Recent Publications
Agroecology and Rural Livelihoods Group
Publications
Names highlighted in bold denote members of the Agroecology and Rural Livelihoods Group
Accepted/Forthcoming 2013 2012 2011 2010 2009 2008 2007 2006 2005 2004 2003 2002 2001 2000 1999 1998 1997 1996Accepted/Forthcoming
Erickson, D.L., S.T. Lovell & V.E. Méndez (accepted) Identifying, quantifying and classifying agricultural opportunities for land use planning . Landscape & Urban Planning
2013
Morris, K.S., V.E. Méndez, S.T. Lovell & M. Olson (2013) Conventional food plot management in an organic coffee cooperative: explaining the paradox. Agroecology and Sustainable Food Systems 37(7): in press. Méndez, V.E., C.M. Bacon, M.B. Olson, K.S. Morris & A. Shattuck (2013) Conservación de agrobiodiversidad y medios de vida en cooperativas de café bajo sombra en Centroamérica [Conservation of agrobiodiversity and livelihoods in shade coffee cooperatives of Central America]. Ecosistemas (Spain) 22(1): 16-24. pdf Morris, K.S., V. E. Méndez & M.B. Olson (2013) 'Los meses flacos': seasonal food insecurity in a Salvadoran organic coffee cooperative. Journal of Peasant Studies 40(2): 457-480. pdf Sales, E.F., V. E. Méndez, F.R. Caporal & J.C. Faria (2013) Agroecological transition of Conilon coffee (Coffea
canephora) agroforestry systems in the State of Espírito Santo, Brazil. Agroecology
and Sustainable Food Systems 37(4): 405-429. pdf Fernandez, M., K. Goodall, M.B. Olson & V.E. Méndez (2013) Agroecology and alternative agrifood movements in the United States: towards a sustainable agrifood system. Agroecology and Sustainable Food Systems 37(1):115-126. pdf
Méndez, V.E., C.M. Bacon and R. Cohen (2013). Agroecology as a transdisciplinary, participatory
and action-oriented approach. Agroecology and Sustainable Food Systems 37(1):3-18. pdf
Méndez, V.E., C.M. Bacon and R. Cohen (Guest Editors) (2013). Agroecology and the transformation
of agro-food systems: Transdisciplinary and participatory perspectives. Invited Special Inaugural
Issue of Agroecology and Sustainable Food Systems 37(1) http://www.tandfonline.com/toc/wjsa21/37/1
2012
Caswell, M., V.E. Méndez & C.M. Bacon (2012) Food security and smallholder coffee
production: current issues and future directions. ARLG Policy Brief # 1. Agroecology
and Rural Livelihoods Group (ARLG), University of Vermont: Burlington, VT. pdf Schattman, R., V.E. Méndez & K.E. Westdijk (2012) Vermont farm resilience in a changing clmate: survey of Vermont agricultural service providers. ARLG Research Brief # 1. Agroecology and Rural Livelihoods Group (ARLG), University of Vermont: Burlington, VT. pdf
Berlin, L., R. Schattman & J. Hamilton (2012) Working toward the commong table: The policy
and program implications of Vermont's unified approach to social justice, food insecurity
and local food. Journal of Hunger & Environmental Nutrition 7(4): 426-435. pdf
Cayuela, L., L. Gálvez-Bravo, R. Pérez Pérez, F.S. de Albuquerque, D.J.Golicher, R.A. Zahawi, N. Ramírez-Marcial,
C. Garibaldi, R. Field, J.M. Rey Benayas, M. Gónzalez-Espinosa, P. Balvanera, M.A. Castillo,
B.L. Figueroa-Rangel, D.M. Griffith, G.A. Islebe, D.L. Kelly, M.Olvera-Vargas, S.A. Schnitzer, E. Velázquez,
G. Williams-Linera, S.W.Brewer, A. Camacho-Cruz, I. Coronado, B. de Jong, R. del Castillo, I. de la Cerda,
J. Férnandez, W. Fonseca, L. Galindo-Jaimes, T. W.Gillespie, B. González-Rivas, J.E. Gordon, J. Hurtado,
J. Linares, S.G. Letcher, S. Mangan, J.A. Meave, V. E. Méndez, V. Meza, S. Ochoa-Gaona,C.J. Peterson,
V. Ruiz-Gutierrez, K.A. Snarr, F. Tun Dzul, M. Valdez-Hernández, K.M. Viergever, D.A. White, J.N. Williams,
F.J. Bonet & R. Zamora (2012) The Tree Biodiversity Network (BIOTREE-NET): prospects for biodiversity
research and conservation in the Neotropics. Biodiversity and Ecology (Germany) 4: 211-224.
Available online: http://www.biodiversity-plants.de/biodivers_ecol/vol4.php
Cayuela, L., L. Gálvez-Bravo, R. Pérez Pérez, F.S. de Albuquerque, D.J.Golicher, R.A. Zahawi, N. Ramírez-Marcial,
C. Garibaldi, R. Field, J.M. Rey Benayas, M. Gónzalez-Espinosa, P. Balvanera, M.A. Castillo,
B.L. Figueroa-Rangel, D.M. Griffith, G.A. Islebe, D.L. Kelly, M.Olvera-Vargas, S.A. Schnitzer, E. Velázquez,
G. Williams-Linera, S.W.Brewer, A. Camacho-Cruz, I. Coronado, B. de Jong, R. del Castillo, I. de la Cerda,
J. Férnandez, W. Fonseca, L. Galindo-Jaimes, T. W.Gillespie, B. González-Rivas, J.E. Gordon, J. Hurtado,
J. Linares, S.G. Letcher, S. Mangan, J.A. Meave, V. E. Méndez, V. Meza, S. Ochoa-Gaona,C.J. Peterson,
V. Ruiz-Gutierrez, K.A. Snarr, F. Tun Dzul, M. Valdez-Hernández, K.M. Viergever, D.A. White, J.N. Williams,
F.J. Bonet & R. Zamora (2012) La Red Internacional de Inventarios Forestales (BIOTREE-NET) en
Mesoamérica: avances, retos y perspectivas futuras [The Tree Biodiversity Network (BIOTREE-NET)
in Mesoamerica: progress, challenges and future perspectives]. Ecosistemas (Spain) 21(1-2):126-135. pdf
Olson, M.B., K.S. Morris & V. E. Méndez (2012) Cultivation of maize landraces by small-scale shade coffee
farmers in western El Salvador. Agricultural Systems 111:63-74. pdf
Castro-Tanzi, S., T. Dietsch, N. Urena, L. Vindas & M. Chandler (2012) Analysis of management and
site factors to improve the sustainability of smallholder coffee production in Tarrazú, Costa Rica.
Agriculture, Ecosystems and Environment 155: 172-181. pdf
Méndez, V. E., Castro-Tanzi, S., Goodall, K., Morris, K. S., Bacon, C.M., Läderach, P., Morris, W. B. &
Georgeoglou-Laxalde, M. U.(2012) Livelihood and environmental trade-offs of climate mitigation in
smallholder coffee agroforestry systems.pp. 370-381. In E. K. Wollenberg, A. Nihart, M. Grieg-Gran &
M. L.Tapio-Biström (Eds.) Climate change mitigation and agriculture. London: Earthscan.
2011
Erickson, D.L., S.T. Lovell & V.E. Méndez (2011) Landowner willingness to embed production agriculture and
other land use options in residential areas of Chittenden county, Vermont, USA. Landscape & Urban Planning
103(2): 174-184. pdf
Davis, A. and V.E. Méndez (2011) Prioritizing food security and livelihoods in climate change mitigation
mechanisms: Experiences and opportunities for smallholder coffee agroforestry, forest communities and
REDD+. Policy Brief. Salvadoran Research Program on Development and Environment (PRISMA):
San Salvador, El Salvador. pdf
Jha, S., C.M. Bacon, S.M. Philpott, R. Rice, V.E. Méndez & P. Laderach (2011). A review of
ecosystem services and farmer livelihoods in shade cofffee agroecosystems. pp. 141-208. In B.W. Campbell and
S. Lopez Ortiz (eds). Integrating Agriculture, Conservation, and Ecotourism: Examples from the Field.
Volume 1 of the Issues in Agroecology Series. Springer Academic Publishers: New York and The
Netherlands. pdf
2010
Méndez, V. E. (2010). Agroecology. In B. Warf (ed.) Encyclopedia of Geography.Thousand Oaks, CA:
Sage Publications.pdf
Lovell, S. T., V. E. Méndez, D. L. Erickson, C. Nathan & S.DeSantis (2010). Extent, pattern, and
multifunctionality of treed habitats on farms in Vermont, USA. Agroforestry Systems 80(2):153-171. pdf
Méndez, V. E., C.M. Bacon, M. Olson, S. Petchers, D. Herrador, C. Carranza, L. Trujillo, C.
Guadarrama-Zugasti, A. Cordón & A. Mendoza (2010). Effects of Fair Trade and organic certifications
on small-scale coffee farmer households in Central America and Mexico. Renewable Agriculture and
Food Systems 25(3): 236-251. pdf
Méndez, V. E., C. M. Bacon, M. Olson, K. S. Morris & A. K. Shattuck (2010). Agrobiodiversity and shade
coffee smallholder livelihoods: A review and synthesis of ten years of research in Central America.
Special Focus Section on Geographic Contributions to Agrobiodiversity Research. Professional
Geographer 62 (3): 357-376.pdf
Lovell, S.T., S. DeSantis, C.A. Nathan, M.B. Olson, V.E. Méndez, H.C.Kominami, D.L. Erickson, K.S.
Morris & W.B. Morris (2010). Integrating agroecology and landscape multifunctionality in Vermont:
An evolving framework to evaluate the design of agroecosystems. Agricultural Systems 103:327-341.
2009
Méndez, V.E., E.N. Shapiro & G.S. Gilbert (2009). Cooperative management and its effects on shade tree
diversity, soil properties and ecosystem services of coffee plantations in western El Salvador.
Special Issue on Agroforestry for Ecosystem Services and Environmental Benefits. Agroforestry
Systems 76(1): 111-126. DOI 10.1007/s10457-009-9220-3 pdf
2008
Méndez, V. E. (2008). Farmer livelihoods and biodiversity conservation in a coffee landscape of El
Salvador. pp. 207-236. In C. M. Bacon, V. E. Mendez, S.R. Gliessman, D. Goodman & J. A. Fox
(eds.) Confronting the coffee crisis: Fair Trade, sustainable livelihoods and ecosystems in Mexico
and Central America. MIT Press: Cambridge, MA, U.S.A. pdf
Méndez, V. E., S. Petchers & M. Portillo (2008). Certificaciones de cafe: Version popular (Coffee
certidications, a popular version for audiences with low educational levels). San Salvador, El
Salvador: Oxfam America & Equipo Maíz.
Bacon, C.M., V. E. Méndez, S.R. Gliessman, D. Goodman & J. A. Fox (eds.) (2008). Confronting the
coffee crisis: Fair Trade,sustainable livelihoods and ecosystems in Mexico and Central America.
MIT Press: Cambridge, MA, USA. Order from MIT Press
Bacon, C.M., V.E. Méndez & J.A. Fox (2008). Cultivating sustainable coffee: Persistent paradoxes.
pp.337-372. In C. M. Bacon, V. E. Mendez, S.R. Gliessman, D. Goodman & J. A. Fox (eds.)
Confronting the coffee crisis: Fair Trade, sustainable livelihoods and ecosystems in Mexico and
Central America. MIT Press: Cambridge, MA, U.S.A.
Bacon, C.M., V.E. Méndez, M.E. Flores, D. Stuart & S.R. Diaz (2008). Are sustainable coffee
certifications enough to secure farmer livelihoods? The millenium development goals and Nicaragua's
Fair Trade cooperatives. Globalizations 5(2): 259-274. pdf
Bacon, C., V.E. Méndez, M.E. Flores & M. Brown (2008). Will "we" achieve the millenium development
goals with small-scale coffee growers and their cooperatives? A case study evaluating Fair Trade and
organic coffee networks in northern Nicaragua. Center Research Brief # 12. Center for Agroecology
and Sustainable Food Systems. University of California: Santa Cruz, CA, USA. Available online: pdf
Bacon, C. M., E. Whitlow-Inman & V. E. Méndez (2008). Agroecology, a next step in sustainable coffee.
Fresh Cup, February:82-87. pdf
2007
Méndez, V. E., S.R. Gliessman, and G.S. Gilbert (2007). Tree biodiversity in farmer cooperatives of a
shade coffee landscape in western El Salvador. Agriculture, Ecosystems and Environment 119(1-2):
145-159. pdf
Méndez, V.E. (2007). Procesos ecologicos y medios de vida agricolas en el cultivo de cafe bajo sombra.
LEISA Revista de Agroecologia (Peru) 22, 26-28. pdf
Gliessman, S. R., F. Rosado-May, C. Guadarrama-Zugasti, J. Jedlicka, A. Cohn, V. E. Méndez, R.
Cohen, L. Trujillo, C. Bacon & R. Jaffe (2007). Agroecologia: Promoviendo una transicion hacia la
sostenibilidad (Agroecology: promoting a transition towards sustainability). Ecosistemas (Spain)
16(1): 13-28. pdf
Gómez, I. & V. E. Méndez (2007) Association of forest communities of Petén, Guatemala: context
accomplishments and challenges. 2nd Ed. Center for International Forestry Research (CIFOR)
and PRISMA. pdf
Méndez, V.E. & S.T. Lovell (2007). Ecosystem Services Conservation and Farmer Livelihoods in a Shade
Coffee Landscape of Western El Salvador. Electronic Proceedings of the Second International
Symposium on “Multi-Strata Agroforestry Systems with Perennial Crops: Making ecosystem services
count for farmers, consumers and the environment.” September 17 – 21, 2007. CATIE, Turrialba,
Costa Rica. pdf
Gershenson, A., K. Holl, P. Holloran, J. Jedlicka, V.E. Méndez, D. Mulvaney, B. Petersen, A. Spalding &
M. Vasey (2007). Mann, A. 2005. 1491: New revelations of the Americas before Columbus. Alfred
Knopf: New York, NY, 465 pp. Book Review for Restoration Ecology 15(1): 168-169.
2006
Méndez, V. E. & C. Bacon (2006). Ecological processes and farmer livelihoods in shaded coffee production.
Invited Article. LEISA (The Netherlands) 22(4): 22-23. pdf
Méndez, V. E., C. Bacon, S. Petchers, D. Herrador, C. Carranza, L. Trujillo, C. Guadarrama-Zugasti,
A.Cordon & A. Mendoza (2006). Sustainable coffee from the bottom-up: Impacts of certification
initiatives on small-scale farmer and estate worker households and communities in Central
America and Mexico. Research Report. Oxfam America: Boston, MA.
2005
Méndez, V.E. (2005). Cafe con sombra y alternativas para reducir la presion del cambio del uso del suelo
en la zona Sur de Ahuachapan, El Salvador (Shade coffee and alternatives to reduce pressure of
land use change in the Southern zone of Ahuachapan, El Salvador). UICN-Proyecto BASIM: San
Jose, Costa Rica. 56 p. pdf
Méndez, V.E. & C. Bacon (2005). Medios de vida y conservacion de la biodiversidad arborea: Las
experiencias de las cooperativas cafetaleras en El Salvador y Nicaragua (Livelihoods and
conservation of tree biodiversity: Experiences in coffee cooperatives of El Salvador and Nicaragua).
LEISA Revista de Agroecologia (Peru) 20(4): 27-30. pdf
Bacon, C., V.E. Méndez & M. Brown (2005). Participatory action-research and support for community
development and conservation: Examples from shade coffee landscapes of El Salvador and
Nicaragua. Center Research Brief # 6. Center for Agroecology and Sustainable Food Systems.
University of California: Santa Cruz, CA, USA. Available online:
http://repositories.cdlib.org/casfs/rb/brief_no6/
Gomez, I. & V.E. Méndez (2005). Asociacion de comunidades forestales de Peten, Guatemala: Contexto,
logros y desafios (Association of forestry communities of Peten, Guatemala: Context,
accomplishments & challenges). PRISMA: San Salvador, El Salvador. pdf
2004
Méndez, V. E. (2004). Intercambio de "agricultor a agricultor" entre cuatro cooperativas cafetaleras de El
Salvador y la Central de Cooperativas Cafetaleras del Norte (CECOCAFEN), Nicaragua. ASINDEC:
San Salvador, El Salvador. pdf
Gliessman, S. R., C. Bacon, R. Cohen, C.Guadarrama-Zugasti, L. Trujillo & V.E. Méndez (2004).
Qu'est-ce que l'agroecologie? (What is agroecology?) l' Ecologiste (French edition of the Ecologist)
5 (3):27-29.
2003
Cuellar, N., V. E. Méndez, S. Larios & L. Dimas (2003). Tendencias y perspectivas del sector forestal en
El Salvador del siglo XX (Tendencies and perspectives of the forestry sector in El Salvador for the
21st century). FAO/MAG: San Salvador, El Salvador.
Rosa, H., S. Kandel, L. Dimas & V. E. Méndez (2003). Payments for environmental services and rural
communities: Lessons from the Americas. Conference Paper No. 14. International Conference on
Natural Assets. 8-11 January. Tagaytay City: The Phillipines. pdf
2002
Méndez, V.E. y S.R. Gliessman (2002). Un enfoque interdisciplinario para la investigacion en agroecologia
y desarrollo rural en el tropico Latinoamericano (An interdisciplinary approach for research in
agroecology and rural development in the Latin American tropics). Manejo Integrado de Plagas y
Agroecologia (Costa Rica) 64: 5-16. Available on-line: pdf
Méndez, V. E. (2002). Sombra, medios de vida rural y conservacion en pequenas fincas y cooperatives
cafetaleras del occidente de El Salvador (Shade, rural livelihoods and conservation in small coffee
farms and cooperatives of western El Salvador). pp. 63-69. In A. Monro & M. C. Pena-Chamorro
(eds.) Actas del Simposio sobre Cafe y Biodiversidad/Revista Proteccion Vegetal 12(2). The Natural
History Museum (London)/Universidad de El Salvador: San Salvador, El Salvador.
Méndez, V. E. (2002). Fair trade networks in two coffee cooperatives of western El Salvador: An analysis
of insertion through a second level organization. Case Study for the Project on "Poverty Alleviation
Through Participation in Fair Trade Networks". Colorado State University/Ford Foundation: Ft. Collins,
CO, USA. Available on-line: pdf
Méndez, V. E., D. Herrador, L. Dimas, M. Escalante, O. Diaz & M. Garcia (2002). Cafe con sombra y
pago por servicios ambientales: Riesgos y oportunidades para impulsar mecanismos con pequenos
agricultores de El Salvador (Shade coffee and payment for environmental services: Risks and
opportunities to foster mechanisms with small-scale farmers in El Salvador). Estudio de Caso para
El Proyecto “Pago por Servicios Ambientales en las Americas” PRISMA/Fundacion FORD: San
Salvador, El Salvador.
Herrador, D., L. A. Dimas & V. E. Méndez (2002). Pago por servicios ambientales en El Salvador:
Oportunidades y riesgos para pequeos agricultores y comunidades rurales (Payment for
environmental services in El Salvador: Opportunities and risks for small-scale farmers and rural
communities). PRISMA: San Salvador, El Salvador.
Méndez, V.E. Gliessman, S. R. (2002). Agroecologia: procesos ecologicos en la agricultura
sostenible. CATIE: Turrialba, Costa Rica. 359 p. Book Review in Manejo Integrado de Plagas y
Agroecologia (Costa Rica) (2002) No. 65:130.
Méndez, V.E. Monro, A., D. Alexander, J. Reyes, M. Renderos & N. Ventura (2001). Arboles
de los cafetales de El Salvador (Trees of the coffee plantations of El Salvador). The Natural History
Museum/MARN/PROCAFE/UES/Jardin Botanico La Laguna: San Salvador, El Salvador. Book
Review in Plant Cuttings On-line (2002) Issue No. 8.
http://www.nhm.ac.uk/botany/cuttings/issue8/publications/index.html.
2001
Méndez V.E., R. Lok & E. Somarriba (2001). Interdisciplinary analysis of homegardens in Nicaragua:
Micro-zonation, plant use and socioeconomic importance. Agroforestry Systems 51(2): 85-96. pdf
Méndez, V.E. (2001). SNV-Netherlands Development Organization and AID Environment. 1999. SEAN
Toolbook. Contains booklet with theoretical background to Strategic Environmental Analysis (SEAN);
Case study; Process cards*SEAN graphs. SNV: The Hague, the Netherlands. Book Reviewed in
Indigenous Knowledge and Development Monitor 9 (3): 35-36.
2000
Méndez V.E.(2000). An assessment of tropical homegardens as examples of local sustainable
agroforestry systems. pp 51-66. In S.R. Gliessman (ed.) Agroecosystem sustainability: Developing
practical strategies. CRC Press: Boca Raton, FL, USA. pdf
Méndez V. E., J. Beer, J. Faustino & A. Otarola (2000). Plantacion de arboles en linea (Line tree planting).
Modulo de Ensenanza Agroforestal 1. 2a Edicion. Serie Materiales de Ensenanza 39. CATIE:
Turrialba, Costa Rica. 134 p.
1999
Méndez, E., G. Calvo & M. Ortiz (1999). Caracterizacion de la comunidad Ngobe de Valle de Risco,
Bocas del Toro, Panama (Characterization of the Ngobe community of Valle de Risco, Bocas del
Toro, Panama). Revista Forestal Centroamericana (Costa Rica) 28: 32-36.
Méndez, V. E., R. Lok & E. Somarriba (1999). Interdisciplinary analysis of homegardens: A case study
from Nicaragua. Pp. 260-263. In F. Jimenez & J. Beer (eds.) Proceedings of the International
Symposium on Multi-strata Agroforestry Systems with Perennial Crops. CATIE: Turrialba, Costa Rica..
Calvo, G., V.E. Méndez & M. Ortiz (1999). El proceso agroforestal participativo en Valle de Risco,
Bocas del Toro (The participatory agroforestry process in Valle de Risco, Bocas del Toro).
Agroforesteria en las Americas (Costa Rica) 6(21): 17-19.
1998
Méndez V. E., J. Beer & J. Faustino (1998). Plantacion de arboles en linea (Line tree planting). Modulo
de Ensenanza Agroforestal 1. Serie Materiales de Ensenanza 39. 1 Edicion. CATIE: Turrialba,
Costa Rica.117 p.
Lok, R. & V.E. Méndez (1998). El uso del ordenamiento local del espacio para una clasificacion de
huertos en Nicaragua (The use of local spatial organization for the classification of homegardens in
Nicaragua). Pp 129-149. In R. Lok (ed) Huertos caseros tradicionales de America Central:
Caracteristicas, beneficios e importancia desde un enfoque multidisciplinario. CATIE: Turrialba,
Costa Rica.
1997
Méndez, E. & R. Lok (1997). Analisis agroecologico de huertos caseros tradicionales en Nicaragua
(Agroecological analysis of traditional homegardens in Nicaragua). CATIE (ed.) Actas de la III Semana
Cientifica, CATIE. 3-5 Feb. pp. 240-244. CATIE: Turrialba, Costa Rica.
1996
Méndez, V.E., R. Lok & E. Somarriba (1996). Analisis agroecologico de huertos caseros en Nicaragua
(Agroecological analysis of homegardens in Nicaragua). Agroforesteria en las Americas (Costa Rica)
10: 36-40.
Shelton M.D., V.R. Walters, D. Brandl & V.E. Méndez (1996). Refrigerated controlled atmosphere storage
during marine shipment on insect mortality and cut flower vase life. HortTechnology (U.S.A.) 6(3):
247-250.