Cristina Larrea

WORK HISTORY

EDUCATION

SKILLS

ABOUT CRISTINA LARREA

From a young age, I realized I wanted to contribute to drive change in the world through my work and collective action. Equity, justice, sustainability, and contribute to empowering those who deserve improved livelihoods are among the values behind my career. I have over 20 years of experience working in the fields of economic inclusion and sustainability with populations in situations of vulnerability in the Global South, including small-scale producers, women, Indigenous Peoples, and agricultural small and medium-sized enterprises. As the Director of Agriculture, Food and Sustainability Initiatives at IISD, I lead, guide and oversee a team that works with decision makers across governments, value chain actors, standards setting bodies and producers\' groups to design, reform, and implement policies, laws and strategies that can make a real difference to advance sustainable and equitable agriculture and food systems. Together with our partners, we have achieved important results that support change in the benefit of rural livelihoods, climate and nature, and we continue! My career path includes seven years of grassroots work with rainforest indigenous community-based organizations in a natural protected area in Chiapas, Mexico. There, I led initiatives for sustainable natural resources management and agroforestry systems while supporting agribusiness development and market access of local economic groups. I also led initiatives to enhance the inclusive governance of Indigenous Peoples\' rural organizations, including for strengthening their capacity to protect and advocate for their rights, while advancing women’s empowerment and gender equality. The passion to my work had allowed me to work with wonderful, inspiring and highly skillful people with whom I\'ve learned plenty in more than 15 countries across Latin America, Eastern and Southern Africa, the Indian Subcontinent and South-East Asia, including Brazil, Bolivia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Peru, Kenya, Madagascar, Rwanda, Tanzania, Uganda, India, Cambodia, and Laos. I am grateful for speaking fluently in English, French and Spanish, while having had the opportunity to learn and speak Maya Tzeltal when living with Indigenous People.