Institute for Agroecology
Advance sustainable agriculture research at the Institute of Agroecology.
Powering More Equitable and Sustainable Food Systems
Our global food system is in crisis. Industrial agriculture is one of the leading causes of climate change and health inequity around the world. Agroecology offers the potential to regenerate the environment, cool the planet, and provide good, healthy food for all.
The UVM Institute for Agroecology (IFA) is seeding more equitable and sustainable food systems. IFA uses a systems approach that addresses the root causes of problems in the food system. We challenge the status quo by centering equity, participation and social transformation in our work. Through research, learning, action, and connecting across geographies, the IFA mobilizes knowledge to support agroecology research, practice and movements.
What Is Agroecology?
“Agroecology” is a way of understanding and designing food systems using social, ecological, and political principles to regenerate nature and create a more just society. It is rooted in indigenous practices and ancestral knowledge, which are combined with scientific knowledge to address the current food crisis. Agroecology is not only about changing farming techniques, but is also about transforming policy, science, cultures, and economies to bring about more just food systems.
This is a new chapter for UVM's commitment to agroecology, building on a decade of work by members of the Agroecology and Livelihoods Collaborative, a community of practice that will remain the beating heart of the new Institute.
Support for the Institute of Agroecology
Institute for Agroecology Fund
Your gift will provide core support for the Institute, significantly increasing our ability to be creative and adaptive, pursuing emergent needs and opportunities with agility. Your support enables the Institute to accelerate our work in research, education, and outreach.
Institute for Agroecology Scholarship Fund
Your gift will support students enrolled in undergraduate, graduate, or professional study relating to agroecology. That means more future leaders in the field and more students working toward more equitable and sustainable food systems.