Peninsula Permaculture Guild

CAN is a U.S.-based non-profit organization with a mission to develop a network of rural communities, students, universities, researchers, and consumers that work together to support self-sufficiency and sustainable farming practices. We work towards this by integrating the  following 3 program areas:

*Action Education - International field internships in Latin America, leadership development, consumer education, and ongoing exchanges and participation between the member communities;

*Participatory Action Research (PAR) - farm-based research involving investigators and farmers with information generated from within and provided to the community;

*Alternative Trade  - development of producer-controlled markets that support local communities and create direct links with consumers. CAN has developed a "fair trade direct" coffee marketing system. By linking coffee co-ops in Central America with U.S. consumers, CAN helps farmers receive a just and sustainable price for their coffee. Through linking growers and consumers in a `global farmers market,` CAN connects economic viability with ecological farming practices, including transitioning to organic production and reforestation.

-Order coffee direct from Costa Rica!   www.communityagroecology.net


CAN`s grassroots network depends on you!

It`s simple and you can be part of CAN in a way that you choose. Here are some ideas:


*Interested in international field internships? Get out of the classroom! CAN offers 10+ week internships in Costa Rica Nicaragua, and Mexico. Work on projects related to agroecology and sustainable farming, gender inequalities, environmental education, tropical ecology/reforestation and conversation, marketing, agro-eco tourism, etc and earn units of academic credit from your academic institution. learn more: http://www.communityagroecology.net/international_internship

*Become a member of CAN and support sustainable farming and reforestation projects. http://communityagroecology.net/order_coffee

more context on the coffee crises and need for alternative markets:

Being a commodity item, coffee is subject to all kinds of price fluxes. Six years ago, coffee prices were at an all time low and now we're seeing prices sky-rocket again, which is not the kind of economic security coffee producing communities can depend on. Communities and countries that depend on coffee trade barely make ends meet, with the cost of production often exceeding the price they receive for coffee beans. Farmers are looking for new ways to sell their coffee that are more economically sustainable, particularly through specialty coffee markets [i.e. organic, shade grown, Fair Trade, etc]. To facilitate economic and environmental sustainability, CAN helps Fair Trade certified cooperatives receive an even greater price for their beans than through conventional Fair Trade, while also promoting sustainable agricultural practices. By linking direct marketing with ecological farming, CAN is a beacon for the future of the fair trade movement.