High in the Andean valley of Cayambe, near La Chimba, Ecuador’s rose industry is flourishing — at a price. Once primarily dairy farmers, Patricia Catucuamba and her husband, Milton Navas, turned to rose cultivation five years ago. Like many smallholders, they say diversification isn’t optional — it’s survival. Roses require less land and generate higher returns than milk, making them an attractive alternative.

Today, Ecuador is the world’s third-largest flower exporter, selling more than two billion stems annually, with roses accounting for two-thirds of production. The region’s high altitude, volcanic soil, and intense sunlight create long stems and large blooms prized in global markets.

But critics warn that beneath the industry’s economic success lies a troubling reality. Intensive pesticide use — often with limited oversight — has been linked to serious health concerns among workers and nearby communities, including respiratory illness, skin conditions, neurological impacts, and higher depression rates. Studies have found dozens of chemical residues on exported bouquets, some banned in Europe.

For farmers like Catucuamba and Navas, the struggle isn’t just chemicals — it’s water. Irrigation cuts threaten small growers while large plantations continue drawing heavily from shrinking canals.

In Cayambe, the roses may be flawless — but the system around them is far more fragile.