CTA - Centro de Tecnologias Alternativas

The Center for Alternative Technologies of Zona da Mata (CTA-ZM) was founded in 1987 in Viçosa, Minas Gerais, in response to growing concerns over the environmental impacts of conventional agriculture and a collective desire to promote a more sustainable model of rural development.

CTA-ZM emerged as a response to the demands of small-scale farmers, technicians, and researchers seeking alternatives to industrialized agriculture, which was causing widespread environmental degradation and social exclusion in many rural communities. From its inception, CTA-ZM has been dedicated to promoting agroecology—a model of agricultural production that values traditional knowledge, sustainable use of natural resources, and social justice. Its mission has always been to support family farming and strengthen rural communities through technical training, sustainable technologies, and the development of cooperative networks.

Over the years, CTA-ZM has played a pivotal role in the creation of key agroecological movements and networks, such as the National Agroecology Alliance (ANA), the ANA Women's Working Group, the Minas Gerais Agroecology Network (AMA), and the Agroecological and Organic Production Hub of Zona da Mata. These initiatives bring together farmers, civil society organizations, universities, and partners committed to agroecological production, commercialization, and political advocacy. CTA-ZM has also placed a strong emphasis on popular education, working to empower farmers, youth, adolescents, and children to become agents of transformation within their communities and beyond.

The organization's impact extends far beyond agricultural production. CTA-ZM actively engages in promoting food sovereignty and security, biodiversity conservation, land and territorial rights, and the defense of women's rights, rural youth, and children. These efforts are carried out through projects, events, knowledge exchanges, and political advocacy in favor of agroecology and family farming.

Today, CTA-ZM operates as part of a broad network at the local, state, national, and Latin American levels, advocating for agroecology and a more equitable and sustainable rural development model. It remains a vital space for resistance, innovation, and hope for countless communities in the Zona da Mata region, serving as an inspiration for other organizations and partners committed to building a fairer, more sustainable future.

Find out more (in Portuguese)
https://ctazm.org.br/

The mission of the Center for Alternative Technologies of Zona da Mata (CTA-ZM), located in Minas Gerais, is to promote agroecology as a science, practice, and movement. Through social support and advocacy, it works to strengthen organizations, ensure gender and generational equity, and improve the living conditions of farming families across economic, social, environmental, political, and cultural dimensions. By fostering sustainable rural development and empowering marginalized communities, the CTA-ZM integrates agroecological principles with social justice initiatives.

The organization envisions becoming a leading reference in agroecology by scaling up its initiatives and expanding its reach. Through projects involving rural farmers, schools, women's groups, youth-focused programs, and the promotion of agroecological products, the CTA-ZM aims to strengthen family farming and its economic, political, cultural, and social structures. Guided by values such as transparency, equity, sustainability, respect for diversity, and democratic governance, the CTA-ZM is dedicated to fostering solidarity, innovation, and the preservation of both the environment and traditional knowledge.