The Importance of Coalition Building
The need for building coalitions among diverse groups at local, national, and international levels grew from the understanding that individual actors alone could not take on large corporate or government pesticide policies. For instance, pesticide activists faced formidable, well-funded opposition to Proposition 128, known as the “Big Green Campaign,” which called for an end to hazardous pesticide use in California. Although the proposition failed to pass in 1990, PANNA recognized that a large, coordinated network was essential to challenge the state of California, which held the status of both the seventh-largest economy in the world and the largest farm state and pesticide user in the U.S.
Founded in San Francisco in 1984, PANNA has over twenty years of experience mobilizing diverse groups committed to replacing pesticides with ecologically sound, socially responsible alternatives. PANNA pursues a broad agenda to appeal to various interests while facilitating specific campaigns, such as the Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPS) and Workers’ Rights Projects, which invite participation. PANNA believes that groups must collaborate to make meaningful progress, so it fosters trust and mutual respect among its members.
Mobilizing Resources and Reframing the Issue
PANNA also cultivates synergies within the coalition, exploring connections to other organizations and identifying shared resources. For example, during the Sacramento Ministerial Meeting, PANNA organized a multifaceted campaign on genetically modified crops that drew on its members’ strengths. To address ministers directly, PANNA and coalition members pooled financial resources to purchase a table at the meeting. At the same time, PANNA released a book titled “Special Report: Voices from the South—The Third World Debunks Corporate Myths on Genetically Engineered Crops” and worked with other coalition members to organize a march outside the meeting. The event received media coverage, bringing public attention to the cause.
Another crucial element of PANNA’s success is its ability to utilize organizational and financial resources to sustain leadership at all levels of its network. Initially, dedicated volunteers provided time, energy, and financial support. However, PANNA recognized the need for steady resources and leadership to keep its projects moving forward.
Expanding PANNA’s Coalition and Global Reach
PANNA continues to grow its coalition by reframing pesticide use as a workers’ rights and health issue. By linking this environmental concern to other movements, PANNA attracts a wider audience, including civil society and social activists. Through Californians for Pesticide Action Reform (CPR), a coalition of over 170 public interest groups, PANNA collaborates with women farmworker organizations and medical professionals. This collaboration allows PANNA to host conferences and media events on the damaging effects of pesticide use, often featuring pediatricians and other medical experts.
PANNA is one of five Pesticide Action Network Regional Centers worldwide, linking over 600 nongovernmental organizations, institutions, and individuals in more than 60 countries. PAN connects local and international consumer, labor, health, environmental, and agricultural groups into a global action network. Together, they challenge the global spread of pesticides, defend basic rights to health and environmental quality, and work to ensure a transition to a just and sustainable society.
