Center for Agroecology

Our mission The mission of the Center for Agroecology is to advance agroecology and equitable food systems through experiential education, participatory research, agricultural extension, and public service. Our work 50+ years of experiential education The Center for Agroecology manages the Alan Chadwick Garden, a 3-acre organic and bio-diverse garden on the UCSC campus founded in 1967, and the UCSC Farm, a 30-acre organic farm founded in 1971 that serves as an outdoor classroom and research site. For more than 50 years these sites have hosted students, residential apprentices, and community members who learn about organic gardening, farming, and the food system. Building on these experiential learning opportunities, center staff and affiliates helped pave the way for the establishment of an agroecology undergraduate major at UC Santa Cruz in 2020. Advancing resilient, equitable food systems We support small farmers and food businesses through technical assistance and purchasing and work to provide UC Santa Cruz students access to affordable organic produce and prepared meals. We also work with students and partner organizations to support sustainable food systems at UCSC and across the University of California system. Supporting organic, sustainable agriculture through research Our staff and faculty collaborate on interdisciplinary research projects that focus primarily on improving organic farming practices and increasing the sustainability of local food systems. We play a key role in supporting the UC Santa Cruz Agricultural Experiment Station (AES), working closely with UC Cooperative Extension specialists and AES faculty to develop cutting-edge knowledge and technologies to address agricultural, natural resources, and health issues. What is agroecology? We define agroecology as the integrative study of the entire food system, encompassing ecological, economic and social dimensions. We acknowledge that in order to create an ecologically sound, economically viable, and socially just food system, agroecology must integrate science and research, technology and practices, indigenous knowledge, and movements for social change. We embrace agroecology as a transdisciplinary, participatory, action-oriented, and politically-engaged transformation of the food system. We also recognize the foundations of agroecology as a peasant social movement, and its current context in food sovereignty movements across the world. What is a food system? According to the United States Department of Agriculture, the concept of a “food system” represents a contrast to notions of agriculture and food production and consumption as a simple, linear chain from farm to table. Food systems are, instead, complex networks that include all the inputs and outputs associated with agricultural and food production and consumption. Food systems can vary substantially from place to place and over time, depending on location specific conditions. The food systems concept provides a comprehensive framing through which to assess the social, economic, and environmental dimensions of sustainability.