Portugal:
- 2nd-6th Sep: X International Congress of Agroecology
It was held in Viseu, Portugal under the motto Agroecologies of the World, United to face the global crises. The pre-congress course on Agroecological Communication was held on 2nd and 3rd September with approximately 100 participants. The congress, on 4th, 5th and 6th September, was attended by nearly 400 participants from 24 countries. The congress was marked by the importance of sharing, both from academia and civil society: scientific papers (137), reports of experiences (101), artistic interventions (8) and round tables (7) were presented, all of which can be found in the congress proceedings book available at the following link: https://events.ipv.pt/xcia/ - external link . This event was characterized by a sharing and co-construction dynamic, with a large number of participants in the organization (both logistical and scientific) of the congress and the pre-congress course.
Held for the first time in Portugal, the congress succeeded in bringing together participants from Africa, Latin America and Europe. As a result of the congress, the agroecological movement in Portugal was consolidated, the first steps were taken towards an ‘Iberian agroecology non-network’, and there was a desire to strengthen relations between the countries of the Global South (Africa and Latin America). In the end, there was a reflection on the importance of not compartmentalizing agroecology into its practice, movement and science dimensions, since it is the synergy between them that makes agroecology occur, and that this should be reflected in agroecological sharing’s, from the smallest to the largest. The congress organizing committee, composed of people from Europe (Portugal and Spain), Latin America (Chile and Mexico) and Africa (Cape Verde, São Tomé and Príncipe and Mozambique) will continue in the organization of the XI International Congress of Agroecology to be held in Mozambique in 2026.
Inês Costa Pereira & Cristina Amaro da Costa
Organizing Committee of the X International Congress of Agroecology – local team coordination
- 21st Sep: Feminismos e Decrescimento (Feminisms and Degrowth)
https://www.decrescimento.pt/events/feminismos-decrescimento-coimbra/ - external link
After a welcome by Filipa Alves from Casa da Esquina and Susana Ribeira from the Ecofeminism Circle of the Portuguese Degrowth Network, Hans Eickhoff gave an introduction to degrowth and the Portuguese network. Graça Rojão moderated the conversation with Djamila Andrade (https://ces.uc.pt/en/doutoramentos/doutorandos-as/djamila-andrade - external link), ecofeminist and researcher at the Center for Social Studies at the University of Coimbra, and Joacine Katar Moreira, intersectional feminist and former member of parliament (https://independent.academia.edu/JoacineKatarMoreira - external link). The afternoon workshop on focused on integrating feminist and degrowth perspectives into local organizations and social movements. Vanessa Marcos from the Ecofeminism Circle gave the closing remarks, emphasizing the need for collaboration between social movements and the importance of creating "community".