Agroecology Symposium at the FAO: a smallstep for farming families, a big step for policymakers
The 1st International Symposium on Agroecology was an important step to consolidate agroecology at the international level. However, the desired paradigm shift will need patience and big effortsfrom everyone, especially at the grassroots level. Political initiatives to scale up the window of opportunities, are needed.
This article compiles the statements of a wide range of experts on agroecology providing a glimpse of the First Intenational Symposium on Agroecology at FAO.
At the symposium agroecology was seen as a science, practice, and social movement, threeinseparable and interdependent elements. Stephen Gliessman (University of Santa Cruz) explainedthat agroecological research has existed for over 45 years, with its origins in Latin America. Heargued that the challenge today is to strengthen its link with people. This is needed to transform foodsystems worldwide. Pablo Tittonell (Wageningen University) presented examples of agroecologyshowing how practice based on farmer knowledge and local innovations has influenced scientificresearch. He urged scientists and governments to promote agroecology as a pathway to integratelocal and scientific knowledge with complex agroecosystem management. He stressed that“ agroecological principles are not recipes, but rather guidelines to develop locally relevant options for sustainable agriculture.''
Title of publication: Agricultures
Year: 2014
Full text available at: https://www.academia.edu/8922145/Agroecology_Symposium_at_the_FAO_a_small_step_for_farming_families_a_big_step_for_policy_makers_2014_
Content language: English
Author: Maria Alice F. C. Mendonça & Georges Félix
Type: Article