Growing BioDiverse Cultures

What is agrobiodiversity and why does it matter?

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Who are agricultural stewards, locally and globally? What do they do? Why?

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Can these communities of agricultural stewards help us reimagine healthier and more sustainable food systems?

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What challenges do they face?

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What are the health and evironmental challenges of the current industrialized, globalized food system?

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What are the connections between agricultural biodiversity and cultural diversity?

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Does gender play a role in agrobiodiversity and food security? If so, in what way?

Through hands-on collaborations with agricultural stewards and researchers from ASU Farm, Mexico, Puerto Rico, and Italy, students will research transborder strategies for protecting and fostering biocultural heritage across different geographical and social contexts. Students will also examine the health and environmental challenges of industrialized, globalized food systems and how agricultural steward communities resist conventional practices and help us reimagine healthier and more sustainable food systems. With this knowledge, transdisciplinary student teams will research another community of agricultural stewards from diverse global regions and disseminate their collaborative results through a series of podcasts/story maps focusing on promising strategies for reimagining the role of farmers and healthier, more sustainable future food systems. *This Lab is part of the ASU Farm and Cultivating Civic Virtues through Action series.

EXCITING OPPORTUNITY: students may participate in a study abroad program in Puerto Rico to collaborate with land stewards in Puerto Rico and your faculty over winter break.

Collaborations

• Collaborators TBA

Growing BioDiverse Cultures in the News

At the Humanities Lab, we strive to ensure our Labs are relevant and current. Here are some recent articles about [Lab Challenge] in today’s news!

San Diego Botanic Garden growing solutions in a living laboratory

Taking on Food Emissions at Their Origin and Consumption

Course in Oaxaca reveals the timeless dance between culture and biodiversity