Strategic Alliance Between Food First and SOCLA

http://foodfirst.org/strategic-alliance-between-food-first-and-socla/

Ana Galvis | 01.04.2016

Agroecology has developed and spread rapidly over the last three decades—especially in Latin America. Hundreds of NGOs use agroecology to promote sustainable agriculture initiatives, universities have created courses, undergraduate and masters programs on the subject, the governments of Brazil, Cuba, Venezuela, Nicaragua and others have created legal instruments to promote agroecology and rural movements Via Campesina, the Brazilian Landless Workers Movement (MST), National Association of Cuban Smallholders (ANAP) and others have embraced agroecology to promote food sovereignty.

Prior to 2007 there was no organized space for academics committed to agroecology —professors, researchers, extentionists and students—to support their work. The Latin American Scientific Society of Agroecology—SOCLA was created out of the need to construct a new scientific and technological paradigm in collaboration with social movements and political processes forging agroecology in practice and policy. For the last nine years, the work of SOCLA Latin America has been part of a vibrant process of cognitive, technological and socio-political innovation, intimately linked to new political scenarios such as the emergence of progressive governments and resistance movements of peasants and indigenous people.