Jesús Vázquez, General Coordinator of Organización Boricuá de Agricultura Ecológica and a member of La Via Campesina in Puerto Rico, spoke on the IFAD’s Foods-Farms-Future podcast about viewing agroecology not just as a set of practices, but as a social movement, a science, and a way of life.
“In Boricuá , it’s many small farms producing, sharing, and working together to feed people,” he says.
Agroecology, as La Via Campesina sees it, is about producing healthy food and also about organizing the peasants who produce it so they have autonomy and control over both the means of production and the crops they choose to grow, with the primary aim of feeding people and ensuring food sovereignty. Jesús goes on to explain how the diversified practices on the farm build resilience in communities, improve soil health, and help cool down the planet.
“In Boricuá, the movement goes from farm to farm, supporting and educating small producers to protect our land, water, and air for ourselves and future generations,” he adds.
Listen to the full interview here.