Soil, Struggle and Justice: Agroecology in the Brazilian Landless Movement

A movie directed by Andreas Hernandez

Thursday February 4, 2016

Segal Theater, 6:30 – 9:00 pm
GRADUATE CENTER, CITY UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK. 365 Fifth Avenue at 34th Street

This film examines the development of a cooperative of the Brazilian Landless Movement (MST) in the South of Brazil, which struggled for access to land and then transitioned to ecological agriculture, or agroecology. The families of COOPAVA constructed space for family farming in an era of transnational industrial agriculture through 1.) engaging a mass movement to gain access to land in a context of extreme land ownership inequality; 2.) using agroecological techniques to cut dependencies with agribusiness and banks, and recuperate the health of their soil for long-term benefit; and 3.) working cooperatively to create value- added food products and solidarity economies not possible at the scale of the single family farm. This MST cooperative is demonstrating the possibility of an alternative model of flourishing rural life, which provides thriving livelihoods for farmers, produces high quality and low-cost food for the region, and rehabilitates the earth.

Andreas Hernandez is Chair of the Department of International Studies at Marymount Manhattan College and holds a doctorate in development sociology from Cornell University.  His current research and filmmaking is focused on cultural shift and pathways to sustainability.