Colombia’s New Latin American Agroecology Institute Welcomes First Class

By Cataydra Brown

We’re happy to share the good news that The National Federation of Farmers and Cattle (FENSUAGRO) – Colombia has recently held the inauguration of the first class of students at the “Maria Cano” Latin American Agroecology Institute (IALA). FENSUAGRO is a agricultural workers’ union where its members work to maintain their training center, grow coffee, vegetables and raise small animals. The new agroecology class has been made possible through support from WhyHunger’s International Solidarity Fund that provided the initial funds to rehabilitate the Raul Valbuena Training Center to serve as a space for agroecology classes to peasant families in Colombia. The first class consists of 25 students, who are apart of local peasant, indigenous, and afro-descendant associations affiliated with FENSUAGRO. The students, aged 18 through 28, will get a 2 1Ž2 year junior college degree in agroecology. They will also have the option to complete an additional two years at the University of Amazonas, and get a full university degree.

“Peasant agroecological territories are our proposal for a genuine peace with social justice, in harmony with Mother Earth.” – Peter Rosset

Students in this program will alternate between attending classes at IALA, and doing projects in their home communities. They also have an opportunity to work on the school’s agroecological farm in the mornings, which gives them a great mix of technical training in agroecology, peasant politics, and community organizing. The second class of 50 students will begin their classes soon and we look forward to FENSUAGRO’s continued growth and are committed to continuing to invest in social movements working for food sovereignty. Enjoy the pictures of the school and students below!

Cataydra Brown is a Jeannette K. Watson fellow, a three year highly selective fellowship named the that further expands the vision of promising students, and develops their potential to become effective and humane leaders. Program components include domestic and international cross sector internships, cultural excursions, networking with industry leaders and professional development seminars that allow fellows to create their own paths in the larger landscape. Selection criteria include leadership, ability to work in teams, drive and ambition, curiosity, communication skills, academic excellence, and integrity.

This article first appeared in the WhyHunger Connect Blog