March Meeting: Erin Nelson - Agro-ecology in Mexico

MEETING LOCATION:

We will be meeting in person at Bonar Parkdale Presbyterian Church, 250 Dunn Ave, just South of Queen Street West. Arrive after 6:30 PM for refreshments and socializing, the meeting starts at 7:30PM.

We will also be holding the meeting online through Zoom. Members will be sent the link in the newsletter in the week leading up to the meeting.

TALK & SPEAKER:

DR. ERIN NELSON is an Associate Professor in the Department of Sociology and Anthropology at  the University of Guelph and Affiliate of the Guelph Institute of Development Studies.  She holds a PhD in Rural Studies, and her research explores the development of more  sustainable food systems in Canada and Latin America. In particular, she focuses on agroecology, analyzing how knowledge-exchange builds capacity for agroecological production, and how agroecological systems contribute to ecological resilience and  community wellbeing. As a community-engaged scholar, she works closely with a wide  range of partners, including civil society organizations and farmer networks in Ontario, Mexico, and Cuba.

In this monthly talk, Dr. Nelson will share stories and insights from her work in Mexico, where farmers, researchers and community leaders are working together to scale up agroecology. At the centre of these efforts is the Huerta Madre (or Mother Farm) - a 16-hectare citrus farm that, in 2004, began a gradual transition away from agrochemical use. Today the Huerta Madre is a certified organic farm and knowledge hub that has helped train more than 3500 small-scale farmers in the principles and practices of agroecology and successfully advocated for sustainable food and farming policy. The group’s vision is to stop agrochemical use in northern Veracruz State, and gradually scale up agroecology, prioritizing network-based knowledge-sharing, community-based economies, social justice, health, and well-being.

Most available resources about this work are in Spanish, however if you are keen to learn more about it and keep up your Spanish and Nahuatl - check out the videos below!