While agroecology has been most strong in relation to the ecological design of agroecosystems and the production side of the food system, the relationship between health and agroecology needs further elaboration and support. Initial research shows that agroecology has great potential in contributing to planetary and human health (Gallegos-Riofrío et al., 2022a) – providing opportunities for meaningful work and immersion/connection/embeddedness to nature in ways that in other contexts have been shown to lead to mental and physical health outcomes (Gallegos-Riofrío et al., 2022b). On the other side, the contribution of agroecology to healing Mother Earth, contributing to a planetary health perspective encapsulates a view of health that simultaneously incorporates nature, humans and all the planetary interconnections that sustains life. This theme of the IFA will focus on the links between Agroecology, Nature, and Health.
This research theme in the UVM IFA is coordinated by Carlos Andres Gallegos-Riofrío, and Amaya Carrasco-Torrontegui, and seeks to engage with faculty and students from across UVM and partners around the world. The aim is to foster a conversation on the connections of agroecology with public health, nutrition, behavioral sciences (psychology, anthropology, and sociology), and global proposals (e.g., Planetary Health, Nature and Human Health, and One Health) as well as with universal-rich ontologies in the human and non-human nature nexus –eco-systemic-relational philosophies (e.g., see: Gallegos, Zent & Gould, 2022).
“Considering that planetary health (i.e., intertwined human-ecosystem health) is largely contingent on the Ethnosphere (i.e., the planet's rich cultural web), we encourage future studies to test nature's mental health/wellbeing effects pluralistically and beyond an unrepresentative subset of humankind.” - (Gallegos-Riofrío, Arab, Carrasco-Torrontegui & Gould, 2022: 9)
This hub is supported by a global network that includes keepers and advocators of ancient and traditional epistemologies in Andes, researchers at the University of Vermont and in U.S. partnerships (e.g., Nature and Health BICOP Collective at Nature and Health; Nature and Human Health Alliance), indigenist and Latin American scholars, practitioners in grassroots and NGOs both in Andes and the U.S., and community-based partnerships (e.g., Caliata Initiative). From a health, good living (and well-being), and nutrition perspective these collaborations are part of the Knowledge Network for Agroecology Transformations constellation.
Our promise: Agroecology to nurture a reciprocal, supportive, and co-learning space with the capacity to amplify holistic views for life and good living (cosmovisions), diversify the nature and health evidence (e.g., by including agrarian communities), and mobilize strategic action with genuine inclusion.
Do you want to know more about our work?
Click here for the interactive podcast that Julia D’ Alessio created based on “Andean visions for the wellbeing-nature nexus: An invitation for a Planetary Healthy Tinkuy.”
Project “Earth-Human Connection: Intersections of Health, Agroecology and Justice” is a Centering Health Outside’s grantee from REI Cooperative Action Fund.
Also, check out our interview at Undisciplined with Nalini Nadkarni on Utah Public Radio. Also in the news (English) The Guardian; Inverse; Vice; Popular Science; (Spanish) Minuto NQN; Desporticos; (Portuguese) Sapo.
Eco-systemic-relational philosophies embodied by rural communities in Andes:
“[...] soil, water, sun, wind, human being, and every living being live in harmony, connected to each other. When the human being alters this order of nature, there comes hunger, famine, diseases, and therefore, malnutrition and displacement of populations from one place to another [...]” (Kichwa-Puruwá Elder, Caliata 2018; see: Gallegos-Riofrío et al., 2021a: 71)
“The chakra [heterogeneous family-based polycultures] is a source of life: it, is like a Mother who cares, who puts the mind at peace, that bears fruit and serves for all, the ecosystem […] Without this diversity, one cannot say that the field is beautiful. This also affects both the body and the mind, and that is all.” (Testimonial shared in a focus group, adult male in Caliata 2018 [GMAC]; see: Gallegos-Riofrío et al., 2022a: 854)
Research resources:
Gallegos-Riofrío, C. A., Zent, E. & Gould, R. K. The importance of Latin American scholarship-and-practice for the relational turn in sustainability science: a reply to West et al. (2022). Ecosystems and People, 18(1), 478-483.
a.Gallegos-Riofrio, C. A., Carrasco-Torrontegui, A., Riofrio, L. A., Waters, W. F., Iannotti, L. L., Pintag, M., ... & Méndez, V. E. (2022). Terraces and ancestral knowledge in an Andean agroecosystem: a call for inclusiveness in planetary health action. Agroecology and Sustainable Food Systems, 1-35.
b. Gallegos-Riofrío, C. A., Arab, H., Carrasco-Torrontegui, A., & Gould, R. K. (2022). Chronic deficiency of diversity and pluralism in research on nature's mental health effects: A planetary health problem. Current Research in Environmental Sustainability, 100148.
Carrasco-Torrontegui, A. M., Gallegos-Riofrío, C.A., Delgado-Espinoza, F., Swanson, M. (2021) Climate change, food sovereignty and ancestral farming techniques in the Andes, Current Developments in Nutrition, nzaa073.
a. Gallegos-Riofrío, C.A., Waters, W.F., Carrasco-Torrontegui, A. M., Riofrio, L. A., Pintag, M., Caranqui, M., Caranqui, J., BlackDeer, A. A., Iannotti, L. L. (2021). Caliata: vital lessons from a small indigenous community in Ecuador on food sovereignty and sustainable diets. Current Developments in Nutrition, 5(4), 61–73,
b. Gallegos-Riofrío, C.A., Waters, W.F. Carrasco-Torrontegui, A., & Iannotti, L. L. (2021). Identity, social institutions and cosmovision in the agri-food system of an indigenous community in the Andes. Geoforum, 127, 1-11.