The anthropology undergraduate program held a talk on the current crisis from an anthropological perspective; the aim was to have an academic debate and encourage students' participation. Participants talked about solidarity based economy with professor Ana Castro.

Professor Castro stated that solidarity based economy is based on two elements: one is that it regulates market equilibrium because it connects vulnerable sectors and the other is that it promotes land stability. "It generates social capital and contributes to economic development through production" she stated.

"We need to create conditions for self-management and promote autonomy in order to maintain a feeling of community to strengthen solidarity circuits, that is, articulate small producers of services to create a support network," she said. Castro is the author of the book "Popular and solidarity economy: reality or utopia?", book published by the university's Abya Yala Publishing House -UPS, which contributes to reflection on institutional practices, especially in entities promoting the popular and solidarity based economy in Ecuador.