1) A UN report shows that small-scale farmers can double their food production within 10 years using agroecological farming methods instead of industrial agriculture. Agroecology improves soil quality, uses natural pest control, and diversifies crops.
2) Studies have found agroecological methods increased yields by 79% on average in projects across 57 countries. In Africa yields increased by 116% on average. These methods improve incomes and livelihoods for small-scale farmers while preserving ecosystems.
3) Supporting small-scale farmers' transition to agroecology worldwide is vital for avoiding future food and climate crises, as agroecology addresses hunger, poverty, and climate change in a sustainable way.
A presentation written by Miguel Altieri, Professor of Agroecology at the University of California, Berkeley in the Department of Environmental Science, Policy and Management, with the participation of Angela Hilmi. You can choose to download the short or the long version; both of them are in Power Point format and available in English, French, Spanish and Portuguese download at ag-transition.org
- Agroecology is an approach that can increase agricultural productivity and sustainability by optimizing the use of local resources through diversification and minimizing external inputs.
- Key principles of agroecology include recycling nutrients on the farm, integrating crops and livestock, and focusing on interactions across the entire agricultural system.
- Agroecological practices maintain biodiversity through various techniques like crop rotation, cover crops, and agroforestry systems, which improve pest regulation, nutrient recycling, and ecosystem functions to increase yields over the long term in a sustainable way.
Agroecology: The Foundation for Food System SustainabilityExternalEvents
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.
Agroecology is the study of agricultural systems and their interaction with the environment. It focuses on optimizing locally available resources through practices like crop rotation, polycultures, and agroforestry to reduce reliance on external inputs. Key principles of agroecology include recycling nutrients on the farm, integrating crops and livestock, and maintaining biodiversity. Agroecological strategies can improve productivity and sustainability while conserving natural resources long-term.
Presented by Barbara Gemmill-Herren during the seminar How to Feed Nine Billion within the Planet’s Boundaries - Agroecology for Food Security & Nutrition organised by the SIANI Expert group on Agriculture Transformation on March 10, 2015. Read more here: http://www.siani.se/expert-groups/agriculture-transformation-low-income-countries-under-environmental-change
Agroecology as an opportunity to address the challenges of European and Centr...ExternalEvents
http://www.fao.org/europe/events/detail-events/en/c/429132/
Presentation of Michel Pimbert, from Conventry University, illustrating agroecology as an opportunity to address the challenges of European and Central Asian food and agriculture. The presentation was prepared and delivered in occasion of the Regional Symposium on Agroecology in Europe and Central Asia, held in Budapest, Hungary on 23-25 November 2016.
This document discusses the history and concepts of agroecology. It provides context on the current state of global food security and agriculture. It then discusses key principles of agroecology, including biomass recycling, soil biological activity, biodiversity, and minimizing losses. Examples are given of agroecological farming practices and systems that mimic natural ecosystems. The document advocates for agroecology as an alternative paradigm to conventional agriculture that is more sustainable. It discusses challenges in further developing agroecology, including the need for public funding, supportive policies, and attracting new farmers.
A presentation written by Miguel Altieri, Professor of Agroecology at the University of California, Berkeley in the Department of Environmental Science, Policy and Management, with the participation of Angela Hilmi. You can choose to download the short or the long version; both of them are in Power Point format and available in English, French, Spanish and Portuguese download at ag-transition.org
- Agroecology is an approach that can increase agricultural productivity and sustainability by optimizing the use of local resources through diversification and minimizing external inputs.
- Key principles of agroecology include recycling nutrients on the farm, integrating crops and livestock, and focusing on interactions across the entire agricultural system.
- Agroecological practices maintain biodiversity through various techniques like crop rotation, cover crops, and agroforestry systems, which improve pest regulation, nutrient recycling, and ecosystem functions to increase yields over the long term in a sustainable way.
Agroecology: The Foundation for Food System SustainabilityExternalEvents
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.
Agroecology is the study of agricultural systems and their interaction with the environment. It focuses on optimizing locally available resources through practices like crop rotation, polycultures, and agroforestry to reduce reliance on external inputs. Key principles of agroecology include recycling nutrients on the farm, integrating crops and livestock, and maintaining biodiversity. Agroecological strategies can improve productivity and sustainability while conserving natural resources long-term.
Presented by Barbara Gemmill-Herren during the seminar How to Feed Nine Billion within the Planet’s Boundaries - Agroecology for Food Security & Nutrition organised by the SIANI Expert group on Agriculture Transformation on March 10, 2015. Read more here: http://www.siani.se/expert-groups/agriculture-transformation-low-income-countries-under-environmental-change
Agroecology as an opportunity to address the challenges of European and Centr...ExternalEvents
http://www.fao.org/europe/events/detail-events/en/c/429132/
Presentation of Michel Pimbert, from Conventry University, illustrating agroecology as an opportunity to address the challenges of European and Central Asian food and agriculture. The presentation was prepared and delivered in occasion of the Regional Symposium on Agroecology in Europe and Central Asia, held in Budapest, Hungary on 23-25 November 2016.
This document discusses the history and concepts of agroecology. It provides context on the current state of global food security and agriculture. It then discusses key principles of agroecology, including biomass recycling, soil biological activity, biodiversity, and minimizing losses. Examples are given of agroecological farming practices and systems that mimic natural ecosystems. The document advocates for agroecology as an alternative paradigm to conventional agriculture that is more sustainable. It discusses challenges in further developing agroecology, including the need for public funding, supportive policies, and attracting new farmers.
Human-induced climate change is resulting in less and more erratic rainfall, especially in food insecure regions. Adaptation strategies are needed to help farmers cope with drought and increased weather variability. Ecological farming approaches that build soil health and biodiversity can increase the resilience and stability of agriculture under a changing climate. Practices like cover crops, intercropping, and adding organic matter help soils hold more moisture while reducing erosion. This helps ensure more reliable yields during drought. Continued breeding of drought-tolerant varieties is also important, though genetic engineering is not well-suited due to the complexity of drought tolerance.
Enhancing the roles of ecosystem services in agriculture: agroecological prin...FAO
Presentation from Etienne Hainzelin from CIRAD, describing the principles of agroecological systems and the role of research within these. The presentation was prepared and delivered in occasion of the International Symposium on Agroecology for Food Security and Nutrition, held at FAO in Rome on 18-19 September 2014.
The document discusses agroecosystems, which involve the biological, physical, and socioeconomic components of farming systems, and provides checklists of factors to consider when analyzing agroecosystems, such as management practices, biophysical structures and processes, and social organization. It also outlines approaches for studying agroecosystems, including participatory rural appraisal, prototyping integrated farming systems, and identifying key relationships and decisions through agroecosystem analysis tools.
This presentation discusses agroecology and small farm development. It defines key terms like agro, ecology, and agroecology. Agroecology studies interactions within agroecosystems and seeks sustainable farming systems. It outlines core agroecological principles like planning, resource use, and landscape management. Examples of agroecological practices provided include conservation tillage, intercropping, crop rotation, and integrated pest management. Agroecology can offer benefits like increased food sovereignty, stabilized yields, and decreased dependency on inputs. General principles for small farms include minimizing debt and off-farm inputs, and basing management on natural resources.
Human: Thank you, that is a concise 3 sentence summary that captures the
The document discusses agroecological intensification (AEI) approaches to increase agricultural productivity while also securing ecosystem services. It analyzes various AEI systems including conservation agriculture, forest farming, and agroforestry. These systems utilize practices like minimum soil disturbance, permanent soil cover, and diverse crop rotations. The goals are to provide functions like reduced pollution, increased soil fertility, nutrient retention, erosion control, and pollination services. The document reviews the extent of conservation agriculture globally and its benefits in Africa like improved soil quality and increased yields in countries like Kenya, Uganda, and Zambia.
This document discusses soil, agroecosystem, and landscape health as it relates to sustainable food production. It covers topics such as soil health being the basis for sustainability, agroecosystem health through mimicking natural systems like the slash and mulch system, and landscape health through connecting agroecosystems. Case studies are provided on projects taking a landscape approach like the Nature Conservancy's Cosumnes River Project. The overall message is that sustainable food production requires restoring soil, agroecosystems, and the connectivity of the landscape.
Ecological agriculture, also known as organic farming, is an agricultural system that promotes environmentally and economically sustainable production without the use of synthetic fertilizers, pesticides, or genetically modified organisms. It involves building healthy soil, growing pest-resistant plants, and enhancing biodiversity. Millions of small-scale farmers around the world already use ecological farming techniques to produce enough food while protecting the environment and mitigating climate change impacts. Studies show ecological farms can yield 30% more food per hectare on average than conventional farms while proving more profitable for farmers.
Ecological agriculture relies on natural processes and biodiversity rather than synthetic inputs. It can help address food security and child malnutrition by building healthier soil, increasing crop diversity, and efficiently managing water resources. Examples from Ethiopia show how ecological farming practices increased yields more than chemical fertilizers, improved drought resistance, and provided more nutritious diets. By reducing greenhouse gases and building resilient systems, ecological agriculture can also help mitigate climate change impacts on food security.
http://www.fao.org/europe/events/detail-events/en/c/429132/
Presentation of Caterina Batello, from FAO, on Agroecology in FAO. The presentation was prepared and delivered in occasion of the Regional Symposium on Agroecology in Europe and Central Asia, held in Budapest, Hungary on 23-25 November 2016.
Concept of Agro ecosystem
Difference between manipulated Agroecology and Natural Ecology
Sustainable Agriculture
Biodiversification and Agroecology
Sustainable Agroecosystems
Agroecology and the Design of Sustainable Agroecosystems
Agricultural biodiversity - an essential asset for the success and resilience...Bioversity International
Bioversity International scientist Pablo Eyzaguirre present on family farming and the contribution that family farms make to the conservation and use of agricultural biodiveristy. Family farmers are an important asset to food security - they manage a lot of agricultural biodiversity and they have gendered knowledge of the ecosystems where their farms are embedded.
Find out more about our work on agricultural ecosystems: www.bioversityinternational.org/research-portfolio/agricultural-ecosystems/
Presentation from Ravi Prabhu, Director of the World Agroforestry Centre (ICRAF), outlining the role of Agroforestry in strengthening food security. The presentation was prepared and delivered in occasion of the International Symposium on Agroecology for Food Security and Nutrition, held at FAO in Rome on 18-19 September 2014.
Sustainable/Organic Farming Systems in the Developing Worldguestbd5c98
This document discusses sustainable and organic farming systems in the developing world. It defines sustainable farming as meeting present needs without compromising future demands through stewardship of natural and human resources. Organic farming is defined as a production system that responds to site-specific conditions by integrating cultural, biological, and mechanical practices that foster resource cycling and promote ecological balance. Sustainable and organic farming are important in the developing world due to problems like hunger, which affects 1 billion people, and the need to sustainably feed a growing global population predicted to reach 9.4 billion by 2050, with 8.2 billion living in developing countries.
poster50: Learning Agrobiodiversity the importance of agricultural biodiversi...CIAT
This document discusses the importance of agrobiodiversity, which includes the biological diversity in agricultural systems that provides food, fiber, and other products. Agrobiodiversity is in rapid decline due to changes in agriculture practices, land use, and climate change. However, agrobiodiversity is rarely taught at universities. A review found few universities offer full programs or dedicated courses on agrobiodiversity, though some include elements of it in other courses. There is a need to better integrate agrobiodiversity across disciplines and educational systems to address this gap.
This document discusses agroecological practices at The Farm Between, including maintaining biodiversity through crop rotations, cover crops, and livestock integration. Some key sustainability indicators where The Farm Between scores higher than industrial agriculture are species diversity, stability, internal nutrient cycling, and complexity of species interactions. Livestock are used for multiple benefits like manure production, weed control through grazing, and mimicking natural systems. The farm employs strategies like stacking functions, where individual elements provide multiple benefits, and balancing inputs and outputs to operate sustainably according to the laws of nature.
This document provides an overview of agroecology approaches in China, including key policies and practices. It discusses China's policy focus on addressing resource limitations, environmental pollution, and ecosystem degradation through sustainable agriculture. The document outlines China's National Strategic Plan for Sustainable Agriculture, which aims to optimize production, protect farmland, save water, control pollution, and restore agroecosystems. It then describes several agroecology approaches used in China, such as landscape design, cycling systems, diversified crops and varieties, agroforestry, and intercropping to improve productivity and resource use efficiency while reducing environmental impacts.
The document discusses community agrobiodiversity conservation for food security and sustainable livelihoods. It describes using a 4C approach - conservation, cultivation, consumption and commerce - to empower marginal communities. Specific initiatives discussed include promoting traditional crops, cultivating climate resilient varieties, establishing community seed banks and food fairs, developing value chains for millet products, and recognizing custodian farmers. The approach aims to enhance conservation, capacity, and community resilience through participatory research and development.
This document discusses agrobiodiversity, which refers to the variety of plants, animals and microorganisms used in agriculture, as well as the ecosystems that support agricultural systems. It notes that agrobiodiversity provides food, medicine, ecosystem services and genetic resources. However, agrobiodiversity is being lost due to factors like habitat loss, deforestation, overgrazing, and climate change. The document recommends best practices to enhance agrobiodiversity such as organic farming, integrated pest management, seed banking systems, and crop diversity.
This document discusses sustainable agriculture. It defines sustainable agriculture as a form of agriculture that fulfills current needs without compromising future generations' ability to meet their own needs. The document outlines the goals of sustainable agriculture as environmental health, economic efficiency, and social/economic equity. It also discusses problems with modern agriculture practices and differences between modern and sustainable agriculture. Finally, it provides dimensions for adapting to and mitigating climate change in agriculture, such as improved seeds/livestock, water use efficiency, pest management, and more.
The document discusses the role of agricultural biodiversity in improving nutrition and diets in developing countries. It notes that loss of biodiversity has contributed to poor nutrition outcomes and outlines several traditional agroecosystems that optimize both yields and nutrient outputs through the use of diverse crop combinations and intercropping practices. These systems provide dietary diversity and complementarities that help address micronutrient deficiencies. The document also raises important open questions about how to scale agricultural biodiversity approaches to improve nutrition security.
This document discusses the environmental drivers of food and nutrition insecurity. It notes that while technological advancements have increased food production, it has also led to environmental degradation and threats to ecosystems. Climate change is projected to reduce crop production in some areas. It argues for a sustainable food systems approach based on diversified eco-agriculture, optimizing efficiency, and addressing issues like subsidies and access to resources to empower smallholders and ensure long-term food security.
This document provides a summary of the report "The Real Green Revolution: Organic and agroecological farming in the South" published by Greenpeace Environmental Trust in 2002. The report examines the growth of organic and agroecological farming in Africa, Asia, and Latin America. It finds that an estimated 15.8 to 30 million hectares are currently managed organically in the global South, equivalent to about 3% of agricultural land. Two-thirds of new members of IFOAM, the International Federation of Organic Agricultural Movements, come from developing countries. The report also highlights how organic farming can increase food security, reduce poverty, protect environmental resources, and maintain important agricultural biodiversity through its use of diverse crops
Human-induced climate change is resulting in less and more erratic rainfall, especially in food insecure regions. Adaptation strategies are needed to help farmers cope with drought and increased weather variability. Ecological farming approaches that build soil health and biodiversity can increase the resilience and stability of agriculture under a changing climate. Practices like cover crops, intercropping, and adding organic matter help soils hold more moisture while reducing erosion. This helps ensure more reliable yields during drought. Continued breeding of drought-tolerant varieties is also important, though genetic engineering is not well-suited due to the complexity of drought tolerance.
Enhancing the roles of ecosystem services in agriculture: agroecological prin...FAO
Presentation from Etienne Hainzelin from CIRAD, describing the principles of agroecological systems and the role of research within these. The presentation was prepared and delivered in occasion of the International Symposium on Agroecology for Food Security and Nutrition, held at FAO in Rome on 18-19 September 2014.
The document discusses agroecosystems, which involve the biological, physical, and socioeconomic components of farming systems, and provides checklists of factors to consider when analyzing agroecosystems, such as management practices, biophysical structures and processes, and social organization. It also outlines approaches for studying agroecosystems, including participatory rural appraisal, prototyping integrated farming systems, and identifying key relationships and decisions through agroecosystem analysis tools.
This presentation discusses agroecology and small farm development. It defines key terms like agro, ecology, and agroecology. Agroecology studies interactions within agroecosystems and seeks sustainable farming systems. It outlines core agroecological principles like planning, resource use, and landscape management. Examples of agroecological practices provided include conservation tillage, intercropping, crop rotation, and integrated pest management. Agroecology can offer benefits like increased food sovereignty, stabilized yields, and decreased dependency on inputs. General principles for small farms include minimizing debt and off-farm inputs, and basing management on natural resources.
Human: Thank you, that is a concise 3 sentence summary that captures the
The document discusses agroecological intensification (AEI) approaches to increase agricultural productivity while also securing ecosystem services. It analyzes various AEI systems including conservation agriculture, forest farming, and agroforestry. These systems utilize practices like minimum soil disturbance, permanent soil cover, and diverse crop rotations. The goals are to provide functions like reduced pollution, increased soil fertility, nutrient retention, erosion control, and pollination services. The document reviews the extent of conservation agriculture globally and its benefits in Africa like improved soil quality and increased yields in countries like Kenya, Uganda, and Zambia.
This document discusses soil, agroecosystem, and landscape health as it relates to sustainable food production. It covers topics such as soil health being the basis for sustainability, agroecosystem health through mimicking natural systems like the slash and mulch system, and landscape health through connecting agroecosystems. Case studies are provided on projects taking a landscape approach like the Nature Conservancy's Cosumnes River Project. The overall message is that sustainable food production requires restoring soil, agroecosystems, and the connectivity of the landscape.
Ecological agriculture, also known as organic farming, is an agricultural system that promotes environmentally and economically sustainable production without the use of synthetic fertilizers, pesticides, or genetically modified organisms. It involves building healthy soil, growing pest-resistant plants, and enhancing biodiversity. Millions of small-scale farmers around the world already use ecological farming techniques to produce enough food while protecting the environment and mitigating climate change impacts. Studies show ecological farms can yield 30% more food per hectare on average than conventional farms while proving more profitable for farmers.
Ecological agriculture relies on natural processes and biodiversity rather than synthetic inputs. It can help address food security and child malnutrition by building healthier soil, increasing crop diversity, and efficiently managing water resources. Examples from Ethiopia show how ecological farming practices increased yields more than chemical fertilizers, improved drought resistance, and provided more nutritious diets. By reducing greenhouse gases and building resilient systems, ecological agriculture can also help mitigate climate change impacts on food security.
http://www.fao.org/europe/events/detail-events/en/c/429132/
Presentation of Caterina Batello, from FAO, on Agroecology in FAO. The presentation was prepared and delivered in occasion of the Regional Symposium on Agroecology in Europe and Central Asia, held in Budapest, Hungary on 23-25 November 2016.
Concept of Agro ecosystem
Difference between manipulated Agroecology and Natural Ecology
Sustainable Agriculture
Biodiversification and Agroecology
Sustainable Agroecosystems
Agroecology and the Design of Sustainable Agroecosystems
Agricultural biodiversity - an essential asset for the success and resilience...Bioversity International
Bioversity International scientist Pablo Eyzaguirre present on family farming and the contribution that family farms make to the conservation and use of agricultural biodiveristy. Family farmers are an important asset to food security - they manage a lot of agricultural biodiversity and they have gendered knowledge of the ecosystems where their farms are embedded.
Find out more about our work on agricultural ecosystems: www.bioversityinternational.org/research-portfolio/agricultural-ecosystems/
Presentation from Ravi Prabhu, Director of the World Agroforestry Centre (ICRAF), outlining the role of Agroforestry in strengthening food security. The presentation was prepared and delivered in occasion of the International Symposium on Agroecology for Food Security and Nutrition, held at FAO in Rome on 18-19 September 2014.
Sustainable/Organic Farming Systems in the Developing Worldguestbd5c98
This document discusses sustainable and organic farming systems in the developing world. It defines sustainable farming as meeting present needs without compromising future demands through stewardship of natural and human resources. Organic farming is defined as a production system that responds to site-specific conditions by integrating cultural, biological, and mechanical practices that foster resource cycling and promote ecological balance. Sustainable and organic farming are important in the developing world due to problems like hunger, which affects 1 billion people, and the need to sustainably feed a growing global population predicted to reach 9.4 billion by 2050, with 8.2 billion living in developing countries.
poster50: Learning Agrobiodiversity the importance of agricultural biodiversi...CIAT
This document discusses the importance of agrobiodiversity, which includes the biological diversity in agricultural systems that provides food, fiber, and other products. Agrobiodiversity is in rapid decline due to changes in agriculture practices, land use, and climate change. However, agrobiodiversity is rarely taught at universities. A review found few universities offer full programs or dedicated courses on agrobiodiversity, though some include elements of it in other courses. There is a need to better integrate agrobiodiversity across disciplines and educational systems to address this gap.
This document discusses agroecological practices at The Farm Between, including maintaining biodiversity through crop rotations, cover crops, and livestock integration. Some key sustainability indicators where The Farm Between scores higher than industrial agriculture are species diversity, stability, internal nutrient cycling, and complexity of species interactions. Livestock are used for multiple benefits like manure production, weed control through grazing, and mimicking natural systems. The farm employs strategies like stacking functions, where individual elements provide multiple benefits, and balancing inputs and outputs to operate sustainably according to the laws of nature.
This document provides an overview of agroecology approaches in China, including key policies and practices. It discusses China's policy focus on addressing resource limitations, environmental pollution, and ecosystem degradation through sustainable agriculture. The document outlines China's National Strategic Plan for Sustainable Agriculture, which aims to optimize production, protect farmland, save water, control pollution, and restore agroecosystems. It then describes several agroecology approaches used in China, such as landscape design, cycling systems, diversified crops and varieties, agroforestry, and intercropping to improve productivity and resource use efficiency while reducing environmental impacts.
The document discusses community agrobiodiversity conservation for food security and sustainable livelihoods. It describes using a 4C approach - conservation, cultivation, consumption and commerce - to empower marginal communities. Specific initiatives discussed include promoting traditional crops, cultivating climate resilient varieties, establishing community seed banks and food fairs, developing value chains for millet products, and recognizing custodian farmers. The approach aims to enhance conservation, capacity, and community resilience through participatory research and development.
This document discusses agrobiodiversity, which refers to the variety of plants, animals and microorganisms used in agriculture, as well as the ecosystems that support agricultural systems. It notes that agrobiodiversity provides food, medicine, ecosystem services and genetic resources. However, agrobiodiversity is being lost due to factors like habitat loss, deforestation, overgrazing, and climate change. The document recommends best practices to enhance agrobiodiversity such as organic farming, integrated pest management, seed banking systems, and crop diversity.
This document discusses sustainable agriculture. It defines sustainable agriculture as a form of agriculture that fulfills current needs without compromising future generations' ability to meet their own needs. The document outlines the goals of sustainable agriculture as environmental health, economic efficiency, and social/economic equity. It also discusses problems with modern agriculture practices and differences between modern and sustainable agriculture. Finally, it provides dimensions for adapting to and mitigating climate change in agriculture, such as improved seeds/livestock, water use efficiency, pest management, and more.
The document discusses the role of agricultural biodiversity in improving nutrition and diets in developing countries. It notes that loss of biodiversity has contributed to poor nutrition outcomes and outlines several traditional agroecosystems that optimize both yields and nutrient outputs through the use of diverse crop combinations and intercropping practices. These systems provide dietary diversity and complementarities that help address micronutrient deficiencies. The document also raises important open questions about how to scale agricultural biodiversity approaches to improve nutrition security.
This document discusses the environmental drivers of food and nutrition insecurity. It notes that while technological advancements have increased food production, it has also led to environmental degradation and threats to ecosystems. Climate change is projected to reduce crop production in some areas. It argues for a sustainable food systems approach based on diversified eco-agriculture, optimizing efficiency, and addressing issues like subsidies and access to resources to empower smallholders and ensure long-term food security.
This document provides a summary of the report "The Real Green Revolution: Organic and agroecological farming in the South" published by Greenpeace Environmental Trust in 2002. The report examines the growth of organic and agroecological farming in Africa, Asia, and Latin America. It finds that an estimated 15.8 to 30 million hectares are currently managed organically in the global South, equivalent to about 3% of agricultural land. Two-thirds of new members of IFOAM, the International Federation of Organic Agricultural Movements, come from developing countries. The report also highlights how organic farming can increase food security, reduce poverty, protect environmental resources, and maintain important agricultural biodiversity through its use of diverse crops
This document discusses climate smart agriculture (CSA) techniques to increase food security amidst climate change. It notes that agricultural production must increase 70% by 2050 to feed the growing global population. Climate change is reducing yields and CSA aims to sustainably increase productivity and resilience. CSA techniques include altered planting times, crop diversification, water conservation methods, and sustainable land management practices like mulching and agroforestry. The document concludes CSA is needed to address food security and climate change by increasing food production sustainably while reducing emissions and improving resilience.
Role of Agriculture Techniques in Eradication of World Hunger And Achieving F...Naveen Bind
The document discusses the role of advanced agricultural techniques in eradicating world hunger and achieving food security. It notes that three quarters of the world's hungry population lives in rural areas and depends on agriculture. Increasing agricultural productivity in poor countries, through techniques like conservation agriculture, is critical to reducing hunger by boosting food supply and farmer incomes. However, aid alone is not enough - trade reforms and domestic policy reforms are also needed. The document outlines several challenges to achieving food security, including climate change, lack of access in remote areas, and conflicts, as well as India's specific food security concerns like high levels of malnutrition and undernutrition.
Around 70% of producers (farmers, tribals on forest land etc.) population in India comes under the category of small (19%) and marginal (51%) farmers. These categories of farmers have land holding of around 1 hectare and implementing existing policies to allot Govt. land to them (Booklet no. 434, Agricultural situation in India: ASIS-6). This population is mostly, poor, hungry, malnourished, illiterate, isolated, deep in debt, having lost their knowledge to follow their agro-ecology, having fallen into global investment in the market oriented development research, with extension focused on adapting and converting to high cost, high risk green revolution/Biotechnologies systems. This is the cause of their distress and the agrarian crisis in India. So, if we want our agriculture to again contribute significantly to the development and growth by becoming sustainable in the long term, we need to assist/facilitate by meeting the needs of the producer community so that they once again follow their producer oriented, low cost, low risk, agro ecology, primarily to meet their nutrition, food and cash requirements as this is the target population (mostly women and youth) that has capabilities and if given proper resources to develop their capacities
One hectare feasibility study with forwardRitesh Karnik
This document outlines a plan for smallholder farmers with approximately 1 hectare of land to implement agroecology practices. It discusses the benefits of agroecology such as producing own inputs, access to nutritious crops, soil health improvement, and climate change adaptation. The plan includes trenches and ponds for water management, live fencing, intercropping various crops, and mixed tree plantations. Case studies show high yields and productivity using these methods on small plots of land. The goal is for small farmers to sustainably meet family food, nutrition, and income needs from 1 hectare through agroecology.
Breeding rice for sustainable agricultureDhanuja Kumar
Rice is the major cereal crop in Asia where 90% of the world’s rice is produced and consumed. Rice production and productivity need to keep pace with a growing global population likely to reach 9 billion by 2050 in order to have a hunger-free world and to ensure sustainable production in the face of depleting resources such as land, water and nutrients as well as changing climatic conditions.
This document discusses India's status as a global agricultural powerhouse and issues facing Indian agriculture. It notes that India is the largest producer of milk, pulses and spices and the second largest producer of rice, cotton and sugarcane. However, the declining contribution of agriculture to India's GDP is alarming given that 50% of the population depends on it. The government is taking measures like the National Agricultural Innovation Project to support small farmers. New technologies like hydroponics could help but are not affordable for many small farmers. Several solutions are proposed to help address issues like farmer suicides, market access, water management and climate change impacts.
This document provides summaries of three FAO success stories implementing climate-smart agriculture in different regions. In Tanzania, an agroforestry system covering 120,000 hectares on Mount Kilimanjaro's slopes was preserved through introducing coffee and vanilla cash crops and trout aquaculture to increase incomes while maintaining the ecological integrity of the system. In China, a project in Qinghai province aims to restore degraded grasslands through sustainable grazing management to sequester carbon, increase productivity, and improve livelihoods for herding communities.
This document discusses the need for an "Organic Green Revolution" to transition the world's food systems to organic and regenerative agricultural practices. It argues that the industrial Green Revolution has degraded soils and the environment while failing to solve world hunger. The document summarizes several studies that found organic methods increased yields more than conventional methods in developing countries. It also found organic methods were economically viable for farmers. The document advocates transitioning to organic and regenerative farming practices to address issues of food security, climate change and environmental degradation in a sustainable way.
This document discusses the need for an "Organic Green Revolution" to transition the global food system from unsustainable chemical-intensive farming to organic regenerative agriculture. It argues that organic farming can feed the world while improving soil health, mitigating climate change, and increasing resilience. Studies in Africa found organic yields increased by over 100% compared to chemical-intensive farms. Transitioning to organic farming empowers small farmers, increases global food security, and restores ecological balance by building soil carbon and reducing pollution.
This document discusses the need for an "Organic Green Revolution" to transition the world's food systems to organic and regenerative agriculture. It argues that conventional agriculture is unsustainable and has high environmental and social costs, while organic agriculture can increase yields, build soil health, and provide other benefits. The document summarizes several studies that found organic yields were equal to or higher than conventional yields, especially in developing countries. It advocates that governments and leaders implement policies and practices to transition global agriculture to organic methods in order to adequately feed the world's population and protect the environment.
What is sustainable agriculture ppt Presentation by Allah Dad Khan Mr.Allah Dad Khan
1. The document discusses sustainable agriculture and defines it as a farming system that mimics natural ecosystems by being profitable, environmentally friendly, and supporting communities.
2. Key aspects of sustainable agriculture include diversification of crops and livestock, applying organic matter to soils, using cover crops and crop rotations, and direct marketing to consumers.
3. The goals of sustainable agriculture are to provide secure livelihoods for farmers and rural communities, ensure access to healthy food for all, and preserve environmental resources like soil and water quality.
Ecological and Organic Agriculture: what contribution
to food security and poverty reduction Presented by Ousséni DIALLO, President of Green Cross International/Burkina Faso
Agriculture in developing countries must undergo a significant transformation in order to meet the related challenges of achieving food security and responding to climate change. Projections based on population growth and food consumption patterns indicate that agricultural production will need to increase by at least 70 percent to meet demands by 2050. Most estimates also indicate that climate change is likely to reduce agricultural productivity, production stability and incomes in some areas that already have high levels of food insecurity. Developing climate-smart agriculture is thus crucial to achieving future food security and climate change goals. This seminar describe an approach to deal with the above issue viz. Climate Smart Agriculture (CSA) and also examines some of the key technical, institutional, policy and financial responses required to achieve this transformation. Building on cases from the field, the seminar try to outlines a range of practices, approaches and tools aimed at increase the resilience and productivity of agricultural product systems, while also reducing and removing emissions. A part of the seminar elaborates institutional and policy options available to promote the transition to climate-smart agriculture at the smallholder level. Finally, the paper considers current gaps and makes innovative suggestion regarding the combined use of different sources, financing mechanism and delivery systems.
The document discusses food security challenges facing the world by 2050. Key points include:
- Global food production must increase 70% by 2050 to feed a rising population expected to reach 9.1 billion.
- Hunger currently affects over 821 million people worldwide and billions lack reliable access to nutritious food.
- Factors exacerbating food insecurity include population growth, changing diets, climate change, water scarcity, soil erosion, and plateauing crop yields.
- Solutions proposed are closing yield gaps, raising water productivity, balancing calorie and nutrient needs, reducing food waste, and supporting young farmers. UN agencies are working on programs like Zero Hunger to end hunger by 2030.
Organic Agriculture Will Terminate World HungerP6P
The document discusses whether organic agriculture can feed the world. It provides several examples from around the world where organic and sustainable farming techniques have increased yields for small-scale farmers compared to conventional methods. However, the global food system favors large-scale industrial agriculture over smaller family farms. The document argues that organic agriculture, if more widely adopted, could sustainably and equitably feed the world.
Similar to Eco-Farming Addresses Hunger, Poverty and Climate Change (20)
The document provides links to free manuals, books, and resources about organic gardening and farming techniques, including companion planting, rainwater harvesting, green roofs, solar energy, volunteering on organic farms in Europe, and development projects related to eco-friendly topics like coffee, solar energy, and helping address hunger. It encourages using these free resources to boost garden yields, learn organic composting and recycling, understand issues around pesticides, and explore volunteering and training opportunities in sustainable agriculture and energy.
The document provides links to numerous books about establishing and maintaining edible schoolyard gardens and using them in education. Some of the books discuss the origins and philosophy of the edible schoolyard movement started by Alice Waters, while others provide practical guidance on designing, planting, teaching with, and integrating school gardens into curricula. The books cover topics like involving children of various ages, organic and sustainable practices, designing gardens for small spaces, and using gardens to teach a variety of subjects.
This document provides information about worm composting and caring for earthworms. It discusses the benefits of worm composting, including creating nutrient-rich compost and reducing organic waste. Instructions are given for setting up a worm farm, including obtaining worms, adding bedding and food scraps, and harvesting the finished compost. Tips are provided, such as chopping food, maintaining moisture levels, and avoiding fatty foods that can cause odors. The document encourages people to start worm composting to easily recycle kitchen scraps into a valuable natural fertilizer.
This document provides a manual on integrated farming systems (IFS). It defines IFS as agricultural systems that integrate livestock and crop production to reduce costs and improve production through recycling. The manual contains 6 modules that cover IFS concepts and components, animal feed sources, silage production, biodigester installation, composting, and vermiculture. The goals of IFS are to provide stable income and achieve agro-ecological balance. Key advantages include improved soil fertility and productivity. The manual presents models of IFS that integrate crops, livestock, poultry, fish farming, and other components suited for farms in Belize.
A Village Saved: The Transformative Potential of Organic Agriculture in Nepalx3G9
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This document discusses the need for a new research agenda to address the dynamics of agri-food systems in developing countries. It argues that prevailing approaches in agricultural science and policy often fail to provide sustainable outcomes, especially for poor rural populations, as they do not account for the complexity, diversity, uncertainty and non-equilibrium states that characterize agri-food systems. The document outlines some key drivers of change affecting developing world agriculture today, such as declining public support, integration into global markets, and trade barriers in developed countries. It calls for more interdisciplinary research focusing on understanding system interactions and exploring pathways to increase resilience and robustness in the face of growing risks and uncertainties.
This document provides information about Advancing Eco-Agriculture, an agricultural consulting and manufacturing company. Their mission is to help farmers produce healthy, disease-resistant crops through education and natural soil and plant management products. They offer consulting services, a product catalog including microbial inoculants, enzymes, and mineral nutrient formulations to analyze soil, monitor crop health, and enhance the soil-plant system for optimal agricultural production.
This document provides an overview and product catalog for Agri-Dynamics, a private membership association that provides natural and holistic products for farm and livestock. The catalog includes over 20 products organized by category including livestock supplements, botanical remedies, and informational resources. Agri-Dynamics was founded in 1979 with a mission to provide cost-effective natural alternatives to pharmaceuticals and aims to support animal health through nutrient-dense feeds, mineral-rich soils, and low-stress environments.
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Biodiversity, Biofuels, Agroforestry and Conservation Agriculturex3G9
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Eco-Farming Addresses Hunger, Poverty and Climate Change
1. 33Pacific Ecologist Winter 2012
Eco-farming can feed Africa and the world.
Nourishing the planet
Small-scale farmers can double food production
within 10 years using ecological methods, a UN report
shows. In a comprehensive review of recent scientific
literature,1–4
the study calls for a fundamental shift to
agroecology to boost food production and improve
millions of the poorest people’s livelihoods. ‘Industrial
farming on large plantations will not solve hunger or stop
climate change. The solution lies in supporting small-scale
farmers’ knowledge and in raising their incomes so as to
contribute to rural development. To feed 9 billion people
in 2050, we urgently need to adopt the most efficient
farming techniques available,’ says Olivier De Schutter,
UN Special Rapporteur on the right to food and author
of the report presented to the Human Rights Council of
the UN in January 2011.
The report shows that agroecological methods out-
perform chemical fertilizers, boosting food production
in difficult environments. Hunger today is caused by
poverty rather than lack of global food supplies. After
the food price crisis of 2008 it’s necessary to reorient
agriculture to highly productive methods that preserve
ecosystems and invest in those who need it most, poor,
small-scale farmers. Higher incomes for smallholders
increase demand for goods and services from local
traders, whereas large estates spend more on imported
inputs and machinery.5
Support for small producers,
breaks the vicious cycle of rural poverty and expanded
urban slums where poverty breeds poverty.
It is widely cited that agricultural production must
increase by 70% by 2050 if present consumption pat-
terns persist. Already nearly half the world’s cereal
production is used for animal feed, and meat consump-
tion is predicted to increase from 37.4 kg/person/
year in 2000 to over 52 kg/person/year by 2050. The
United Nations Environmental Programme (UNEP)
estimates that the calories lost by using cereals for meat
production instead of directly for human food could
meet the annual calorie needs of more than 3.5 billion
people.6
Reallocating cereals to human consumption, is
desirable in developed countries where excess animal
Eco-farming addresses hunger,
poverty & climate change
Agriculture must be redirected to environmentally sound, socially just production methods to address
the food and energy crises, hunger, poverty and climate change, reports OLIVIER DE SCHUTTER,
Special Rapporteur to the UN on the right to food. Agroecology, which mimics natural processes, has had
remarkable successes in the past decade, improving incomes and livelihoods for many millions of the
world’s poorest, small-scale farmers and has improved the resilience of food systems. Supporting small-
scale farmers to make the transition to agroecology worldwide is vital to avoid more food and climate
disasters in the 21st century. This article is abridged from the report, Agroecology and the right to food.
protein consumption contributes
to ill health. Agrofuel production
also diverts crops from food needs
to energy needs, bringing more
pressure on agricultural supplies.
Policies to reduce these diversions
could greatly contribute to meeting
the growing need for food.
Climate change with more
frequent and extreme drought and
floods and less predictable rainfall
is already affecting the capacity of
some communities to feed them-
selves, and is destabilising markets.7
Agricultural production is threat-
‘Industrial farming
on large plantations
will not solve hunger
or stop climate
change. The solution
lies in supporting
small-scale farmers’
knowledge and
raising their
incomes so as to
contribute to rural
development’ –
Olivier de Schutter
solutions to the food crisis: ecological agriculture
2. 34 Pacific Ecologist Winter 2012
ened in entire regions, particularly those dependent on
rain-fed agriculture. 8
By 2080, 600 million additional
people could be at risk of hunger, as a direct result of
climate change.9
In Sub-Saharan Africa, arid and semi-
arid areas are projected to increase by 60 million to 90
million hectares, and in Southern Africa, it’s estimated
that yields from rain-fed agriculture could be halved
between 2000 and 2020.10
Agroecology applies ecological science to agri-
cultural systems, mimicking natural processes. It
enhances soil productivity, diversifies crops, and
protects crops against pests, using natural methods,
beneficial trees, plants, animals and insects. It in-
creases farm productivity and food security, improves
incomes and rural livelihoods, and reverses the trend
towards species loss and genetic erosion.
Agroecology raises yields
A wide range of agroecological techniques have been
developed and proven in various regions.11
Integrated
nutrient management fixes nutrients from inorganic
and organic sources within the farm system and reduces
nutrient loss by controlling erosion. Agroforestry incor-
porates multifunctional trees in agricultural systems.
Large-scale agroforestry projects have successfully
rehabilitated land in several countries including Tanza-
nia, Malawi, Mozambique and Zambia.12, 13
Water harvesting in dryland areas allows abandoned
and degraded lands to be cultivated. In West Africa,
stone barriers built beside fields reduce runoff during
the rainy season, improving soil moisture, replenishing
water tables, and reducing soil erosion. The water reten-
tion capacity is multiplied five to ten-fold and biomass
production 10 to 15 times. Livestock can feed on the
grass that grows along the stone barriers after the rains.14
Integration of livestock into farming systems provides a
protein source for the family and
nutrients are returned to the soil
by dairy cattle, pigs and poultry
and by fish or shrimps raised in
irrigated rice fields or ponds.
Such resource-conserving,
low-external-input techniques
have significantly improved
yields. A systematic study of
these techniques used in 286
recent sustainable agriculture
projects in 57 poor countries on
37 million hectares, found average crop yield increases
of 79% and improved supply of critical environmental
services.15
Reanalysis of the same data by UNEP and
UNCTAD found that in Africa the increase was even
higher than this global average; a 116% increase for all
African projects and a 128% increase for projects in East
Africa.16
Research commissioned by the UK’s Foresight Glo-
bal Food and Farming Futures project came to the same
conclusions. It reviewed 40 projects in 20 African coun-
tries where sustainable intensification was developed
during the 2000s. They included crop improvement,
particularly breeding of neglected plants and cultivars,
17
integrated pest management, soil conservation and
agro-forestry.Byearly2010,theseprojectshadimproved
around 12.75 million hectares of land with documented
benefits for 10.39 million farmers and their families.
Average crop yields more than doubled over a period
of 3-10 years, bringing an increase in food production
equivalent to 557 kg per farming household.18
Even seemingly minor innovations can bring high
returns. In Kenya, researchers and farmers developed
the ‘push-pull’ strategy to control weeds and insect
pests. This ‘pushes’ pests away by inter-planting the corn
crop with insect-repellent plants like Desmodium, while
‘pulling’ them towards small plots of Napier grass, a
plant that excretes a sticky gum which both attracts and
traps pests. The system has other benefits: Desmodium
can be used as fodder. The strategy doubles maize yields
and milk production while improving the soil and has
been widely adopted in East Africa, taught through
town meetings, national radio broadcasts and farmer
field schools.19
In Japan, farmers found that ducks and
fish were as effective as pesticides in controlling insects
in rice paddies, also providing additional protein for
their families. The ducks eat weeds, weed seeds, insects,
and other pests, reducing hand-weeding labour, while
duck droppings provide plant nutrients. The system
has been adopted in China, India, the Philippines and
in Bangladesh where the International Rice Research
Institute reports 20% higher yields and 60% increase in
net incomes.20
Reduces rural poverty
Agroecology helps increase incomes in rural areas by
promoting on-farm fertility generation, which reduces
farmers’ reliance on external inputs and state subsidies,
making vulnerable smallholders less dependent on
moneylenders. Livestock manure and growing green
manures can supply nutrients to the soil and farm-
ers can also establish a ‘fertilizer factory in the fields,’
planting trees that take nitrogen out of the air to ‘fix’ it
in their leaves which later fertilise the soil. Faidherbia
albida, a nitrogen-fixing acacia species indigenous to
Africa and widespread over the continent, sheds its foli-
age during the early rainy season when field crops are
being established, so does not compete much for light,
nutrients or water in the growing season. It markedly
increasesmaizeyieldsespeciallyinconditionsoflowsoil
fertility and avoids dependence on synthetic fertilizers,
their costs being increasingly high in recent years. In
Zambia, unfertilised maize yields near Faidherbia trees
averaged 4.1 t/ha, compared to 1.3t/ha just beyond the
A systematic study
of these techniques
used in 286 recent
sustainable agriculture
projects in 57 poor
countries on 37 million
hectares, found
average crop yield
increases of 79%
solutions to the food crisis: ecological agriculture
3. 35Pacific Ecologist Winter 2012
canopy. Comparable techniques, like use of leguminous
cover-crops to fix nitrogen also have huge potential,21
particularly for the poorest farmers, least able to afford
fertilizers. Costs of importing and distributing fertiliz-
ers are the main reason for very low fertilizer use in
low-income sub-Saharan African countries.
Following the dramatic food crisis due to drought
in 2004-2005, Malawi launched a fertilizer subsidy
programme in 2005-2006 but is now introducing agro-
forestry and nitrogen-fixing trees to prepare for the
time when fertilizer subsidies will be scaled back or
withdrawn.13
By mid-2009, over 120,000 Malawian
farmers had received training and tree materials from
the programme, and support from Ireland has now
enabled extension to 40% of the country benefiting 1.3
million of the poorest people. Agroforestry has been
able to increase maize yields from 1 t/ha to 2–3 t/ha,
even if farmers cannot afford commercial nitrogen
fertilizers and to more than 4t/ha with a quarter-dose of
mineral fertilizer. This offers a strategy to exit synthetic
fertilizer subsidy schemes, linking subsidies directly to
agroforestry investments on the farm, thus improving
the efficiency of fertilizer use, providing long-term sus-
tainability in nutrient supply and building soil health to
sustain crop yields. 22
Malawi is exploring this ‘subsidy
to sustainability’ approach. 13
Agroecological approaches can be labour-intensive
initially due to the complexity of managing different
plants and animals on the farm, and recycling the
waste produced.23
Yet creating employment may be an
advantage in rural areas of developing countries, where
under-employment and population growth is high. It
would slow urbanisation which is overloading public
services in these countries, contribute to rural develop-
ment and preserve the ability of following generations
to meet their needs. The cost of creating jobs in agricul-
ture is often significantly lower than in other sectors. 24
Peasant organizations report agroecology is also more
attractive to farmers working the land for long hours,
with shade from trees and absence of smell and toxic
chemicals. 25
In Burkina Faso, instead of migrating, work groups
of young men specialised in land rehabilitation tech-
niques, go from village to village to help farmers im-
prove the land. Farmers are now buying degraded land
to improve and paying labourers to build structures
such as ‘zai pits’ that can retain water and transform
yields.26
Over 3 million hectares of land in Burkina Faso
are now rehabilitated and productive.
Agroecological approaches are compatible with
gradual mechanization of farming. Machinery required
for techniques such as no-till and direct seeding, bring
more jobs, particularly in Africa which increasingly
manufactures simple equipment.27
Employment can also
come from agroforestry expansion when tree nurseries
are run as a business. Funded by the World Agrofor-
estry Centre, the Malawi Agroforestry Food Security
Programme set up 17 nurseries that raised 2,180,000
seedlings in its first year.28
Improves nutrition
The Green Revolution focused primarily on boosting
cereal crops. While over 80,000 plant species are avail-
able to humans, rice, wheat and maize now supply the
bulk of our food needs but they are mainly carbohydrate
sources, with relatively little protein, and few other
nutrients essential for adequate diets. The shift from
diversified cropping systems to simplified cereal-based
systems has contributed to micronutrient malnutrition
in many developing countries. 29, 30
Nutritionists increasingly insist on
the need for more diverse agricultural
production to ensure a more diversi-
fied nutrient supply.31
The diversity of species on farms
following agroecological principles,
and in urban or peri-urban agri-
culture, is an important source of
vitamins and other micronutrients.
Indigenous fruits contribute around
40% of the natural food-basket that
rural households rely on in southern
Africa.32
Mitigates climate change
Agroecology improves resilience to climate change, and
more extreme weather events.33
After Hurricane Mitch
in 1998, a study of 180 communities of smallholders in
Nicaragua demonstrated that farming plots cropped
African farmers can greatly increase yields by planting Faidherbia,
an acacia tree, near their crops.
On-farm
experiments
in Ethiopia,
India, and the
Netherlands have
demonstrated that
soils on organic
farms improve the
drought resistance
of crops
solutions to the food crisis: ecological agriculture
4. 36 Pacific Ecologist Winter 2012
with simple agroecological methods - rock bunds and
terracing, green manure, crop rotation, mulch, legumes,
trees, plowing parallel to the slope, noburn, live fences,
and zero-tillage - had on average 40% more topsoil,
higher field moisture, less erosion and lower economic
losses than conventional farms. On average, agroeco-
logical plots lost 18% less arable land to landslides and
had 69% less gully erosion than conventional farms. 34
More frequent and severe droughts can be expected
in the future. The agroforestry programme developed
in Malawi has protected farmers from crop failure after
droughts.35
On-farm experiments in Ethiopia, India,
and the Netherlands have demonstrated that soils on
organic farms improve the drought
resistance of crops.36
Diversity of
species and farm activities in-
volved in agroecology also helps
mitigate risks from new pests,
weeds and diseases. The agroeco-
logical practice of cultivar mixture
bets on genetic diversity in fields
to improve disease resistance. In
Yunnan Province in China, after
disease-susceptible rice varieties
were planted mixed with resistant
varieties, yields improved by 89%
and rice blast disease was 94% less
severe than when they were grown in monocultures. 37
Agroecology puts agriculture on the sustainable path,
freeing food production from reliance on fossil energy.
It mitigates climate change by increasing carbon sinks
of soil organic matter and above-ground biomass, and
avoids carbon dioxide emissions by reducing direct and
indirect energy use on farms. The Intergovernmental
Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has estimated the
global mitigation potential for agriculture at 5.5 to 6 Gt
of CO2
-equivalent yearly by 2030.38
Most of this (89%),
is from increased carbon sequestration in soil organic
matter (humus), as occurs with agroecology.38
Disseminating practices
Agroecology is knowledge-intensive, requiring devel-
opment of both ecological literacy and decision-making
skills in farmer communities. Modern science com-
bines with local knowledge in agroecological research.
Farmer participation is crucial for agroecological prac-
tices to succeed. So far agroecology has been developed
by grassroots organizations and NGOs, and has spread
through farmer field schools and farmers’ movements,
such as the Campesino a Campesino movement in
Central America.39
Experience with agroecological tech-
niques is growing every day in peasant networks such
as La Via Campesina and the AgriCultures Network,
Réseau des Organisations Paysannes et des Producteurs
Agricoles de l’Afrique de l’Ouest (ROPPA), Eastern &
Southern Africa Farmers’ Forum (ESAFF), and PELUM
(Participatory Ecological Land Use Management)
network in Africa, MASIPAG network in the Philip-
pines (Magsasaka at Siyentista Tungo sa Pag-unladng
Agrikultura), or Assessoria e Serviços a Projetos em
Agricultura Alternativa (AS-PTA) and Movimento dos
Trabalhadores Sem Terra (MST) in Brazil.40
These or-
ganisations are already functioning as learning organi-
zations and must now be supported with investments in
this role to disseminate their knowledge widely.
Participation empowers the poor, a vital step in
poverty alleviation. Specific schemes for women can
balance the greater access men have to formal agri-
cultural knowledge.41
Co-operatives can help achieve
economies of scale, and connecting sustainable farms
to fair markets is important. But agroecology will fail
to achieve the desired results unless markets are man-
aged to protect farmers from volatile prices and local
markets from the dumping of subsidised products.42
Fiscal incentives, market structures and credit and land
tenure policies must be aligned with the need to move
to agroecological methods.
Investing maximum available resources in sustain-
able agriculture is essential for future food security
and to achieve responsibilities taken on by States on
the right to food. Investments in agroecological
research should be prioritized, because of the con-
siderable potential of such practices. States need
long-term policies to adopt agroecological practices
and should refer to agroecology and sustainable ag-
riculture in national strategies to realise the right to
food and national plans to mitigate climate change.
Public spending in agriculture needs to be redirected
from private goods to providing public goods such as
extension services, rural infrastructure and research
on agroecological methods. It’s urgent to facilitate the
transition to agroecology, a low-carbon, resource pre-
serving, resilient agriculture that can combat hunger,
malnutrition and climate change and benefit many
millions of the world’s poorest farmers.
Dr Olivier De Schutter was appointed the Special Rapporteur on the right to food
in May 2008 by the United Nations Human Rights Council. He is independent
from any government or organization. The above article was abridged for Pacific
Ecologist (KW) from the report Agro-ecology and the right to food, by Olivier
De Schutter. The report is available in full at: http://www2.ohchr.org/english/
issues/food/annual.htm For more information on the mandate and work of the
Special Rapporteur, visit: http://www2.ohchr.org/english/issues/food/index.
htm or www.srfood.org
References
1 M.A. Altieri, Agroecology: The Science of Sustainable Agriculture, 2nd ed., Boulder,
Colorado, Westview Press, 1995; S. Gliessman, Agroecology: the ecology of
sustainable food systems, Boca Raton, Florida, CRC Press, 2007.
2 International Assessment of Agricultural Knowledge, Science & Technology
for Development (IAASTD), Summary for Decision Makers of the Global Report,
approved by 58 governments in Johannesburg, April 2008, Key Finding 7; see
A. Wezel et al., ‘A quantitative & qualitative historical analysis of the scientific
discipline of agroecology,’ International Journal of Agricultural Sustainability, 7:1,
2009, pp. 3-18, rising interest in agroecology in scientific literature.
3 Miguel A. Altieri & Clara I. Nicholis, Agroecology & the Search for a Truly
Sustainable Agriculture, UNEP, Mexico, 2005.
4 Sustainable Agriculture and Rural Development (SARD) Policy Brief 11, 2007.
It’s vital to facilitate
the transition to
agroecology, a low-
carbon, resource
preserving, resilient
agriculture that can
combat hunger and
malnutrition and
benefit many millions
of the world’s
poorest farmers
solutions to the food crisis: ecological agriculture
5. 37Pacific Ecologist Winter 2012
solutions to the food crisis: ecological agriculture
5 Ulrich Hoffmann, ‘Assuring food security in developing countries under climate
change challenges: Key trade & development issues of a profound transformation
of agriculture,’ Discussion Paper No. 201, UNCTAD, November 2010, p. 15.
6 United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), The environmental food crisis:
The environment’s role in averting future food crises, 2009, p. 27.
7 For a fuller review of the impacts of climate change on human rights, including
the right to food, see A/HRC/10/61.
8 ‘Stern Review on the Economics of Climate Change,’ Cambridge, UK, Cambridge
Univ. Press, 2007, p. 67.
9 United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), Human Development Report
2007/2008. Fighting climate change: Human solidarity in a divided world, New
York, 2007, p. 90.
10 Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), ‘Climate Change 2007:
Impacts, Adaptation and Vulnerability.’ Working Group II contribution to the
Fourth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change,
Cambridge, UK, Cambridge Univ. Press, chapter 9.
11 See Jules Pretty, ‘Agricultural sustainability: concepts, principles and evidence,’
Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B, 363(1491), 2008, pp. 447-465.
12 C. Pye-Smith ‘A Rural Revival in Tanzania: How agroforestry is helping farmers
to restore the woodlands in Shinyanga Region,’ Trees for Change No. 7, Nairobi,
World Agroforestry Centre (ICRAF), 2010, p. 15.
13 D.P. Garrity et al., ‘Evergreen Agriculture: a robust approach to sustainable food
security in Africa,’ Food Security 2:3, 2010, p. 200; K. Linyunga et al., ‘Accelerating
agroforestry adoption: A case of Mozambique,’ ICRAF Agroforestry Project, Paper
presented at the IUFRO Congress, Rome, 12-15 July 2004.
14 . A.M. Diop, ‘Management of Organic Inputs to Increase Food Production
in Senegal,’ in Agroecological innovations. Increasing food production with
participatory development, N. Uphoff (ed.), London, Earthscan Publications,
2001, p. 252.
15 Jules Pretty et al., ‘Resource-conserving agriculture increases yields in developing
countries,’ Environmental Science and Technology, 40:4, 2006, pp. 1114−1119.
The 79% figure refers to 360 reliable yield comparisons from 198 projects. There
was a wide spread in results, with 25% of projects reporting a 100% increase or
more.
16 UNEP-UNCTAD Capacity Building Task Force on Trade, Environment and
Development (CBTF), Organic Agriculture and Food Security in Africa, New
York/Geneva, United Nations, 2008, p. 16.
17 Such as improvements on cassava, for which NaCRRI developed locally-developed
resistant varieties in Uganda, or tef improvements in Ethiopia, where the Debre
Zeit Agricultural Research Centre developed a new variety called Quncho.
18 J. Pretty et al., ‘Sustainable intensification in African agriculture,’ International
Journal of Agricultural Sustainability, 9:1, 2011.
19 Z. Khan et al., ‘Push-pull technology: conservation agriculture approach for
integrated management of insect pests, weeds and soil health in Africa,’ International
Journal of Agricultural Sustainability, 9:1 2011.
20 ‘Integrated rice-duck: a new farming system for Bangladesh,’ in Innovations in Rural
Extension: Case Studies from Bangladesh, P. Van Mele et al. (eds.), Oxfordshire,
UK/Cambridge, USA, CABI Publishing, 2005.
21 Leguminous cover crops globally could fix enough nitrogen to replace the amount
of synthetic fertilizer currently used: see C. Badgley et al., ‘Organic agriculture and
the global food supply,’ Renewable Agriculture and Food Systems, 22, 2007 pp. 86-
108.
22 O.C. Ajayi et al., ‘Labour inputs and financial profitability of conventional &
agroforestry-based soil fertility management practices in Zambia,’ Agrekon, 48,
2009, pp. 246–292:research in Zambia does not support ‘the popular notion that
agroforestry practices are more labour intensive.’ (p. 279).
23 O.C. Ajayi et al., ‘Labour inputs & financial profitability of conventional &
agroforestry-based soil fertility management practices in Zambia,’ Agrekon, 48,
2009, pp. 246–292: ‘[…] agroecological methods of soil fertility management are
compatible with mineral fertilisers, & combined use has synergistic yield effects,’
(p. 288).
24 Miguel Carter (org.), Combatendo a desigualdade social: O MST e a reforma agrária
no Brasil, São Paulo, Editora Unesp, Centre for Brazilian Studies, Universidade de
Oxford, NEAD, MDA, 2010, p. 69.
25 P. Rosset et al. Revolución agroecológica: El Movimiento de Campesino a Campesino
de la ANAP en Cuba, Havana, La Via Campesina and ANAP, 2010.
26 J. Pretty et al., ‘Sustainable intensification in African agriculture,’ International
Journal of Agricultural Sustainability, 9:1, forthcoming in 2011.
27 In East Africa, this development was facilitated by technology exchange from
Brazilian manufacturers to their counterparts in East Africa: see Brian Sims et
al., ‘Agroforestry and Conservation Agriculture: Complementary practices for
sustainable development,’ 2nd World Congress of Agroforestry, Nairobi, Kenya,
23-28 August 2009.
28 44C.Pye-Smith,FarmingTrees,BanishingHunger:Howanagroforestryprogramme
is helping smallholders in Malawi to grow more food and improve their livelihoods,
Nairobi, World Agroforestry Centre, 2008, p. 10.
29 M.W. Demment et al., ‘Providing micronutrients through food based solutions:
a key to human and national development,’ Journal of Nutrition, 133, 2003, pp.
3879-3885.
30 E. Frison et al., ‘Agricultural biodiversity, nutrition and health: making a difference
to hunger and nutrition in the developing world,’ Food and Nutrition Bulletin,
27:2, 2006, pp. 167-179.
31 See B.J. Alloway (ed.), Micronutrient deficiencies in global crop production,
Springer Verlag, 2008, 354 pp.; and F.A.J. DeClerck et al., ‘Ecological Approaches
to Human Nutrition,’ Food and Nutrition Bulletin, forthcoming in 2011.
32 B. Campbell et al. ‘Local level valuation of Savannah resources: A case study from
Zimbabwe,’ Economic Botany 51, 1997, pp. 57–77.
33 ‘Theuseofagrobiodiversitybyindigenousandtraditionalagriculturalcommunities
in adapting to climate change,’ Synthesis paper, Bioversity International and The
Christensen Fund, 2010.
34 Eric Holt-Giménez, ‘Measuring Farmers’ Agroecological Resistance After
Hurricane Mitch in Nicaragua: A Case Study in Participatory, Sustainable Land
Management Impact Monitoring,’ Agriculture, Ecosystems and the Environment
93:1-2, 2002, pp. 87-105.
35 F.K. Akinnifesi et al., ‘Fertiliser trees for sustainable food security in the maize-
based production systems of East and Southern Africa. A review,’ Agrononomy for
Sustainable Development 30:3, 2010, pp. 615-629.
36 F. Eyhord et al., ‘The viability of cotton-based organic agriculture systems in India,’
International Journal of Agricultural Sustainability, 5, 2007, pp. 25-38; S. Edwards,
‘The impact of compost use on crop yields in Tigray, Ethiopia,’ FAO International
Conference on Organic Agriculture and FoodSecurity, Rome, 2–4 May 2007.
37 Y.Y. Zhu, et al. ‘Genetic diversity and disease control in rice,’ Nature 406, 2000, pp.
718–722.
38 IPCC, Climate Change 2007: Mitigation of Climate Change, Contribution of
Working Group III to Fourth assessment Report, 2007: section 8.4.3.
39 A. Degrande, et al., Mechanisms for scaling-up tree domestication: how
grassroots organisations become agents of change, ICRAF, 2006, p. 6; E. Holt-
Giménez, Campesino a campesino: voices from Latin America’s farmer to farmer
movement for sustainable agriculture, Oakland, Food First Books, 2006; P. Rosset
et al. Revolución agroecológica: El Movimiento de Campesino a Campesino de la
ANAP en Cuba, Havana, La Via Campesina and ANAP, 2010.
40 E. Holt Giemenez ‘Linking farmers’ movements for advocacy & practice:’ Journal
of Peasant Studies, 37:1, 2010, pp. 203-236. 41. Sarah Jewitt, ‘Unequal Knowledge
in Jharkhand, India: De-Romanticizing Women’s Agroecological Expertise,’
Development and Change 31:5, 2000, pp. 961–985
42 HRC Dr De Schutter’s report, ‘Mission to the World Trade Organization’, A/
HRC/10/5/Add.2, 4 February 2009: Add 2 paras 22–23.