The Agroecology Movement in Costa Rica. Aims Actors Structures and Relation to Organic Agriculture

Research Paper (undergraduate) from the year 2018 in the subject Agrarian Studies grade: 23 University of Hohenheim (Zentrum Ökologischer Landbau Universität Hohenheim) language: English abstract: Agroecology just like Organic Agriculture in Europe belongs to the huge amount of approaches which aim to perform agriculture in a more sustainable way. The Agroecology movement as it is named by the famous agronomist and agroecological expert Altieri has its origins in Latin America. The approach of Agroecology is integrating ecological measures and traditional knowledge into the farming system aiming to perform agriculture in a more sustainable and also to attain food sovereignty and food security. Regarding to the sheer size of Latin America several regions are subdivided by having their own sub-movement. By focussing on Costa Rica as part of Central America this case study aims to give a proper understanding how the Central American movement works. The sub-movement in Central America is called the farmer-to-farmer movement. Here knowledge and technology are passed on between several farmers within one region seeing themselves as peer. Trainers so called promotors are installed are doing the preparatory work as they are the link between knowledge and the soon-to-be Agroecological farmers. Workshops are held and a pre-structuring is given to enable and simplify the application of Agroecology. CAC can be rather seen as a key methodology having its origins in Central America. For the Agroecological farmers the CAC approach is not to be categorised nowhere near Agroecology. CAC is just a method whereas the farmers are practicing Agroecology as a philosophy. Their philosophy is including culture traditional practices and community living together with exchange and political advocacy. Public instruments and structures are not given solely for Agroecology but for several sustainable agriculture approaches together. A law on Organic Agriculture was imp