Contact
819 758-6401 ext. 2375
martel.jean-david@cegepvicto.ca
Learning through action, bringing together different perspectives, finding ways to support change, and helping human potential emerge—both individually and collectively—are at the heart of what drives me. During my economics studies at university, I had the opportunity to take part in international cooperation projects that opened my eyes to social, global, and food inequalities. I later moved into the field of social economy, first working as an employment counselor, where I had the chance to support hundreds of young adults from diverse backgrounds in their journey into the workforce. I then stepped into the role of Executive Director within a work-integration enterprise focused on organic farming and food processing. Along the way, I earned a master’s degree in Psychosociology from UQAR, which deepened my interest in action research.
I came to see local agriculture, collective entrepreneurship, and food systems as powerful levers of social transformation, empowerment, and awareness of what connects us—to each other and to the world around us. Today, CISA and Cégep de Victoriaville provide me with the most inspiring environment to collaborate with communities and partners, to implement initiatives, develop strategies, and lead action research projects that drive social innovation in the agri-food sector and in society as a whole.
Research Themes
-
Farmers’ living conditions and health
-
Food production in northern and Indigenous contexts
-
Regional food systems
-
Local sourcing and short marketing
-
Collective entrepreneurship in agriculture
-
Socio-professional integration through agri-food
-
Governance of agri-food initiatives
-
Educational gardens
-
Food security