“Students as change makers”
Award: 600’000 CFA/
Deadline: 10 December 2019
Vision: The students of today are the change agents of tomorrow. They carry the responsibility of gaining awareness and taking action on the multiple crises brought by decades of poorly informed and poorly designed practices. The designing of solutions for many of those problems will imply different perspectives and a paradigm shift. It will imply seeing the world in a different way. This call for projects invites students to submit project proposals that use the principles of systems thinking and agroecology.
Why systems thinking?
Realizing the interconnectedness and interdependence of the elements in a system, from ecosystems to universities, is a central aspect of systems thinking. Creative and innovative solutions capable of solving problems in a complex system will require moving from a linear vision of the world to a holistic perspective.
Why Agroecology?
Understanding the relationships between all the elements and processes of an agroecosystem is essential in order to farm in a responsible and sustainable way. An agroecosystem is a complex environment in which many elements coexist and co-create the conditions to sustain life. After many decades of normalized unsustainable farming practices, it is evident that a change in paradigm in farming is needed. Agroecology provides a good framework to find appropriate practices that can enrich soils, capture CO2 from the atmosphere, and avoid eutrophication of surface waters, among many other examples.