From: Lorena Anahi [mailto:lorena@redemg.org.br]
Sent: 16 September 2019 15:55
To: hello@openfoodnetwork.org; nick@openfoodnetwork.org.uk; Danielle; Thomaz Neves
Subject: OFN in Brazil
Dear OFN community,
The REDE de Intecâmbio de Tecnologias Alternativas is glad to announce its interest to collaborate with the development of the Open Food Network (OFN) in Brazil, in the condition of affiliate, among the other OFN members. REDE is an civil society organisation that has been promoting agroecology initiatives in the Minas Gerais region and around Brazil since the 1980’s. Its current projects are been developed in Belo Horizonte’s metropolitan area (RMBH) and the east side of Minas Gerais.
We believe that supporting the development of a local OFN instance adds to the social construction of food markets and strengthens the local food chain. We also highlight the importance of building this tool with an Open Source license.
REDE ’s support to the development of a local OFN instance is made possible by the ECOFORTE project, funded by BNDES (National Bank of Social and Economic Development), Fundação Banco do Brasil , and entitled: “ Agriculturas na Metropolitana: Construindo o Conhecimento Agroecológico ”. The whole scope of ECOFORTE project will be executed by march 2021, aiming at the strengthening of an agroecology network in the RMBH area. The brazilian OFN instance integrates a group of initiatives in the project called ’social construction of markets’, in the effort to bring together producers and consumers.
In practice, our support will enable the OFN instance implementation (development and front page design), in partnership with Thomaz Lanna, Rafael Braz (who introduced us to the OFN project) and all the other participating members in the Brazilian OFN community. REDE will also fund, for around 12 months, the necessary server costs to run the platform, and also training sessions for the first roll of users. Moreover, we are ready to promote the platform to partner organisations that are working with agroecology, to groups of producers (urban and rural) and discuss strategies to keep our OFN instance economically sustainable after the end of the ECOFORTE project. Thus, we are aware of the conditions and we sign this pledge.
Best regards,
Lorena