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.

By |2025-01-09T15:09:22-07:00December 28th, 2024|agroecology, Food Sovereignty, News|

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.

By |2024-12-24T09:43:13-07:00December 23rd, 2024|agroecology, Food Sovereignty, News, Youth Network|

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,.

By |2025-01-09T15:30:33-07:00December 19th, 2024|agroecology, Food Sovereignty, News, Solidarity Economies|

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

By |2024-11-22T20:34:59-07:00November 22nd, 2024|AgroEco Coffee, News, Solidarity Economies|

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

By |2024-06-08T08:36:38-07:00June 8th, 2024|News|

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

By |2023-12-22T08:42:40-07:00December 22nd, 2023|News|

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

By |2023-11-29T09:44:57-07:00November 29th, 2023|News|

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,

By |2023-09-12T17:16:24-07:00September 12th, 2023|AgroEco Coffee, News|

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

By |2023-03-06T18:48:53-07:00March 6th, 2023|Learning Community, News|

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

By |2023-01-06T10:04:46-07:00January 6th, 2023|News|

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

By |2022-12-29T08:10:07-07:00December 29th, 2022|AgroEco Coffee, News|

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,

By |2022-12-26T10:40:20-07:00December 26th, 2022|News, Youth Network|

Solidarity Networks for other Economies- Women building other Economies

SOLIDARITY NETWORKS FOR OTHER ECONOMIES


 

Women Connecting the Networks to Build Other Economies

In Ixhuatlán del Café, Veracruz, México, 800 families grow coffee, producing quality beans that travel from Veracruz to California as part of CAN’s 

By |2022-12-14T14:56:27-07:00December 14th, 2022|News, Youth Network|

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

By |2022-12-14T14:34:56-07:00December 14th, 2022|News, Youth Network|

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

By |2022-12-14T12:32:21-07:00December 14th, 2022|News|

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

By |2022-12-14T11:38:38-07:00November 18th, 2022|News|

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

OPERATIONS MANAGER Job Description pdf

By |2022-08-16T14:49:24-07:00August 9th, 2022|News|

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

By |2021-12-31T11:54:52-07:00December 31st, 2021|Food Sovereignty, Intercambio, News, Youth Network|

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

By |2021-12-31T12:05:37-07:00December 20th, 2021|News|

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

By |2021-12-19T15:47:31-07:00December 19th, 2021|coffee farmers, News, The Coffee Diversification Project|

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

By |2021-12-19T15:52:20-07:00December 12th, 2021|Growing Justice, News|

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.

By |2021-12-19T15:57:00-07:00December 11th, 2021|agroecology, Maya Agroecology, News|

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

By |2021-10-01T14:39:16-07:00October 1st, 2021|Food Sovereignty, News|

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

By |2021-06-15T10:36:03-07:00June 15th, 2021|AgroEco Coffee, coffee farmers, News|

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

By |2021-02-10T18:59:27-07:00February 10th, 2021|AgroEco Coffee, News|

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.
 
By |2021-02-10T19:16:41-07:00February 10th, 2021|Intercambio, News|

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
By |2020-12-13T13:11:19-07:00December 13th, 2020|News|

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

By |2020-12-29T09:17:27-07:00December 13th, 2020|News|

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,

By |2020-11-29T19:14:38-07:00November 29th, 2020|Growing Justice, News|

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

By |2020-09-11T19:32:52-07:00September 6th, 2020|Food Sovereignty, Intercambio, News, Publications|

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

By |2020-08-26T12:52:49-07:00August 20th, 2020|News|

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,

By |2020-09-13T15:40:24-07:00November 3rd, 2019|Intercambio, News|

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
By |2020-11-12T15:58:55-07:00January 18th, 2019|News|

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
By |2020-07-10T22:25:32-07:00December 11th, 2018|News, Publications|

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

By |2020-11-12T15:59:41-07:00December 11th, 2018|News|

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

By |2020-07-10T22:25:33-07:00June 25th, 2018|Growing Justice, News|

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

By |2020-07-10T22:25:34-07:00May 30th, 2018|Donate, News|

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

By |2020-07-10T22:25:34-07:00March 26th, 2018|News, Publications|

“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

By |2020-07-10T22:25:35-07:00March 26th, 2018|News, Publications|

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

By |2020-07-10T22:25:35-07:00February 10th, 2018|About Us, News|

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
By |2020-07-10T22:25:35-07:00January 22nd, 2018|Growing Justice, News|

Reflections from the 2017 AgroEcology Shortcourse

Pathways to Resilience: An Agroecological Approach
 
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
By |2020-07-10T22:25:36-07:00January 22nd, 2018|News|

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.

By |2020-07-10T22:25:36-07:00August 18th, 2017|News|

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
By |2020-07-10T22:25:37-07:00July 7th, 2017|Growing Justice, News|

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

By |2020-07-10T22:25:37-07:00April 7th, 2017|News|

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

By |2020-07-10T22:25:38-07:00March 12th, 2017|CASSA, News|

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

By |2020-07-10T22:25:38-07:00February 24th, 2017|News|

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

By |2020-07-10T22:25:38-07:00February 10th, 2017|News|

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
By |2020-07-10T22:25:38-07:00December 23rd, 2016|Intercambio, News|

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

By |2020-07-10T22:25:38-07:00December 12th, 2016|Donate, News|

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.

By |2020-07-10T22:25:39-07:00November 29th, 2016|News|

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

By |2020-07-10T22:25:39-07:00November 10th, 2016|Growing Justice, News|

“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

By |2020-07-10T22:25:39-07:00August 10th, 2016|Growing Justice, Intercambio, News|

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 &

By |2020-07-10T22:25:39-07:00June 30th, 2016|Growing Justice, Intercambio, News|

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,

By |2020-07-10T22:25:40-07:00May 23rd, 2016|About Us, News|

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

By |2020-07-10T22:25:40-07:00March 8th, 2016|News|

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

By |2020-07-10T22:25:40-07:00March 8th, 2016|News|

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

By |2020-07-10T22:25:41-07:00February 27th, 2016|Growing Justice, News|

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

By |2020-07-10T22:25:41-07:00December 16th, 2015|CASSA, News|

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

By |2020-07-10T22:25:41-07:00November 23rd, 2015|News|

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

By |2020-07-10T22:25:41-07:00November 23rd, 2015|News|

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

By |2020-07-10T22:25:42-07:00November 23rd, 2015|News|

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

By |2020-07-10T22:25:42-07:00October 28th, 2015|Growing Justice, News|

Student Project | Seed Saving Strategies in San Ramón, Nicaragua

Adriana 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

By |2020-07-10T22:25:42-07:00October 28th, 2015|News|

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

By |2020-07-10T22:25:42-07:00October 26th, 2015|News|

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,

By |2020-07-10T22:25:43-07:00October 12th, 2015|News|

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

By |2020-07-10T22:25:43-07:00October 12th, 2015|News|

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

By |2020-07-10T22:25:43-07:00September 28th, 2015|AgroEco Coffee, News|

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

By |2020-07-10T22:25:43-07:00August 25th, 2015|News|

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:

By |2020-07-10T22:25:44-07:00June 30th, 2015|News|

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

By |2020-07-10T22:25:44-07:00June 17th, 2015|News, Publications|

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
By |2020-07-10T22:25:44-07:00May 6th, 2015|News|

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

By |2020-07-10T22:25:44-07:00April 29th, 2015|Intercambio, News|

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

By |2020-07-10T22:25:45-07:00April 29th, 2015|News|

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

By |2020-07-10T22:25:45-07:00April 8th, 2015|Intercambio, News|

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

By |2020-07-10T22:25:45-07:00April 7th, 2015|News, Publications|

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

By |2020-07-10T22:25:45-07:00March 26th, 2015|News|

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.

By |2020-07-10T22:25:46-07:00March 21st, 2015|News|

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;

By |2020-07-10T22:25:46-07:00March 11th, 2015|News|

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,

By |2020-07-10T22:25:46-07:00March 11th, 2015|News|

“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

By |2020-07-10T22:25:47-07:00March 3rd, 2015|Intercambio, News|

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 /

By |2020-07-10T22:25:47-07:00February 17th, 2015|News|

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

By |2020-07-10T22:25:47-07:00February 13th, 2015|Intercambio, News|

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

By |2020-07-10T22:25:48-07:00February 9th, 2015|News|

Steve Gliessman Keynote Speaker | Rose Cohen Speaker | USAID Symposium

Steve&RoseCAN 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

By |2020-07-10T22:25:48-07:00January 19th, 2015|News|

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

By |2020-05-28T19:28:00-07:00December 10th, 2014|News|

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

By |2020-07-10T22:25:48-07:00December 10th, 2014|News|

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

By |2020-07-10T22:25:49-07:00October 13th, 2014|Donate, News|

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
By |2020-07-10T22:25:49-07:00October 13th, 2014|News|

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

By |2020-07-10T22:25:49-07:00October 13th, 2014|News|

Youth Leadership & Education for Sustainable Agriculture and Food Sovereignty

ANNUAL REPORT: Year 3 — March 1, 2013 – February 28, 2014

proud kids showing off vegetable plots

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

By |2020-07-10T22:25:51-07:00October 7th, 2014|News|

Food Security and Sovereignty in Las Segovias, Nicaragua

ANNUAL REPORT: Year 4 — November 1, 2012 – October 30, 2013

Julisa_MalangaTree_

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

By |2020-07-10T22:25:51-07:00October 7th, 2014|News|

Steve Gliessman Named to Panel of Experts on Sustainable Food Systems (IPES-Food)

Steve GliessmanCAN’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

By |2020-07-10T22:25:51-07:00August 27th, 2014|News|

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

By |2020-07-10T22:25:52-07:00June 26th, 2013|News|

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.

Santa Clara University campus map and directions

By |2020-07-10T22:25:52-07:00April 17th, 2013|News|
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