In Chapter 12, soil nutrients and soil quality in Cotacachi are thoroughly examined to evaluate historic, current, and future capacity for crop production. The Cotacachi soils are composed of volcanic ash, which gives them capacity to support both subsistence and commercially scaled models of agricultural production. However, these soils have been cultivated for over 4000 years, meaning that they must be carefully managed to ensure not to deplete the soil of one nutrient or another. Moreover, the soils vary in quality across Cotacachi, demanding that specific solutions be created to address problems of sustainability and nutrient conservation.