Constanza Monterrubio Solís
With a BA in Biology, I developed my PhD research on the interactions between local governance structures and external environmental regulations in an Indigenous Community Conserved area in Oaxaca, Southern Mexico. In 2013, I returned from the UK to Mexico to join Pronatura Sur to lead a committed team in implementing voluntary conservation efforts in communal and private lands throughout the Chiapas. We work on the development of informed decision-making on natural resource management at the local level. We also support a network of up to 45 lands, both private and communal, to develop natural resource management capacities through land-use planning activities and training on flora and fauna monitoring as well as environmentally friendly farming techniques.
Simultaneously, I am a co-founder of an organisation called Proyecto AliMente. We are a group of people engaged in the development of a platform for informed decision-making from a food systems perspective. From the right to breast feed as the first act of food sovereignty to the conservation of native seeds, agricultural practices and recipes, we attempt to ease health and social problems caused by the consumption of hyper-processed products in Mexico. We focus on social media activism, political lobbying and research free from conflict of interests to provide clear information for decision-makers and society about the importance of production and consumption of food that enhances the health of the population and the sovereignty of local producers. Personally, I am engaged in the conservation of native seeds as well as the continuity of agricultural practices and recipes for food sovereignty, health and happy bellies!
