Moving Forward
Our goals are not sequential but rather cyclical in their reciprocal development and outcomes. Our work pursues a flexible, participatory approach, where farmers and organizations engage, first, with the agroecology principles they consider most important and would like to better understand and/or strengthen. This initial engagement is followed by stages of negotiated reflection, in order to add other important agroecological principles over time. We are examining and drawing from a variety of agroecological principle frameworks, including the FAO elements, the CIDSE principles, La Via Campesina’s principles and pillars of agroecology to analyze and inform about the advantages and limitations of each tool/framework. Ultimately, we wish to foster a transformative agroecology supported by robust evidence.
Given that there is a long, albeit diverse, trajectory in the application of agroecology by the CCRP projects and cross-cutting grants, this initiative capitalizes on this previous experience to move forward more collaboratively and cohesively. We want to engage actors, both within and outside CCRP, in a co-learning process that deepens and advances 1) our understanding of agroecology; 2) how best to assess agroecological performance at the farm, project (i.e. local), regional and program (i.e. global) levels, and 3) how to engage a diversity of actors in a productive dialogue on agroecological investment and policies at the national and global scales. We look forward to working together and building a comprehensive transition to agroecology.