The Pan-American Agricultural School, better known as Zamorano, was born of the inspiration and through the support of Mr. Samuel Zemurray, President of the United Fruit Company in the United States of America.

Mr. Zemurray set out to create a high quality agricultural education center, devoted to the training of youth from throughout the region. To carry out this dream, he recruited Dr. Wilson Popenoe, a renowned botanist and horticulturist of the time who had extensive experience in the region, and had already organized the famous Lancetilla Botanical Gardens in Honduras.

Popenoe traveled for several weeks in 1941, exploring the Central American highlands to develop the project. He finally chose an estate of approximately 1,500 hectares in the Valle del Yeguare, some 30 kilometers from the Honduran capital. The name Zamorano is that of the family from the province of Zamora, Spain that originally owned the estate.

Construction of the school began in late 1941. Dr. Popenoe became the Founding Director of the new institution and held that post until 1957. Since then, the small school has grown to become what is today a university center of excellence serving the Americas. It maintains an unfailing mission to train future generations of professional leaders in the fields of food agro-industry, agribusiness management, agricultural science and production and socioeconomic development and responsible environmental management.

The Pan-American Agricultural School (Zamorano) is a non-profit institution registered in the State of Delaware, United States of America, as a non-profit organization. In many Latin American countries, there are tax benefits for people, companies, and organizations providing support for Zamorano.

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