We’re happy to share the good news that The Federación Nacional Sindical Unitaria Agropecuaria/the National Federation of Agricultural Trade Unions (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!
The inauguration of the first class of students at the “María Cano” Latin American Agroecology Institute (IALA María Cano).
Here, students are participating in a mistica about violence in Colombia.
The school, pictured above, currently has its’ first class of students from local peasant, indigenous and afro-descendant associations from all over rural Colombia, that are affiliated to FENSUAGRO.
Students have the opportunity to work on the schools agroecological farm in the mornings, and have classes in the afternoons.
It is clear from the turnout of the inauguration that the students and teachers are all committed, and that there will be a very high demand to attend the “María Cano” Latin American Agroecology Institute (IALA María Cano).
