MIT D-Lab

"[L]essons from D-Lab proved critical. Rather than treating the value chain as a purely technical diagram, we approached it as a social system. Power dynamics, informal norms, and ecological constraints were just as important as prices and logistics. This reframing helped ensure that any proposed interventions remained grounded in local priorities rather than external assumptions."

Read the full D-Lab: Gender and Development student blog post by Jingyi Jiang about her experiences in working with Amanatari, Diversa, UTEC - Universidad de Ingeniería y Tecnología, indigenous communities, and D-Lab's Kendra Leith!

Standing forests, living futures: Bio-business, livelihoods, and co-design in the Peruvian Amazon Field trip understanding the Amazonian ecosystem. Photo: Courtesy Amanatari Blog | Feb 25, 2026 | Sunny Jiang MIT D-Lab This winter break, led by MIT D-Lab Associate Director for Research Kendra Leith, we spent 16 days in the Peruvian Amazon—days measured by river crossings, shared meals, and long...