http://www.fao.org/about/meetings/agroecology-symposium-china/en/ Key note presentation of Steve Gliessman, from University of California Santa Cruz, on agroecology as the foundations for food system sustianability. The presentation was prepared and delivered in occasion of the International Symposium on Agroecology in China, held in Kunming, China on 29-31 August 2016.

1. Agroecology:Agroecology:
The Foundation for Food SystemThe Foundation for Food System
SustainabilitySustainability
Steve GliessmanSteve Gliessman
International Symposium on AgroecologyInternational Symposium on Agroecology
For Sustainable Agriculture and Food SystemsFor Sustainable Agriculture and Food Systems
Kunming, Yunnan, ChinaKunming, Yunnan, China
29-31 August29-31 August
20162016

3. AgroecologAgroecologyy
The applicatioThe application of ecological principlesn of ecological principles
and concepts to the design andand concepts to the design and
management of sustainable foodmanagement of sustainable food
systems.systems.
1. Principles and concepts of ecology1. Principles and concepts of ecology
2. Design2. Design
3. Management3. Management
4. Food Systems4. Food Systems
5. Sustainability5. Sustainability
Transdisciplinary, participatory, and action-oriented!Transdisciplinary, participatory, and action-oriented!

4. Agroecology - Why?Agroecology - Why?

5. Factors Promoting theFactors Promoting the
Transformation ProcessTransformation Process
• Increasing energy costs and impacts.Increasing energy costs and impacts.
• Low economic return from conventional practices.Low economic return from conventional practices.
• Development of viable new practices.Development of viable new practices.
• Global climate change and variability.Global climate change and variability.
• Growing environmental awareness on the part ofGrowing environmental awareness on the part of
consumers, producers, and politicians.consumers, producers, and politicians.
• Globalization of the food system.Globalization of the food system.
• New and strong markets for products grown andNew and strong markets for products grown and
produced alternatively and locally.produced alternatively and locally.
• Growing alternative food system movement.Growing alternative food system movement.

7. Agroecology-What ForAgroecology-What For??

10. Moving agriculture from
simplified monocultures to
diversified food systems
International Panel of Experts on
Sustainable Food Systems
www.ipes-food.org

12. Climate ChangeClimate Change

13. Farmer Share of Consumer Dollar 1910-1997
Stewart Smith, University of Maine, 2005

14. Agroecology – How?

16. Atmosphere
and rain
Crops
Animals and
their products
Soil
Human
inputs
Decomposers
Consumption
and Markets
LossLoss
LossLoss
LossLoss
LossLoss
Energy
Nutrients
AgroecosystemAgroecosystem
Soil
Atmosphere
and rain
Primary
Producers
Herbivorous
consumers
Carnivorous
consumers
Decomposers
LossLoss LossLoss
EcosystemEcosystem

17. Differences betweenDifferences between Ecosystems andEcosystems and
AgroecosystemsAgroecosystems
• More open energy flow:More open energy flow:
- More inputs (fuel, organic matter).More inputs (fuel, organic matter).
- More outputs (harvest).More outputs (harvest).
• More open nutrient cycles.More open nutrient cycles.
• Reduction of capacity for self-regulation:Reduction of capacity for self-regulation:
- Less diversityLess diversity
- Simplification of structure and trophic levels.Simplification of structure and trophic levels.
- Control of populations of organisms.Control of populations of organisms.

18. The greater the structural andThe greater the structural and
functional similarity of anfunctional similarity of an
agroecosystem to the naturalagroecosystem to the natural
ecosystems in its biogeographicecosystems in its biogeographic
region, the greater the likelihoodregion, the greater the likelihood
that the agroecosystem will bethat the agroecosystem will be
sustainable.sustainable.
A General PrincipleA General Principle

19. The value of local knowledgeThe value of local knowledge
Agricultural PracticesAgricultural Practices
AgrobiodiversityAgrobiodiversity
Local Food CustomsLocal Food Customs

20. Traditional/local AgroecosystemsTraditional/local Agroecosystems
• Do not depend on commercial inputs.Do not depend on commercial inputs.
• Use renewable and locally available resources.Use renewable and locally available resources.
• Emphasize the recycling of nutrients.Emphasize the recycling of nutrients.
• Benefit the environment both off and on the farm.Benefit the environment both off and on the farm.
• Adapted to local conditions.Adapted to local conditions.
• Make maximum use of microclimates.Make maximum use of microclimates.
• Maximize yields while also maintaining productiveMaximize yields while also maintaining productive
capacity.capacity.
• Maintain spatial and temporal diversity and continuity.Maintain spatial and temporal diversity and continuity.
• Prioritize production to satisfy local needs.Prioritize production to satisfy local needs.
• Depend on and conserve local genetic diversity.Depend on and conserve local genetic diversity.
• Depend on and conserve local knowledge and cultureDepend on and conserve local knowledge and culture..

30. Agroecosystem
Ecological
TecnologicalSocio-economic
and cultural

31. Research on theResearch on the
Transition Process fromTransition Process from
Industrial to SustainableIndustrial to Sustainable
Food Systems.Food Systems.

32. Agroecology and theAgroecology and the
transition of food systemstransition of food systems
• Level 1Level 1:: Increase input use efficiency, reducing
the use of costly, scarce, or environmentally
damaging inputs.
• Level 2:Level 2: Substitution of conventional inputs and
practices with alternatives.
• Level 3:Level 3: Redesign the agroecosystem so that it
functions on the basis of a new set of ecological
processes.

39. Agroecology and theAgroecology and the
transition of food systemstransition of food systems
•Level 4:Level 4: Reconnecting the two most important
parts of the food system - consumers and
producers, through the development of alternative
food networks.
direct markets
local food movement
food hubs
urban and periurban agriculture
relationship-based exchange

41. Relationship-based
Markets
www.CanUnite.org
Agroecology ensures food
security

42. Agroecology and theAgroecology and the
transition of food systemstransition of food systems
•Level 5:Level 5: On the foundation created by the
sustainable farm-scale agroecosystems of Level 3
and the sustainable food relationships of Level 4,
build a new global food system, based on
resilience, participation, localness, fairness, and
food security, that is not only sustainable but also
helps restore and protect Earth’s life-support
systems – bring about a full paradigm shift.
-The future of food is more than ending hunger.
-The future of food is more than increasing production
-The future of food brings “culture” back into agri-culture

43. Indicators of SustainabilityIndicators of Sustainability
Transdisciplinary, participatory, and action-orientedTransdisciplinary, participatory, and action-oriented
• Soil resourcesSoil resources
• Hydrological resourcesHydrological resources
• Biotic resourcesBiotic resources
• Ecosystem-level resourcesEcosystem-level resources
• Economic resourcesEconomic resources
• Social resourcesSocial resources
• Cultural resourcesCultural resources

50. AgroecologAgroecologyy
Research, education, action and changeResearch, education, action and change
that brings sustainability to all parts of thethat brings sustainability to all parts of the
food system: ecological, economic, andfood system: ecological, economic, and
socialsocial. It’s transdisciplinary, participatory, an. It’s transdisciplinary, participatory, an
action oriented.action oriented.
Agroecology as scienceAgroecology as science
Agroecology as practiceAgroecology as practice
Agroecology as a change processAgroecology as a change process
It has to be all three to be an Agroecology thatIt has to be all three to be an Agroecology that
can really create food system sustainability!can really create food system sustainability!

52. Xie Xie – Thank you.
Steve Gliessman
gliess@ucsc.edu