Grassroots Innovations Assembly for Agroecology

= "An agroecology assembly of local networks active to value grassroots innovations worldwide".

URL = https://www.gia-agroecology.org/

"We promote, support and defend local knowledge, tools techniques, as innovative solutions for food producers communities autonomy and sovereignty."

Description

"While diverse in approaches, what unites these organizations and networks is their shared emphasis on peasant and farmer-led innovation, ecological sustainability, peer to peer exchange, and creative commons and open-source diffusion models. What’s more, this form of innovation goes beyond technology. In responding to a lack of appropriate tools, these grassroots innovation networks are simultaneously developing novel forms of organization, production, and knowledge exchange that trouble profit motivated, competitive models of innovation. The result is an emergent socio-technical ecosystem that supports agroecology, strengthening local and regional economies while contributing to a growing innovation commons. In addition to this critical innovation infrastructure, these networks can also foster critical discourse as well as participatory technology assessment. It is therefore not a question of whether another vision of innovation and technology in agriculture is possible. As the ongoing work of these organizations demonstrates, it is already happening. (Extract from Gallese report, Maya Cohen)"

(https://www.gia-agroecology.org/index.php/who-we-are/)

Directory

of member organizations:

• OpenTEAM USA: The Open Technology Ecosystem for Agricultural Management, is equipping food systems leaders with shared knowledge, collaborative frameworks for problem-solving, and open-source, connected technologies to build climate change resilience and thriving communities.

• Honey Bee Network India: HoneyBeeNetwork identify and promote local innovators that provide solutions for rural communities, all across India.

• Schola Campesina Italy: International agroecology school active in the Biodistretto della Via Amerina e delle Forre (Viterbo) facilitating knowledge sharing across agroecology organisations.

• Serikat Petani Indonesia: SPI is a farmer union representing two million farmers in Indonesia. They have their own agroecology schools and innovation processes based on ancestral knowledge and culture.

• WikiMaraicher, Quebec, Canada: The WikiMaraicher is a platform collecting innovations for small-scale organic farmers in Québec; it's hosted by the Fermier et Fermières de Familles (Family farmers association)

• Tzoumakers Greece: A makerspace to collaboratively build tools for small-scale farming.