and volunteers from the US study social justice, ancestral medicine, and Guatemalan peoples' history through hands-on participation at IMAP.
• Pulseras Project (The Pulsera Project)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPulseras Project supports a group of young artisans in San Lucas Tolimán who earn income from bracelet-making to pay for university and technical studies. Since 2021, 13 artisans have produced 10,902 bracelets (2023) and 2,785 bracelets (2024), generating income and supporting educational access.
• Rompiendo el Silencio BTSsecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerRompiendo el Silencio is a voluntary network supporting Guatemalans fighting for political, social, and economic justice. IMAP serves as a counterpart, participating in national and international exchange of experiences on Maya Cosmology and Permaculture work in communities.
• EntremundossecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerWith Entremundos, IMAP establishes and creates a nursery of forest trees, fruit trees, and medicinal plants, continues trail signage, construction and maintenance of paths and viewpoints, and has built an artisan market to strengthen sustainable ecotourism in the area.
• Environmental Network For Central America (ENCA)secondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerENCA supports IMAP's goal of promoting sustainable ecotourism through biodiversity restoration, environmental care, and aquatic species protection. With ENCA's support, IMAP continues reforestation and signage of the Pachitulul bird sanctuary.
• Adventure, Travel Conservation Fund (ATCF)secondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerATCF trains local farmers in sustainable agricultural practices and local guides in birdwatching and hiking. With ATCF support, IMAP reforests the lakeshore with native trees and plants, protects local biodiversity, ensures sustainable food access for families, birds and pollinators, and improves the environmental tourist experience.
• Transformational ConnectionssecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerPart of an educational circuit visited by Michigan university students interested in permaculture and its role in society. IMAP provides cultural activities, experience exchanges, and workshops on land care to create durable and sustainable systems.
• Where There Be DragonssecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerA network of community organizations visited by young foreigners discovering local and global struggles, including the value of agriculture, family nutrition, native plants, and food sovereignty. IMAP's enriching program attracts these groups annually for experience exchange.
• Red por la Soberanía Alimentaria en Guatemala (REDSAG)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIMAP is an active member of REDSAG and together with other organizations defends the reconstruction of food sovereignty through strategic proposals, political actions, and articulation of social and popular movements at the national level.
• Semillas LibertadsecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerIMAP hosted the 6th continental encounter of the Semillas de Libertad network. With organizations from the Americas, spaces were created to discuss ancestral seeds, school gardens, community seed houses, youth inclusion in food sovereignty, and food systems workshops for good living.
• Gotoco TEFL AdventuresminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerListed as an additional donor and ally supporting IMAP's programs.
• The Gardens EdgeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerListed as an additional donor and ally supporting IMAP's programs.
• Trees Water PeopleminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerListed as an additional donor and ally supporting IMAP's programs.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Others

• Food Tank: A global food and agriculture policy organization that highlights model programs in sustainable agriculture and food sovereignty. Compares to IMAP thematically through its focus on food sovereignty and agroecology, though it operates as a media and advocacy platform rather than a field practitioner.

Broad incumbents

• Heifer International: A large international NGO working on smallholder farmer capacity building, food security, and sustainable agriculture across Latin America. Overlaps with IMAP on rural agricultural development and donor base, but operates at significantly greater scale and broader geographic scope.
• EARTH University: A Costa Rica-based agricultural university focused on sustainable agriculture and rural development in the tropics. Comparable to IMAP through its Latin American agricultural education focus, but operates at a much larger scale with formal degree programs.
• Groundswell International: A non-profit supporting smallholder farmer-led agroecology and food sovereignty across Latin America and Africa. Comparable to IMAP in mission and methodology, but operates as a multi-country network rather than a single demonstration site.
• Practical Action Latin America (Soluciones Prácticas): A Latin American development NGO applying appropriate technology and sustainable agriculture with rural communities. Comparable to IMAP in operating region and demonstration-site educational model, but operates across multiple Latin American countries with a larger staff.

Direct peers

• Pachamama Alliance: An indigenous-led organization working on rights of nature, food sovereignty, and indigenous knowledge preservation. Comparable to IMAP through its indigenous-led governance, jurisdictional focus, and educational programming — though operating more in advocacy and Ecuador-based work.
• Sustainable Harvest International: A non-profit working directly with smallholder farmers in Central America on agroecology, reforestation, and food sovereignty. Highly comparable to IMAP in geography, mission, and smallholder-training model, though larger in scale and operating across multiple countries.
• La Universidad del Medio Ambiente (UMA): A Mexico-based educational institution focused on ecological design, permaculture, and regenerative systems. Comparable to IMAP in permaculture curriculum and audience, though UMA operates as a formal university with degree programs rather than a community-centered NGO.
• Plenty Belize: A non-profit education center in Belize focused on sustainable agriculture, appropriate technology, and indigenous knowledge preservation. Closely comparable to IMAP in operating model, offering workshops, volunteer programs, and demonstration-site education in the Maya region.

Regional players

• Maya Pedal: A Guatemala-based non-profit that builds appropriate technology (pedal-powered machines) and supports indigenous communities. Strong regional comparability given shared Guatemala base, indigenous-led mission, and overlap with IMAP's appropriate-technology demonstrations.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/IMAPermacultura
• Facebookfacebook.com/imapermacultura
• Instagraminstagram.com/imapguatemala
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/instituto-mesoamericano-de-permacultura

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Instituto Mesoamericano de Permacultura (IMAP)