Rodríguez-Cruz’s Grist 2022 prediction: the chorus of small farmers will get louder

Editor’s note: This content originally appeared in Fix, by Grist. Read the original here. 

Fix asked 22 climate and justice leaders about the changes they see coming in tech, infrastructure, food, energy, and culture in 2022. Switzer Fellow Luis Alexis Rodríguez-Cruz is a 2021 Grist Fixer, and shared his prediction that the chorus of small farmers will get louder.

“[One thing] that I expect is more attention on farmer voices, on people who are doing community-based food systems and food sovereignty projects.

I see more engagement of different sectors to bring their voices forward, to create platforms for voices to be heard. For example, this year, we had a group of small farmers — who are mostly not recognized by the Puerto Rico Department of Agriculture — [hold] a press conference on how different programs, especially funds from FEMA for Hurricane Maria, were not being distributed equally. Many small farmers across rural Puerto Rico don’t have access to those funds. You have the Puerto Rican Farmers Association going to the Capitol and talking about that. You have others bringing attention to how the relationship with the U.S. generates inequality and more suffering. 

So I see more engagement from different communities in bringing their voices forward. People are more empowered, but tired of those persisting inequities. And I think there are more community-built platforms for people to come together and bring visibility to those overlooked or ignored issues.”

Read more predictions in the original Fix article.