Agroecology

Agroecology is an academic discipline that studies ecological processes applied to agricultural production systems. Bringing ecological principles to bear can suggest new management approaches in agroecosystems. The term can refer to a science, a movement, or an agricultural practice. Agroecologists study a variety of agroecosystems. The field of agroecology is not associated with any one particular method of farming, whether it be organic, regenerative, integrated, or industrial, intensive or extensive, although some use the name specifically for alternative agriculture.

Definition

Agroecology is broadly defined as an integrative approach that examines the ecological, social and economic relationship within agricultural systems. Dalgaard et al. refer to agroecology as the study of the interactions between plants, animals, humans and the environment within agricultural systems. Francis et al. also use the definition in the same way, but thought it should be restricted to growing food.

Agroecology is a holistic approach that seeks to reconcile agriculture and local communities with natural processes for the common benefit of nature and livelihoods.

Agroecology is inherently multidisciplinary, including sciences such as agronomy, ecology, environmental science, sociology, economics, history and others. The system properties of agroecosystems studied may include: productivity, stability, sustainability and equitability. Agroecology is not limited to any one scale; it can range from an individual gene to an entire population, or from a single field in a given farm to global systems. Wojtkowski discusses the application of agroecology in agriculture, forestry and agroforestry in his 2002 book.

Other scholars identify distinct historical traditions within agroecology. For example, Dalgaard et al. (2003) characterize agroecology as an integrative discipline combining agronomy, ecology, sociology, and economics. Within this view, what is often termed early integrative agroecology focuses on understanding interactions among plants, animals, humans, and their environment within agricultural landscapes.

A set of agricultural practices that harness ecological processes, biodiversity, nutrient recycling, agroforestry, intercropping, composting, and other nature-based methods.

This multi-layered use of the term encompassing science, practice, and movement has enabled agroecology to expand from the field or farm scale to the broader food-system scale, integrating ecological, social, economic, and cultural dimensions.

History

Overview

The history of agroecology depends on whether it is considered a body of thought or a method of practice. Many indigenous cultures around the world have historically applied, and still apply, practices that today would be recognized as agroecological knowledge. Examples include Maori, Nahuatl, and many other indigenous peoples.

The Mexica people that inhabited Tenochtitlan pre-colonization of the Americas used a process called chinampas that in many ways mirrors the use of composting in sustainable agriculture today. The use of agroecological practices such as nutrient cycling and intercropping occurs across hundreds of years and many different cultures. Indigenous peoples also currently make up a large proportion of people using agroecological practices, and those involved in the movement to move more farming into an agroecological paradigm.

Pre-WWII academic thought

According to Gliessman and Francis et al., agronomy and ecology were first linked with the study of crop ecology by Klages in 1928. This work is a study of where crops can best be grown.

Wezel et al. say the first mention of the term agroecology was in 1928, with the publication of the term by Basil Bensin. Dalgaard et al. claim the German zoologist Friederichs was the first to use the name in 1930 in his book on the zoology of agriculture and forestry, followed by American crop physiologist Hansen in 1939, both using the word for the application of ecology within agriculture.

Gliessman describes that post-WWII ecologists gave more focus to experiments in the natural environment, while agronomists dedicated their attention to the cultivated systems in agriculture, but in the 1970s agronomists saw the value of ecology, and ecologists began to use the agricultural systems as study plots, studies in agroecology grew more rapidly. Agroecology has also been utilized by farmers to resist global agricultural development patterns associated with the green revolution.

In 2011, the first encounter of agroecology trainers took place in Zimbabwe and issued the Shashe Declaration.

In Ethiopia, the Private Sector Incentives and Investments (PSii) project, following in the footprints of the Alliance of Bioversity International and CIAT (International Center for Tropical Agriculture), exemplifies the practical application of agroecology in developing nations. In October 2024, a PSii project in the Doyogena region of Ethiopia was awarded praise from local and agricultural officials. The project stressed the importance of practices such as rotation of faba beans and wheat to help enhance soil health, reduce chemical reliance, and increase productivity. These initiatives were put in place to promote climate resilient methods of agriculture and to diversify the many clusters of wheat farms in the area. The project has shown signs of immense success in both improvements in soil quality and crop yields, which has sparked conversations about possibilities of wider adoption in similar regions throughout the local area and throughout Africa.

Europe

The European Commission supports the use of sustainable practices such as agroecology through the Green Deal and the Farm to Fork Strategy. It provides guidance on such practices in its Operational guide on agroecology.

Debate

Academic research areas that focus on topics related to agriculture or ecology, such as agronomy, veterinary science, environmental science, and others, are heatedly debating which model of agriculture or agroecology should be supported through policy. Agricultural departments of different countries support agroecology to varying degrees, with the UN perhaps its most prominent proponent. Debates around agroecology often reflect broader tensions in land and resource management, and Puerto Rico offers several examples of these dynamics. In recent years, conflicts have emerged over the conversion of agricultural land for large-scale solar energy projects, raising concerns among local farmers and environmental groups about food security, land sovereignty, and long-term projects of fertile soil.

References

External links

Topic

Agroecology
Agroecology by Project Regeneration
International Agroecology Action Network
Spain
The 10 elements of Agroecology

Organisations

Agroecology Europe - A European association for Agroecology
Agroecology Map
One Million Voices of Agroecology

Courses

University of Wisconsin–Madison
Montpellier, France
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
European Master Agroecology
Norwegian University of Life Sciences
UC Santa Cruz Center for Agroecology & Sustainable Food Systems