Our Focus
Agroecology and Rural Livelihoods Group
Our Approach
Agroecology is a transdisciplinary approach that includes the integrative study of the ecology of the entire food system, encompassing ecological, economic and social dimensions. (Source: Francis, C., et al. (2003) Agroecology: the ecology of food systems. Journal of Sustainable Agriculture 22 (3):99-118.) With a commitment to interdisciplinary and inclusive analysis, members of the ARLG work with smallholder farmers, farmer organizations and cooperatives, non-governmental organizations, government agencies and companies to define research questions and then employ transparent processes for data collection and analysis.
As part of a desire to bring his research into action, and with the support of a group of Salvadoran researchers, Ernesto Méndez formed Asesoríae Investigación Interdisciplinaria para el Desarrollo Local y la Conservacíon - ASENDIC (Advising and Interdisciplinary Research for Local Development and Conservation). ASINDEC is a local, non-profit foundation with the aims to conduct participatory action research (PAR), as a strategy to support conservation and livelihood improvement efforts of coffee farmers in El Salvador and Central America. ASINDEC is sister organization of the Community Agroecology Network (CAN) , a U.S. based, non-profit organization, which has a PAR focus, as well as action-education and trade innovations programs. CAN is based at the University of California, Santa Cruz.
Last modified January 28 2013 02:10 PM