Erin Nelson

About

With a background in International Development and Rural Studies, my research explores the development of more sustainable food systems with a particular focus on agroecology initiatives in both Canada and Latin America.

In particular, I am interested in how knowledge-exchange can build capacity for agroecological production, and how agroecology can contribute to ecological resilience and community wellbeing.

As a community engaged scholar, I work in close collaboration with a wide range of partners, including civil society organizations and farmer networks. I also have a strong interest in experiential learning and have developed agroecology-based educational programs with Cuba’s National Institute of Agricultural Sciences.

Keywords: sustainable food systems, agroecology, community development, community engaged scholarship, Latin America

Select Publications & Achievements

Nelson, E. and W. Dodd. 2017. Collaborating for Community Food Security: A Community-University Partnership Case Study. Action Research, 15(4): 402-423.

Nelson, E. & Gomez Tovar, L. 2017. Navigating Spaces for Political Action: Victories and Compromises for Mexico's Local Organic Movement. In Knezevic, I., Levkoe, C., Mount, P., Nelson, E., & Blay-Palmer, A. (Eds.). Nourishing Communities: From Fractured Food Systems to Transformative Pathways. Springer.

Nelson, E., L. Gómez Tovar, E. Guégen, R. Schwentesius Rindermann, S. Humphries, and K. Landman. 2016. Participatory Guarantee Systems and the Re-Imagining of Mexico’s Organic Sector. Agriculture and Human Values, 32(2): 373-388.

Nelson, E., Knezevic, I., & Landman, K. (2013). The uneven geographies of community food initiatives in Southwestern Ontario. Local Environment, 18 (5), 567-577.

Nelson, E. (2009). Institutionalizing Agroecology: Successes and Challenges in Cuba. Agriculture and Human Values, 26 (3), 233-243.

Graduate Student Supervision

• Abena Offeh-Gyimah - PhD.SOC
• Bradley Ross - PhD.SOC
• Natalia Ruiz Cuartas - PhD.SOC + IDEV