SEEDS & CULTURE: Rural and Urban Agriculture United

On March 6-7, 2026 the Ujamaa Cooperative Farming Alliance (UCFA) will host its 2026 conference “SEEDS & CULTURE: Rural and Urban Agriculture United” at the University of the District of Columbia (UDC)—in partnership with 2020 Farmers Co-op. The 2020 Farmers Co-op represents urban and rural growers and is committed to the preservation of traditional farming knowledge. The SEEDS & CULTURE conference is a uniquely powerful expression of UCFA’s mission to bridge communities across geographic and cultural lines through seed, soil, and shared knowledge. 

We are excited about hosting our conference at the Lamon-Riggs Community College Campus which is part of UDC’s Center for Urban Agriculture and Gardening Education—renowned for its applied research and community engagement. This collaboration highlights UCFA’s commitment to strengthening the continuum between rural food producers and urban growers, demonstrating that food security, sustainability, and biodiversity are collective responsibilities. The University of the District of Columbia, as a land-grant institution in an urban setting, provides an ideal venue for this dialogue, embodying innovation in city-based food systems and sustainable practices. 

Together at the SEEDS & CULTURE conference we will create a holistic forum where ancestral seed-saving wisdom meets modern agricultural education. The conference stands as a living example of how cooperative economics, cultural preservation, and agricultural science can converge to build equitable and resilient food systems that unite the countryside and the city.