18.06.2025
On 4 June 2025, Giovanna Chavez Miguel successfully defended her doctoral dissertation at the Faculty of Life Sciences at Humboldt University of Berlin.
The title of her PhD project was "Farmer-Based Mechanisms Strengthening Agroecology in the Andes: Voices from Social Movements and Family Farmers in Colombia and Peru". It was presented before her doctoral committee consisting of Prof. Dr. Marcel Robischon, Prof. Dr. Stefan Sieber, Prof. Dr. Marcos Lana, Dr. Conny Almekinders and Dr. Claudia Coral. Colleagues, friends, and family also attended the defense, marking the culmination of years of engaged, interdisciplinary research.
The dissertation brings together four peer-reviewed scientific articles, published on high-impact journals, which examine how family farmers and indigenous communities in Colombia and Peru organise and act collectively to sustain and promote agroecological practices and agrobiodiversity. By systematising was she terms farmer-based mechanisms — from the farm to the regional level — Giovanna’s work highlights the role of social movements and everyday rural practices in shaping sustainable food systems. Her findings emphasise the transformative potential of family agriculture as a strategy for promoting agroecology across the Andean region.
As part of her methodology, Giovanna also produced a documentary film titled "The Potato Guardians", which can be watched online via this link:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NdveRImGqH8
Links to published peer-reviewed articles:
