9 Keys of CAN’s AgroEco Coffee Project: Towards Building Economies for Life
Thank you from the CAN team!
In these uncertain times, your commitment to actions that nurture the swarm of life is critical. We know that when we support each other, we strengthen actions that steward the relationships that connect all of us to building dignified food systems and dignified futures.
Dignified and Community Agro Food Systems in 2025!
CAN Support the persistence of rural communities and their agroecologies. These grow from the restoration of microorganisms, the integration of youth into community markets, elders and youth learning from each other, and building dignified livelihoods intertwined with forest ecologies.
Multiplying Native Soil Microorganisms for Milpa Planting Nurtures the Swarm of Life
The CAN team connect Tierras Milperas with RIAC youth from Nicaragua who share videos, manual guides, and through virtual sessions share successful practice of preparing and using native forest microorganisms to regenerate cultivated soils.
Community Agroecology Markets Rooted in Solidarity Economies Nurture de Swarm of Life
CAJAC, our community of learning and practice in southern Mexico focused on agroecology, youth and solidarity economies, convened for its final encuentro last October. Building from the values of ancestral markets in this region the event took the form of a community market and fair where people gathered to build relationships, exchange knowledge and trade goods,.
AgroEco Nurtures the Swarm of Life
A Coffee Solidarity Network that
Nurtures the Swarm of Ecological and Community Life
“No coffee without forests! No coffee without campesino livelihoods!”
These are the affirmations converging the work of organized coffee farmers, CAN
Indigenous And Rural Youth Make Dignified Agrarian Futures Flourish Across Turtle Island – Abya Yala
The RIAC-Joven (Red Internacional de Agroecología Comunitaria – Joven) is a youth movement that transcends borders to defend Agroecology and Food Sovereignty in rural and urban communities. Indigenous, Afro-descendent and campesino youth build from their ancestral foodways to innovate agroecological practices and solidarity economies
Solidarity Economies and Agroecological Coffee: The Flourishing of AgroEco’s Youth
Youth Blooming Agrarian Lands and Community Life
Solidarity Economies and Agroecological Coffee: The Flourishing of AgroEco’s Youth
What happens when youth lead in connecting a solidarity economy based
Return to the Land and the Commons: The Flowering of Growing Justice
Youth Blooming Agrarian Lands and Community Life
Return to the Land and the Commons: The Flowering of Growing Justice
Growing Justice, located in Watsonville, California, is a youth-led
Donate today! Youth Blooming Agrarian Lands and Community Life
Youth Blooming Agrarian Lands and Community Life
Donate today!
Agrarian lands and community life bloom when youth work alongside their elders to save and sow seed, nurture the soil, tend
Youth, Agroeocology and Commercialization: The blossoming of CAJAC
Youth, Agroeocology and Commercialization: The blossoming of CAJAC
We continue our fundraising campaign sharing our collaborations with youth in the Maya homelands of southern Mexico. Here, campesino families give life to the milpa, growing corn
Youth Blooming Agrarian Lands and Community Life
Youth Blooming Agrarian Lands and Community Life
Seeds of change: The blossoming of RIAC-Joven
Dear Friends,
Agrarian lands and community life bloom when youth work alongside their elders to save and sow seed, nurture the soil, tend
Discover the taste of solidarity and community in every cup of AgroEco Coffee
Discover the taste of solidarity and community in every cup of AgroEco Coffee
What is the taste of solidarity and community in your cup of coffee? CAN opens its coffee tastings with this question, generating dialogue about the history, production,
Join us in solidarity with the organized farmworker community of Tierras Milperas!
Dear Community & Friends,
The Community Agroecology Network (CAN) works in close collaboration with Tierras Milperas. Since 2015 our youth group, Growing Justice
Accompaniment: Walking with Youth towards Food Sovereignty
Walking with Youth Toward Food Sovereignty
Food sovereignty is a community movement that seeks to transform the food system. The right to decide on agrarian and food practices is with the people who care for and sow the seeds, distribute and prepare the food, reproducing
Support CAN in 2023 Building Solidarity Networks for other Economies
SUPPORT CAN IN 2023
BUILDING SOLIDARITY NETWORKS FOR OTHER ECONOMIES
Building solidarity networks for other economies requires us to re-imagine our relationships and work towards more just interconnections. Thank
Solidarity Networks for other Economies- Youth Coffee Cart Collective at the Aptos Farmers Market
SOLIDARITY NETWORKS FOR OTHER ECONOMIES
New Branch in the AgroEco Solidarity Supply Network: Youth Coffee Cart Collective at the Aptos Farmers Market
It is 6 am on Saturday morning. The crinkling of AgroEco Coffee bags and the pouring
Solidarity Networks for other Economies- International Youth Network in Community Agroecology and Food Sovereignty
SOLIDARITY NETWORKS FOR OTHER ECONOMIES
Youth Pollinating Seeds of Life to Bring Health
to Home Territories
“To heal the territory is to heal the body. It is to have water, health, food, solidarity,
Solidarity Networks for other Economies- CAJAC Youth Agroecological Commercialization and Solidarity Networks
SOLIDARITY NETWORKS FOR OTHER ECONOMIES
Learning and Practice of Solidarity Economies: Youth Agroecological Commercialization and Solidarity Networks in Southern Mexico
In southern Mexico, soy plantations, industrial pig farms and transit-oriented megadevelopment projects threaten the flourishing of campesino livelihoods for the
Solidarity Networks for other Economies
SOLIDARITY NETWORKS FOR OTHER ECONOMIES
Dear Friends,
Solidarity economies focus on reproducing life and livelihoods, over generating a profit. This difference is everything to the women in the Danilo Gonzales Cooperative, the Denis Gutiérrez Cooperative and the El Privilegio Cooperative, all of which contribute to
Tierras Milperas and Their Struggle for Food Sovereignty / Tierras Milperas y su lucha por la Soberanía Alimentaria
In 2020 CAN was approached with a proposal to become the fiscal agent of an emerging organized group of farmworkers and campesinx families within the community gardens of Watsonville and Pajaro. After years of working directly with Growing Justice youth and many of these same farmworker families, the
We are Hiring! Contrataciones
Work with a small but incredibly active International team focused on accompanying small scale farming communities in rural Colombia, Nicaragua, Mexico, and California’s Central Coast towards a just food sovereign future with agroecology. See full job descriptions below:
YOUTH COORDINATOR Job Description pdf
Youth Building Collective Power Towards Food Sovereignty
We are $7,400 away from meeting our annual campaign goal. Every dollar you contribute will be doubled in value!
“We continue to resist and connect with the wisdom of our grandparents on how to cultivate the land. [At the Intercambio] we learned new food recipes and we learned
Strengthening CAN’s Impact – Announcing New Leadership
We are grateful to CAN Co-Founder Steve Gliessman for his many contributions as he steps down from his role as Board Chair. During his tenure, he established agroecology as the organization’s guiding tenet, built a network of researchers, reached hundreds of people through the International Agroecology
A Land of Hope
“When my father inherited this plot of land there was nothing. With my family we decided to plant trees until we obtained what we have now. I feel proud because we have protected the environment and we have benefited economically and our food is healthy.”
– Juan
Connecting Across Generations for Food Sovereignty in Watsonville, CA
Growing Justice youth (GJ) and CAN continue to build collective power to transform Watsonville, California’s food system, one dominated by high-input berries for global export. In partnership with Tierras Milperas, an assembly of campesino families stewarding 7 community gardens, youth plant milpa(integrated system of corn, beans, squash and
Collective Power for Food and Health Sovereignty
Last September in Campeche, Mexico, Ka’Kuxtal Much Meyaj and CAN’s alliance, Tumben Kuxtal (New Life), and the Maya communities of Los Chenesinaugurated an integrative health center based in Maya cosmo vision. The Sistema Integral de Salud Maya Jaime Rocha Pech is a collective effort that combines indigenous and western approaches to healthcare.
9th International Intercambio
Youth Resisting Erasure, Planting Good Living
Join us in this year’s
Amplify CAN’s Impact in 2022 and Beyond
We know that land, seeds, and community organization are critical to building resilience and collective power in food systems.
In a year of
The World Lost a Gentle Giant
Roberto harvesting corn planted on the hillside of his coffee forest.
Roberto Enrique Jiménez Ruiz
22 July 1953–28 June 2021
A gentle giant is a person who has widespread positive impact on the world but draws very little attention to themselves in the process. The world recently lost one of
No to Corporate Food Systems!
No to Corporate Food Systems!
Yes to Food Sovereignty!
On the 25th anniversary of food sovereignty, CAN reaffirms its commitment to work toward justice in our food system. Food sovereignty is a strategy of struggle for people to define their own agricultural policies, and protect their food ways, cultures, and ecologies, in direct opposition to the exploitation of people
Coffee and Solidarity
Insights from an AgroEco® Coffee Intern
My name is Gianni Castanon. I am a senior in the Environmental Studies Department at UC Santa Cruz, and an intern with the Community Agroecology Network (CAN) focused on their AgroEco® Coffee program. What drew me to AgroEco® Coffee is the organic, sustainable, and transparent business model they have with
Updated Job Announcement: Development and Communications Director
CAN is hiring! Do you want to use your fund development skills to raise money for agroecology and food sovereignty in the U.S. and in the Americas?
The Aftermath of the Hurricane Season Amid the Long Pandemic
Amid the effects of the pandemic, Hurricane Eta struck Nicaragua on November 3. Hurricane Iota followed two weeks later, following the same path. They were devastating, both in force and in timing. At the Union de Cooperativas Agropecuarias Augusto Cesar Sandino in San Ramon (UCA San Ramon) the hurricanes
Intercambio 2020: CAN’s First Virtual Youth Exchange
As COVID upended our plans, we quickly realized that we needed to plan a virtual Youth Exchange as it was critical to meet the crises head on. CAN’s first virtual Youth Exchange engendered an organizing process where the entire network of partner organizations participated in every aspect that made the exchange possible.
A Thriving Network, A Stronger Community
A message from our founders. As the pandemic, climate chaos, and societal injustice have challenged us this year, one thing has stood out for us as co-founders of CAN—the word COMMUNITY in our name has shown just how important bringing people together can be. CAN’s partner communities in Central
Powerful Together During Dire Times
When the corona virus pandemic hit, indigenous peoples around the world began organizing a response that centered their community’s spiritual and physical well-being. For Ka Kuxtal Much Meyaj, native seeds grounded their response.
Protecting the Community with Traditional Medicine
Supported by funding from the Seed, Soil & Culture Fund of RSF
Stories of Hope
Stories of Hope:
Community Resilience During Dire Times
2020 has indeed been a tumultuous year for the entire world. As COVID-19 spread around the globe, community efforts to strengthen local food systems proved critical for surviving the pandemic’s effects. CAN’s partners have exuded hope and resilience during these trying times and have mitigated health risks, financial strain,
September 2020 Newsletter
“Podrán cortar todas las flores, pero no podrán detener la primavera.”
“They Can Cut All the Flowers, but They Cannot Stop Spring from Coming.”
-Pablo Neruda
Painted in a solid purple, this quote from the renowned Chilean poet, Pablo Neruda, stood out boldly from the side of a garden
CAN Announces Two Job Openings
The Community Agroecology Network (CAN) seeks an experienced
Operations Manager and an experienced Development and Communications Director.
The Operations Manager will ensure that CAN’s infrastructure and systems effectively support staff and partners both programmatically and in relation to the organization’s fund development efforts. The Development
Working Together in Partnership
The seeds for CAN’s birth were planted in 2000 when we visited agroecology graduate students who were doing participatory action research with farmers in coffee growing communities in El Salvador, Mexico, and Nicaragua. In each community we visited we heard the same story: “I can’t earn enough from growing
Nurturing Seeds of Justice
 Small farmers and farmworkers are at the frontlines of building just food systems—planting seeds of justice with their communities. Seeds build power and justice when farming communities maintain control of their seeds and land, when models of
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7th International Youth Exchange for Food Sovereignty
Overview
The 7th International Youth Intercambio 2019 brought together youth representatives from CAN’s partner organizations. Youth from Mexico, Nicaragua, and California (Watsonville and the University of California, Santa Cruz) gathered in Santa Cruz County for a four-day exchange that included trainings and 
knowledge exchange on a variety of topics,
JANUARY 2019 | NEW YEAR’S CHALLENGE
We are bombarded with non-stop crippling news: a government shutdown over building a steel wall on our southern border while Central American refugees and migrants face criminalization and forced separation from their children. In Mexico, Nescafe is poised to invest $154 million dollars in a new coffee-processing plant in Veracruz, Mexico, which may place downward
Breaking Away From Industrial Food and Farming Systems
CAN is featured as one of seven case studies of agroecological transition around the world.
Rome (Italy). The International Panel of Experts on Sustainable Food Systems (IPES-Food) released a new report, “Breaking away from industrial food and farming systems: Seven case studies of
Support CAN’s work.
Growing Justice (GJ), a diverse group of 12-19 year olds from Watsonville, California, meets weekly to learn about the food system and identify what they like about their community, and what they would like to see change. The team’s origins are rooted in the community gardens of Mesa Verde Gardens, and their lived experiences as children
Ashley’s Story
A Story About Human Dignity in the Face of Economic Poverty.
Emily Cohen Ibañez and a group of experienced women of color filmmakers are focusing their lens on Ashley, one of CAN’s Growing Justice youth, as one example of the rising power of teens today, who in the face of increasing ICE raids are replacing their
Towards Dialogos de Saberes*: Sharing Knowledge for Food Systems Change
The Power of Storytelling Amid rows of spring mix, petite sprouts, and berry fields, farmworker communities in Watsonville continue to experience high uncertainty in accessing healthy food. Through their research with CAN, the Growing Justice Youth Team has shown that the high cost of housing and barriers to community safety exacerbate hunger and
Help Fund a Farmer Knowledge Exchange
CAN has partnered with Grow Ahead, to invest in the future of farming. Please join us! Help us fund a farmer exchange where 70 collaborators will identify promising practices for broader implementation and implement learnings on identifying the effectiveness of diversification strategies. Farmers will be
Film Screening to Benefit CAN
Join CAN at the Friday April 13 screening of Mark Kitchell’s new film, “The Evolution of Organic.” The film tracks the history of the organic food movement. Q&A and a panel of speakers, including CAN’s executive director Rose Cohen, follow the screening. This event is
Congratulations to CAN-Affiliated Researchers on New Publication!
CAN-affiliated researchers (at ECOSUR) involved in the Learning Community for Food Security and Sovereignty (CASSA) project published an article, “Bringing agroecology to scale: key drivers and emblematic cases,” in the March issue of the journal Agroecology and Sustainable Food Systems.
ABSTRACT:
Agroecology as a transformative movement has gained momentum in many countries worldwide. In
“Ending Seasonal Hunger in Nicaragua” Nominated for Remi Award!
CAN is proud to announce that “Ending Seasonal Hunger in Nicaragua,” has been nominated for a Remi Award at the 51st Annual Independent Film Festival to be held April 20-29 in Houston, Texas.
The documentary film explores food cultures, farming practices, and innovative solutions to reduce seasonal
Meet CAN’s New Associate Director
Carmen J. Cortez, CAN’s new Associate Director, has joined CAN’s staff in Santa Cruz, California. Prior to joining CAN, Carmen facilitated the development of COO-PERA, a worker-owned fruit and vegetable cooperative, and co-developed the organizational infrastructure to create a community land trust and cooperative incubation program 
for the
CAN Takes Part in First Friday Celebration!
Community Agroecology Network staff, Friends of CAN, and Growing Justice youth had a great night sharing stories and pictures with the Santa Cruz community. A special thank you to Judy Ziegler from Cornucopia Real Estate for hosting CAN!
(left) Mario (seated) from the Growing
Reflections from the 2017 AgroEcology Shortcourse
Pathways to Resilience: An Agroecological Approach
— in collaboration with Agroecology & Livelihoods Collaborative at University of Vermont
by Linda Lonnqvist, CAN project manager, on attending her first Agroecology Shortcourse
So Much Talk About Soil
As a social scientist, at the agroecology shortcourse I felt a huge
Job Announcement | CAN Associate Director
The CAN Associate Director position will work closely with the CAN team and our partner organizations to build the organization, further develop the network and promote CAN’s mission and programs. The ideal candidate will possess a range of skills in fundraising, program management, and participatory community development.
Empowered Women
In the small coffee-growing community of Piedra Parada, tucked into the highlands of Veracruz, Mexico, a small group of business women are engrossed in decision making: what business do they want to start; which skills do they need to learn; and what are they going to do with the funds they have from their other
Growing Justice Project — Spring Roundup
CAN is proud to announce that Ashley Solis-Pavon was selected by the local community as the 2017 Santa Cruz NEXTies “Person under 18.”
Ashley Solis-Pavon, a member of CAN’s youth empowerment project, Growing Justice, was selected by the local community as the 2017 Santa Cruz NEXTies “Person under 18.” Ashley was
Ending Seasonal Hunger in Nicaragua
The documentary film, “Ending Seasonal Hunger in Nicaragua” explores food cultures, agroecological farming practices, and innovative solutions to improve diets and reduce seasonal hunger among smallholder coffee farming families in northern Nicaragua. It captures breathtaking tropical landscapes and the daily rhythms of rural life connected to Nicaragua’s rich history of struggle and solidarity. The film highlights
Between Structure and Freedom in the Learning Community
The Learning Community for Building Food Sovereignty project, “CASSA,” funded by the W.K. Kellogg Foundation, is in full swing. The aim of this two-year project (2016–2018) based in southern Mexico is to promote food security and food sovereignty in Chiapas and the Yucatán Peninsula. CAN and its network partner El Colegio de la Frontera
XVIII Annual International Agroecology Shortcourse
The Agroecology and Livelihoods Collaborative (ALC)* at the University of Vermont (UVM), in partnership with the Community Agroecology Network (CAN), announce the 2017 International Agroecology Shortcourse. The course theme is: Pathways to Resilience: An Agroecological Approach. This year’s shortcourse will
Report from the Field | Agroecology Training Course in Mozambique
The Agroecology Training course was held in Marracuene District, Mozambique, which is approximately 25 kilometers north of the capital Maputo.
In October 2016, CAN co-founders and board members Steve Gliessman and Robbie Jaffe traveled to Mozambique to take part in the 17th Annual Agroecology Shortcourse. This training
Remembering Madeleine Clare Moore
Madeleine (“Maddy”) Moore was a CAN alumna who passed in 2015. Her father, Mike Moore, credits CAN with having played an important role in Maddy’s life. “She found herself in CAN. Madeleine and her colleagues’ efforts to establish international youth and women empowerment programs have changed the world for the better. CAN’s values reflected Madeleine’s
The Power of Women to Bring About Change
What was a need to increase family incomes has grown to become a thriving, woman-owned business that has made new opportunities for others in the community.
Ercilia Lopez Martinez proudly hands a steaming cup of cappuccino to a customer. Recently trained as a barista, she’s also skilled at making mochas, caramel coffee, and milkshakes. Ercilia
CAN Featured in the 3rd Annual Good Food Org Guide
Food Tank and the James Beard Foundation just released the 3rd annual Good Food Org Guide, which features 1,000 nonprofit organizations creating a better food system across the United States. We’re so excited to be featured on the guide which you can download here.
Growing Justice Photo a Winner!
A photo taken of the Growing Justice project by Suraya Arslan, CAN’s Executive and Programs Coordinator, is one of the winners of the Johns Hopkins University Food Policy Networks 2nd annual photo contest.
The photo contest challenged the public to show what food policy looks like in action. One photo could be submitted in each of
“Women & Youth United for Food Security, Food Sovereignty, and Climate Change Adaptation” | 6th Annual International Youth Exchange for Food Security & Sovereignty Gallery“Women & Youth United for Food Security, Food Sovereignty, and Climate Change Adaptation” | 6th Annual International Youth Exchange for Food Security & Sovereignty
“Women & Youth United for Food Security, Food Sovereignty, and Climate Change Adaptation” | 6th Annual International Youth Exchange for Food Security & Sovereignty
“This network [and these Youth Exchanges] are a source of support for us to not feel alone. A bridge so that we don’t get stuck doing the same thing. !No somos ‘agri-locos’! (We are not agri-crazies!)” cheerfully proclaimed Amy Cruz, a student from the Nicaraguan National University in Jinotega who participated in CAN’s 6th Annual
Growing Justice Team Travels to Nicaragua: a Spotlight on Ashley-Solis Pavon
After submitting a resume, writing a cover letter, and going through an interview—all for the first time—Ashley was chosen by a selection committee that included CAN staff and her fellow team members to be one of the two representatives from the Growing Justice youth team at CAN’s 6th Annual International Youth Exchange for Food Security &
What Collaborative Research Looks Like
Meet Maria Eugenia Flores Gomez, Chris Bacon and their daughter Rosalia. Maria Eugenia (Mari) is CAN‘s project manager for the Food Security and Food Sovereignty Project in Las Segovias, Nicaragua. Chris is a Professor at Santa Clara University and a CAN affiliated researcher. CAN‘s collaboration
CAN’s 2014-2015 Annual Report Available
Discover how we’ve been working to end hunger and build food sovereignty among small farmers in Mexico and Central America.
Our 2014-2015 annual report looks at six strategies that guide our work in ending hunger among small farmers and introduces three new projects. Please read and join us in supporting rural women, men,
Keurig Green Mountain Executive Team Visits Coffee Farmers
In December, CAN Executive Director Roseann Cohen, Associate Director Heather Putnam and Project Manager Maria Eugenia Flores traveled with executive team members of the coffee company Keurig Green Mountain (KGM) to visit CAN’s Food Security in Las Segovias Project in Northern Nicaragua. The group traveled two and a half hours from the hot and humid
Seedbanks & Farmer-Led Experimentation: The Search for Solutions
Seedbanks and farmer-led experimentation enhance local food sovereignty and climate change resiliency in rural Nicaragua.
Seedbanks are important reservoirs of genetic diversity that help subsistance farming communities secure their supply of quality, locally-adapted seed. This in turn means that they do not depend on imported seed–often genetically modified–and they can assure their own food supply in
River Park Garden: An Experimental Collaboratively Authored Film
Community Agroecology Network’s (CAN) Growing Justice youth team collaborated with seven University of California, Santa Cruz undergraduate students from Professor Emily Cohen Ibañez’s Visual Sociology class to produce a 20-minute film, the River Park Garden Film Collective documentary. Under the guidance of Cohen Ibañez, an award-winning professional filmmaker and anthropologist, the student team spent
CAN and ECOSUR Launch Collaboration in Southern Mexico
In November, CAN Executive Director Roseann Cohen and Associate Director Heather Putnam traveled to San Cristobal de las Casas, Mexico to launch a new project with partner organization El Colegio de la Frontera Sur (ECOSUR). The project, which is financed by the W.K. Kellogg Foundation, will be organized as a 2-year course. It aims to
Report from the Field | Climate Change
In October, Heather Putnam, CAN’s Associate Director, visited CAN’s partner organization the UCA San Ramón.
The first thing I noticed upon arriving to the northern department of Matagalpa was how hot and dry it was – typically, October is the height of the rainy season and can be quite cool up in the mountains. I
A New Study on the Need for More Public Funds for Agroecology
Environmental Science & Policy just published a new study by Marcia DeLonge, Liz Carlisle, and Albie Miles. The authors took on the challenge of finding the answer to an unanswered question: how much federal money is invested for agroecology research?
Technical details can
AgroEco® Coffee | Report from the Field | Heather Putnam
In October, I visited the two first level cooperatives that produce CAN’s AgroEco® Nicaragua Coffee, and meet with the cooperatives and women’s groups participating in AgroEco®. I came away from my visit to the cooperative in La Pita with a sense of hope and also a mandate for more action.
The cooperative, like all coffee farmers
Student Project | Using Digital Tools to Map Food Access
Sophia Bassett applied skills that she learned in the Everett Program at UC Santa Cruz when she worked with students in Watsonville, California to produce food access maps. Her update follows.
My partners in this digital mapping project are Community Agroecology Network (CAN), Mesa Verde Gardens, the Everett
Student Project | Seed Saving Strategies in San Ramón, Nicaragua
Adriana with home stay mom, Dona Emelda, in La Reyna, San Ramon, Nicaragua
Adriana Murguia completed a senior internship documenting forms of seed saving as her senior exit for the Environmental Studies Major and Agroecology Concentration. To support her work, Adriana applied to a
International Panel of Experts (IPES-Food) & World Food Day
Rome, Italy. The group of world-wide experts on sustainable food systems (IPES-Food) held their 4th meeting in Rome, Italy October 16-17 in conjunction with the FAO Committee on Food Security meeting and World Food Day. More than 24 members of IPES-Food gathered including CAN’s Board Chair, Steve Gliessman and two new
The Way Forward | Accelerating Gender Equity in Coffee Value Chains
In 2014, the Coffee Quality Institute (CQI) founded the Partnership for Gender Equity. The objective of this strategic initiative is to illuminate how gender inequality at origin impacts coffee outcomes and the well-being of producers and to figure out how to respond. The CQI has just released an executive summary that includes key research findings,
Pesticide Action Network Releases New Book
On September 29, 2015, at the 4th International Conference on Chemicals Management (ICCM4) in Geneva, Pesticide Action Network (PAN) International released Replacing Chemicals with Biology: Phasing out highly hazardous pesticides with agroecology. This new PAN book was written to address the concerns of policy makers around the world who are faced with the need
AgroEco® Coffee has a New Look!
AgroEco® Coffee bags have a new look this Fall! It’s the same delicious coffee with a fresh, new look! The red label is for coffee from Nicaragua; the blue label is for coffee from Mexico.
Along with the new labels, we have a new poster that shows how your purchase of AgroEco® Coffee
Good Reads | Can We Level the Playing Field for Coffee Growers?
Check out Lucas Oliver Oswald’s article (August 12, 2015) in Grist: “Can we level the playing field for coffee growers?” Oswald does an analysis about the changing coffee industry and the rise of direct trade. CAN affiliated researcher Dr. Christopher Bacon (Santa Clara University) was interviewed for the article and raised caution about direct trade. Read
Agroecology World Fair Day
Celebrate Agroecology at UC Santa Cruz and Around the World
Friday July 17, 2015
4-6 pm
Cowell Ranch Hay Barn
UC Santa Cruz Campus (near main entrance)
Santa Cruz, California
Agroecology World Fair Day takes place during the 16th Annual International Agroecology Shortcourse. Participate http://nosubhealth.com/ in an exchange
Report from the Field | Ixhuatlan del Café, Veracruz, Mexico
In early June, CAN Executive Director Rose Cohen and Associate Director Heather Putnam traveled to the Central Highlands of Veracruz, Mexico to meet with CAN network partners there and visit rural coffee-growing communities where CAN is working to promote food security and sovereignty in addition to women’s and youth economic empowerment. Heather filed this report:
Ensia Magazine Essay | Agroecology can help fix our broken food system
Inspired by Steve Gliessman and Mark Bittman debating the merits of the term “agroecology” during Steve’s Edible 101 presentation, Maywa Montenegro (food systems researcher, UC Berkeley) wrote an essay published today in Ensia Magazine. The essay, co-published by Ensia Magazine and Food Tank, looks at “agroeocology as a cross-pollination of knowledge, grounded in
Report from the Field | Quintana Roo
CAN Associate Director Heather Putnam recently visited the Zona Maya in Quintana Roo, Mexico to meet with women’s groups working with CAN and the Intercultural Maya University of Quintana Roo (UIMQRoo) to improve household food security and sovereignty in a two year project funded by the W.K. Kellogg Foundation. Here is
Growing Coffee Food Forests | Youth Network Regional Exchange
April 13-19, 2015: Nicaragua
The first internal capacity building exchange of CAN’s network this year took place the week of April 13-19, 2015. More than 25 women and youth leaders from CAN’s partner organizations VIDA AC in Veracruz, Mexico, PRODECOOP and CII-ASDENIC in Las Segovias, Nicaragua, and the UCA San Ramón in San Ramón, Nicaragua joined
Presentation at SCAA Meeting in Seattle, Washington
Community Agroecology Network’s (CAN) Food Security & Sovereignty in Las Segovias, Nicaragua project was selected as a finalist for the 2015 Specialty Coffee Association of America (SCAA) Sustainability Award. Roseann Cohen, executive director of CAN, Maria Eugenia Flores, project manager, Christopher Bacon, CAN affiliated researcher and assistant professor in the Department of Environmental Studies and Sciences
FoCAN’s Jessica Arciga’s Report from Intercambio 2015
FoCAN makes an invaluable contribution to Intercambio, CAN’s international youth exchange. In a blog posted on the FoCAN website, Jessica Arciga shares her experience as an Intercambio 20015 intern.
Intercambio was wonderful week spent among 17 youth exchanges from Veracruz & Yucatan Peninsula, Mexico and Esteli & San Ramon, Nicaragua. The week was full of activities
Steve Gliessman’s Lecture | Edible Education 101
On Monday, March 30, CAN’s Board President and co-founder Steve Gliessman gave a lecture as part of this year’s Edible Education 101. Steve gave an overview of agroecology, using CAN’s work as an example. There were more than 200 people in attendance. After the lecture, Steve and Mark Bittman, co-host of Edible Education 101, continued
WhyHunger Releases New Agroecology Publication
WhyHunger has released its first agroecology publication, “Agroecology: Putting Food Sovereignty into Action.” The publication shares the knowledge and perspectives of 10 social movement leaders who are working to “scale up” agroecology around the world. It also highlights the social, political, cultural, nutritional and spiritual meanings of agroecology from within
Edible Education 101 at UC Berkeley | Stephen Gliessman
“Sustainable Farming through Agroecology” with Stephen Gliessman and Mark Bittman
CAN Board President and co-founder Stephen Gliessman is giving a lecture on March 30 for the online course, Edible Education 101. This course was “created in conjunction with the 40th anniversary celebration of Chez Panisse Restaurant and Café in Berkeley, California.
Collaborations for Adaptation: Smallholder Coffee Farming in Latin America
CAN Executive Director Roseann Cohen and Associate Director Heather Putnam traveled to Vermont to participate in a workshop that held from January 8-10, 2015. The workshop brought together three groups who have a vested interest and experience in working with small holder coffee producers in Latin America: direct and fair trade coffee roasters; non-profit organizations;
Declaration of the International Forum for Agroecology
Nyéléni, Mali
La Via Campesina has published the Declaration of the International Forum for Agroecology on its website. The Declaration was produced by delegates from diverse organizations and international movements of small-scale food producers. The delegates gathered at the Nyéléni Center in Sélingué, Mali from February 24-27, 2015,
From the Roots Up
Global Justice Now, a social justice organization based in London, England, has just published a report that says “…small-scale farmers are the key to addressing food issues across African countries.” The report From the Roots Up : how agroecology can feed Africa discusses agroecology projects in Tanzania, Cameroon,
Seeds of Identity
On March 9, 2015, CAN’s network partner, VIDA, is holding a gathering for women in honor of International Women’s Day. The purpose of the gathering is to recognize women’s contributions to food sovereignty. Topics include traditional food recipes, seed banks, and seed conservation.
“Restoring our Roots, Reclaiming our Labor” | 5th Annual International Youth Exchange for Food Security & Sovereignty
In February 2015, the Community Agroecology Network (CAN) held the 5th Annual International Youth Exchange for Food Security and Sovereignty —“El Intercambio”— in collaboration with its partner organizations in Mexico and Central America: UCA San Ramón (Augusto Cesar Sandino Union of Agricultural Cooperatives), VIDA, A.C. (Agroecological Connection and Development), ASDENIC
International Symposium on Agroecology for Food Security and Nutrition Final Report
“FAO held the International Symposium on Agroecology for Food Security and Nutrition at its headquarters in Rome on September 18 and 19, 2014. Approximately 400 people from 61 different countries (including Permanent Representatives and staff members of representations, FAO / IFAD /
Interview with Adriana Murguia, FoCAN Intercambio Event Coordinator
The February issue of the UC Santa Cruz Sustainability Office features an interview with Adriana Murguia, Friends of CAN’s (FoCAN’s) Intercambio Event Coordinator. Adriana discusses how her work supports sustainability efforts. Click here to read the interview and here to learn more about
Report from Veracruz, Mexico
3 February 2015: The coffee leaf rust (la roya) has reached the Central Highlands of Veracruz, Mexico and small-scale coffee farming families are working to quickly respond to the blight before it further impacts their livelihoods. As the Mexican government promotes a host of new agrochemicals, CAN’s partner VIDA A.C. is steadfast in its promotion
2015 Agroecology Shortcourse
Agroecology, A Global Movement:
Tracing Our Roots and Looking Forward
July 12-25, 2015
Sustainable Living Center
University of California, Santa Cruz (UCSC)
Santa Cruz, California
Steve Gliessman Keynote Speaker | Rose Cohen Speaker | USAID Symposium
CAN Board president Steve Gliessman (Professor Emeritus of Agroecology, UCSC) and CAN Executive Director Roseann Cohen head to Washington, D.C. to attend “Design for Resilience in Smallholder Farming Systems: Symposium and Consultation on Agroecological Principles, Design and Practice.” As keynote speaker, Steve
From the Field | Heather Putnam
CAN Associate Director Heather Putnam made a visit to our partner organization the Union of Cooperatives in San Ramón (UCA San Ramón), Nicaragua the first week of December. Our ongoing partnership with the UCA San Ramon is supporting 8 cooperatives to build community food sovereignty and sustainable local food systems. A principal challenge to this
From the Field | Ben Valdez
Ben Valdez has been an active FoCAN student leader for the past two years and is currently completing a field study with CAN’s partner organization VIDA AC in the Central Highlands of Veracruz, Mexico. Here is his latest update from the field:
Greetings from Ixhuatlan de Café, Veracruz Mexico! My name is Benjamin Valdez,
From the Field | Suraya Arslan
Update from the Field
Suraya Arslan, CAN field intern
27 October 2014: The digital revolution has come late to Nicaragua. The country ranks last regionally and 114th globally in Information and Communication Technology (ICT) development according to a 2013 report by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU). Despite this late start, Nicaraguans have quickly embraced mobile devices
2014 Challenge Grant Announced!
Help Us Turn $30,000 into $60,000!!
This year, generous contributions of $25,000 from the Crary Family Foundation and $5,000 from the Stocker Family Fund have increased our challenge grant to $30,000. Every dollar that you contribute will be matched up to $30,000. Please join us in supporting rural women and youth working toward a more just
Women-Owned Café to Open in San Ramón, Nicaragua
CAN seeks to improve food security and sovereignty (FSS) in rural communities in Central America and Mexico. We promote a combination of strategies that aim to increase local availability and accessibility of diverse, nutritious foods, and improve the environment, but also to empower women as economic agents and providers in
Explaining the “Hungry Farmer Paradox”
Most of the world’s food insecure people live in marginal rural environments. A recent study with coffee producers in northern Nicaragua’s highlands helps explain this “hungry farmer paradox.” These small-scale farmers experienced an average of three months of seasonal hunger over the year studied. Although cash income helped alleviate food scarcity, households
Yucatán Peninsula
STUDENT PROJECT: ALTERNATIVE SPRING BREAK 2010 | Collections from Near and Afar: Yucatán Peninsula
During Spring Break 2010, Patricia Fung, then a student at the University of California, Santa Cruz (UCSC), participated in CAN’s Alternative Spring Break program. She traveled to the Yucatán Peninsula with
Taste of La Pita
The Garcia-Díaz Family, La Pita, Nicaragua. Photo: Mara Nielsen
STUDENT PROJECT: January 2014
In January 2014, Mara Nielsen took part in CAN’s International Field Study program and spent two weeks living with the Garcia-Díaz family in La Pita, Nicaragua. During
Youth Leadership & Education for Sustainable Agriculture and Food Sovereignty
ANNUAL REPORT: Year 3 — March 1, 2013 – February 28, 2014
Through the Youth Leadership and Education for Sustainable Agriculture and Food Sovereignty Project, the Community Agroecology Network, in collaboration with our partner organizations the Union of Cooperatives San Ramón (UCA
Food Security and Sovereignty in Las Segovias, Nicaragua
ANNUAL REPORT: Year 4 — November 1, 2012 – October 30, 2013
Through the Food Security and Sovereignty in Las Segovias Project the Community Agroecology Network (CAN), in collaboration with our partner organization PRODECOOP, RL, aims to improve food security and reduce seasonal hunger among 1500 smallholder
Steve Gliessman Named to Panel of Experts on Sustainable Food Systems (IPES-Food)
CAN’s co-founder and chair of the Board of Directors, Dr. Stephen Gliessman, (Professor Emeritus of Agroecology, University of California, Santa Cruz) has been appointed to an international panel of experts on sustainable food systems. The panel is co-chaired by Dr. Olivia Yambi, nutritionist and former
Innovative AgroEco® Coffee Trade Agreement Empowers Women
Community Agroecology Network (CAN) has joined coffee importer Ético: The Ethical Trading Company (ÉTICO), the British NGO Social Business Network, local coffee roaster Santa Cruz Coffee Roasting Company, the Union of Cooperatives in San Ramón, Nicaragua (UCA SR), and the Denis Gutierrez coffee cooperative to recognize and include the unpaid work of
Face to Face: Food Security in Latin America | Youth Exchange Event at SCU | Apr 12
Food and Agribusiness Institute hosts a food-security conversation with youth organizers visiting from Latin America. The youth are participants in CAN’s 3rd International Youth Exchange for Food Security & Sovereignty (April 8–16). Coffee Brewbar tasting with the youth organizers outside Sunstream Cafe from 2–3 pm. Agro®Eco Coffee provided by CAN.