About
About the Rural Enterprise Center
The Rural Enterprise Center is a program of Main Street Project that focuses on economic development. Our mission is to strengthen communities by bringing together the support infrastructure, systems, resources and programs that rural entrepreneurs need to succeed.
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About the Agripreneur Training Model
The Rural Enterprise Center’s Agripreneur Training Model is an innovative, scalable small-scale approach to farming, focused on creating economic opportunities for rural Latino families. The training process builds on strengths of culture and experience, and addresses challenges such as lack of access and working capital, marketing and business support infrastructure, and focused training.
Beginning with the grassroots work of building a broad business/community support infrastructure, and moving towards the launch of new “agripreneurs” or family-scale farmers — the model’s goal is to help rural Latino immigrant families break the cycle of poverty so they can participate in and contribute to the long-term vitality of their communities.
At the same time, this approach has the potential to transform community food systems, helping to rejuvenate small-scale farming operations struggling because of the trend toward consolidation in today’s commodity-driven agricultural environment.
About Reginaldo (Regi) Haslett-Marroquin, Rural Enterprise Center Director
Reginaldo Haslett-Marroquin
Regi began working on economic development projects with indigenous Guatemalan communities in 1988, and has served as a consultant for the United Nations Development Program’s Bureau for Latin America and advisor to the World Council of Indigenous Peoples. He co-founded the Fair Trade Federation and Peace Coffee, a successful fair-trade coffee company. Regi was recognized for his work in 1996 when he was named one of the Twin Cities International Citizens of the Year. He received the 2008 Service to Mankind Award from the Northfield and College City, MN Sertoma Clubs, as well as their district award.
A Guatemalan native, Regi received his agronomy degree from the Central National School of Agriculture and studied at the Universidad de San Carlos in Guatemala.
About Main Street Project
Main Street Project is a grassroots cultural organizing, media justice and economic development initiative. We provide creative and practical tools to give rural and urban residents of all ages, cultures, economic and immigration status the opportunity to more fully participate in all aspects of community life. Our commitment is to strengthen local capacity for problem solving – so that answers to challenges come directly from within the community.
