Coralville mural coming soon!
Celebrating Mr. A.G. Nandasena
in Coralville, Iowa
In Coralville, we are proud to partner with the New Pioneer Food Co-op and local artist, Thomas Agran, to celebrate lead farmer, Mr. A.G. Nandasena, who grows cinnamon used in products like Frontier Co-op spices!
This mural is located at 1101 2nd St, Coralville, IA 52241.
THE FARMER
Mr. A.G. Nandasena
A.G. Nandasena is a farmer who lives in central Sri Lanka, Mathalapitiya, with his family of four. For over 20 years, he has been a member of SOFA’s Mathalapitiya Branch Society, a regional group of around 180 farmers within the Small Organic Farmers Association (SOFA) cooperative. SOFA has been a Fairtrade certified cooperative since 1998, starting with certification for tea production, and expanding to spices as well in 2006. Today, SOFA’s membership includes over 2,600 farmers.
For A.G., farming is an essential part of life- it is what he loves and depends on. A.G.’s initial interest in organic farming stemmed from concerns about the environmental and health impacts of conventional farming practices.
SOFA helped accelerate his commitment to organic farming by offering him an opportunity to earn higher prices for his organically grown crops. This is a hallmark of the Fairtrade pricing model, rather than relying solely on what the market price is, Fairtrade bakes in a higher rate for organic cultivation to really recognize the increased effort needed for this kind of farming.
A forest garden
Now, A.G. exclusively implements organic farming practices on his plot. His farmland is a forest garden with wild native plants interspersed with his cash crops, like cardamom, turmeric, pepper, and ginger (in addition to cinnamon). This approach preserves biodiversity, as well as providing shade and erosion prevention. A.G.’s responsible environmental stewardship ensures that his lands will remain productive and healthy for generations to come.
Seeds for his ginger and turmeric crops were distributed by SOFA as short-term cash crops to generate additional income.
Fairtrade in action
A.G credits SOFA’s organization and receipt of Fairtrade Premium funds for positively impacting his life in many ways. The Fairtrade Premium is earned by the producer organization as a whole, and a Premium committee made up of farmer members democratically decides where it can best be spent based on their personal experiences as farmers. For A.G., premium use has looked like cinnamon peeling kits, shade nets, and even beekeeping units, which promote biodiversity and provide extra income through honey harvesting from the organization. In addition to specific tools he can use, A.G. has learned and developed new skillsets, such as quality control and good agricultural practice (GAP) trainings through SOFA, which have helped improve his product quality. Fairtrade Premium funds have also been used to improve SOFA farmer’s lives entirely outside of their work; he has had premium funds pay for furniture or improvements to his home, received free medicine and financial support for his healthcare costs, and A.G.’s children have received educational scholarships and school supplies to further their educations.
We are excited to honor A.G.’s decades of hard work farming delicious spices with SOFA, and his commitment to environmental sustainability. We have partnered with local artist Thomas Agran to create a mural that portrays A.G. on the wall of the New Pioneer Co-op in Coralville, where you can purchase Frontier Co-op Cinnamon, sourced from A.G. and his farming peers at SOFA.
THE ARTIST
Thomas Agran
Born in Kentucky, raised in Ohio, and currently residing in Iowa City, Iowa, Thomas Agran is very interested in the Midwest -- for both its charms as well as its challenges. He is particularly dedicated to the Midwestern landscape and its total transformation through agriculture, and the political, social, and environmental consequences of that change. Some of his paintings explore the complicated nexus of food, agriculture, nostalgia, and marketing. Direct observation is a central practice. Agran’s murals eschew the more garish, increasingly homogenous and repetitive mural tropes of “creative placemaking,” in favor of painterly language and the warmth of human touch as a central motif in public space. In addition to designing, executing, managing, and mentoring dozens of mural projects, Agran has taught university-level painting and drawing since 2011 and worked as the Director of Public Art for the Iowa City Downtown District.
THE BRAND
Frontier Co-op
Frontier Co-op® Founded in 1976 and based in Norway, Iowa, Frontier Co-op offers a full line of products for natural living under the Frontier Co-op, Simply Organic® and Aura Cacia® brands. Products include culinary herbs, spices and baking flavors; bulk herbs and spices; and aromatherapy products with a wide selection of organics. Frontier Co-op’s goal is to provide consumers with the highest-quality products while supporting and promoting social and environmental responsibility. For more information, visit the co-op's website at www.frontiercoop.com.
THE LOCATION
New Pioneer Food Co-op
New Pioneer Food Co-op is a community-owned grocery store in Eastern Iowa with local and organic food. Your place to shop local and organic produce, house-cut and cured meats, seafood, hearth breads and house-made meals.
