Organic, regenerative and ancestral agriculture will be protagonist in CATIE's international congress

• The event will bring together academics, producers, indigenous communities and organizations from all over Latin America.

The search for food systems that are fairer, healthier and more respectful of the environment and people has acquired great relevance today, in the context of the challenges that agriculture faces in Latin America and around the world. For this reason, CATIE (Tropical Agricultural Research and Higher Education Center) will offer a showcase for the contributions of organic, regenerative and ancestral agriculture in the construction of these innovative systems.

The International Congress on Organic, Regenerative and Ancestral Agriculture will be held on September 3-5, 2025 at the CATIE campus in Turrialba, Costa Rica, and will bring together academics, producers, indigenous communities and organizations from all over Latin America. The event will be a space for the exchange of knowledge, experiences and practices that promote a more sustainable and resilient agriculture with cultural identity.

This congress will feature keynote lectures, field visits, panel discussions and cultural activities. The main speakers will be Dr. Maria Finckh (Germany), with the theme “Fifty years of history in Organic Agriculture at the University of Kassel”; MBA. Xavier Lasso (Ecuador), with the talk “Lessons learned about Organic Agriculture in Ecuador: vision of the Ministry of Agriculture” and Dr. Jorge Sandoval, who will present the “Lessons learned for agricultural sustainability from the experiences of indigenous production systems”.

Commemorating International Indigenous Women's Day

On Friday, September 5, the congress will have a special day to honor the historical, cultural and spiritual contributions of the indigenous women of Central America. On this day, there will be the participation of indigenous delegations, a fair of agricultural products and handicrafts, traditional cultural presentations - such as Bribri, Cabécar, Maleku and Jegui dances - and a catwalk of Ngäbe Nagua designs that will reflect the richness of the ancestral identity.

In addition, there will be two spaces for dialogue led by the National Alliance of Indigenous Women. The first, entitled “September 5 from our roots”, will offer reflections on the meaning of this date from the voice of indigenous women. The second panel, entitled “Voices that unite”, will present examples of alliances and networks for the vindication of their rights and territories.

Registration for the congress is now available at a cost of USD 200. To register, download the agenda and obtain more information about the congress, please visit https://agriculturaorganica.catie.ac.cr/