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What happens when the hustle of Miami meets the mountains of Puerto Rico? In this episode, we sit down with Tito, a Miami-based entrepreneur who just came off working one of the biggest EDM events in the world, Ultra Music Festival, managing a team of 45 hawkers and eight beverage stations serving tens of thousands of people across three days. But behind the grind is a bigger vision: helping his family plant roots, literally, in the coffee mountains of Puerto Rico.

Tito opens up about his parents dream to leave Florida behind and start a coffee farm in the highlands of Puerto Rico, and how that dream sparked something in him too. We talk about the 5-acre property his family acquired near one of Puerto Rico's most recognized coffee producers, the forest that still needs clearing, the two water sources on the land, and the long road ahead to turn raw terrain into something that creates a real family legacy.

This conversation goes deep on what it actually takes to build in agriculture — the patience, the passion, the risk management, the hurricanes, and the reality that farming is a 5 to 20-year play, not a get-rich-quick scheme. We also explore the bigger vision for the property: think coffee production, hospitality, Airbnb-style accommodations, and a complementary venture to the local restaurant scene — not competing with it, but adding to it.

Tito also reflects on his background in landscaping, what COVID taught him about plants and irrigation, and how simply taking action on the right information can open doors that passive consumption never will.

If you're someone building something from the ground up, chasing a purpose, or thinking about what it means to create something that lasts, this episode is for you.

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En este poderoso y revelador episodio, el anfitrión Willie Rodriguez conversa con el Dr. Robert Cubria de Tecnafert para abordar una de las crisis más urgentes—y menos discutidas—de la agricultura moderna: la degradación del suelo y las consecuencias ocultas del uso convencional de fertilizantes.

Con más de 17 años de investigación provenientes de un innovador proyecto universitario en España, el Dr. Cubria explica cómo el uso excesivo de fertilizantes químicos desde principios del siglo XX ha provocado suelos empobrecidos, contaminación de fuentes de agua e incluso posibles vínculos con problemas de salud humana como enfermedades renales. Pero esta conversación no se queda en el problema—se enfoca en soluciones reales.

El Dr. Cubria profundiza en la ciencia de la nutrición vegetal, revelando por qué los fertilizantes tradicionales son ineficientes (con menos del 7% de absorción en muchos casos) y cómo la tecnología revolucionaria de Tecnafert está cambiando las reglas del juego. Mediante la ingeniería de moléculas a escala nanométrica y el uso de enlaces avanzados, su equipo ha logrado más del 95% de bioasimilación y una metabolización completa—utilizando hasta un 90% menos producto.

En este episodio descubrirás:

• La verdadera razón por la cual los fertilizantes fallan en distintos suelos y climas
• Cómo el tamaño molecular y la biología de la planta (como los plasmodesmos) limitan la absorción de nutrientes
• La evolución de fertilizantes químicos a compuestos quelatados—y más allá
• Una molécula “inteligente” que responde a señales de la planta para liberar nutrientes en el momento adecuado
• Por qué el sistema agrícola actual prioriza las ventas sobre las soluciones
• El papel de la inteligencia artificial y la agricultura de precisión en el futuro
• Los desafíos del suelo en el sur de Florida y recomendaciones prácticas para productores en zonas como Homestead
• Cómo alianzas en Estados Unidos están trabajando para regenerar suelos y apoyar a los productores con datos en tiempo real
• La importancia de la educación, el cambio generacional y el acceso a mejores herramientas

El Dr. Cubria también cuestiona las ideas tradicionales sobre la agricultura “orgánica”, proponiendo en su lugar un modelo de agricultura saludable, eficiente y escalable que garantice tanto la rentabilidad como la seguridad alimentaria global—especialmente ante una población que alcanzará los 10 mil millones de personas para el año 2050.

Conclusión clave: Es momento de replantear cómo nutrimos a las plantas y enfocarnos en la precisión, la eficiencia y la sostenibilidad a largo plazo.

¿Tienes un reto en tu operación? Contáctanos—este episodio es solo el comienzo de una conversación mucho más grande.

Escúchalo ahora y sé parte del movimiento.

Contacto:

bio@tecnafert.com

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In this powerful and eye-opening episode of The Plant Movement Podcast, host Willie Rodriguez sits down with Dr. Robert Cubria of Tecnafert to unpack one of the most urgent—and overlooked—crises in modern agriculture: soil degradation and the hidden consequences of conventional fertilization.

With over 17 years of research rooted in a groundbreaking university project from Spain, Dr. Cubria shares how the overuse of chemical fertilizers since the early 20th century has led to nutrient-depleted soils, water contamination, and even links to human health issues like kidney disease. But this conversation goes far beyond the problem—it’s about solutions.

Dr. Cubria dives deep into the science behind plant nutrition, revealing why traditional fertilizers are inefficient (with less than 7% absorption in many cases) and how Tecnafert’s revolutionary technology is changing the game. By engineering molecules at the nanoscale and using advanced bonding techniques, his team has achieved over 95% bioassimilation and full metabolization—while using up to 90% less product.

This episode explores:

• The real reason fertilizers fail across different soils and climates
• How molecule size and plant biology (like plasmodesmata) limit nutrient uptake
• The evolution from chemical fertilizers to chelated compounds—and beyond
• A breakthrough “smart molecule” that responds to plant signals to release nutrients at the right time
• Why current agricultural systems prioritize sales over solutions
• The role of AI and precision agriculture in the future of farming
• Soil challenges in South Florida and practical insights for growers in regions like Homestead
• How partnerships in the U.S. are working to rebuild soil health and support growers with real-time data
• The importance of education, generational change, and empowering farmers with better tools

Dr. Cubria also challenges conventional thinking around “organic” agriculture, advocating instead for a model of healthy, efficient, and scalable farming that ensures both profitability and global food security—especially as we approach a population of 10 billion by 2050.

Whether you're a grower, nursery operator, ag professional, or simply passionate about the future of food, this episode is packed with cutting-edge insights and practical takeaways.

Key Takeaway: It’s time to rethink how we feed plants—and start focusing on precision, efficiency, and long-term sustainability.

Have a challenge in your operation? Reach out—this episode is just the beginning of a bigger conversation.

Listen now and join the movement.

Contact:

bio@tecnafert.com

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