The project is based on a series of workshops to increase interaction between people linked to the small-scale organic farming movement in Mexico. Workshops will include capacity building on social media, creative commons, blogs, photo sharing platforms, google hangouts and other useful tools that will enable the sharing of knowledge around organic farming techniques, seed conservation, and engaging urban consumer participation in rural issues.
Topical focus:
Country:
What locality or neighborhood will your project focus on?
Oaxaca, Tapachula, Xalapa, Coyuca de Benítez
Describe the specific community with whom you will be working.
Small scale organic farmers linked to farmers markets usually lack access to technology, making it hard for them to access knowledge from other farmers, activists, researchers or technicians. For example, many agricultural techniques implemented in a farm could be developed in others to increase productivity if they gain access to this knowledge. I specifically want to work with the less online represented farmers markets in Mexico.
What kinds of news, stories and other content will be created?
Participants will be able to share experiences from local farmers and responsible consumers. The created content could range from a variety of topics including seed conservation, cultural aspects of food, urban farming, consumer education or recipes with local crops that are being lost due to industrial farming. Social network profiles, blog posts and pictures will be part of the output of the project.
What technologies and digital tools do you plan to use in the trainings?
Describe the connections that you or your organization have already established that will contribute to the success of the project.
I participate in both, Colectivo Ecologista Jalisco and the National Network of Organic Markets as communication manager. There are already a group of markets that actively participate in web discussions, online meetings, and create educational web content while others with less access to technology don´t. We will create interactions between the most active and the least active online.
How many participants do you think will be involved in your project?
Different workshops will be developed in different communities (the least online represented) and there will be open calls to include as many participants as possible (including sons and daughters from farmers in order to include youth participation). Participants may vary from 3 to 6 per workshop. We will empower the creation of teams and co-administration of blogs and profiles in order to create mutual engagement from participants.
Besides the microgrant funding, what other resources and support are you seeking for your project to ensure its success?
Rising Voices could help by giving feedback and recommendations for the development and implementation of the project. It would be helpful to arrange an online meeting to interact and complement ideas.
Contact name
Victor Eduardo Flores Gutiérrez
Organization
Red Mexicana de Tianguis y Mercados Orgánicos