Agroecology Knowledge Hub

Practices and innovations

Agroecology is the science of applying ecological concepts and principles to manage interactions between plants, animals, humans and the environment for food security and nutrition. All over the world, farmers and food provisioners already apply this approach, which has a fundamental basis in traditional and local knowledge. FAO recognizes the importance of farmers managing human and natural capital to improve food security, nutrition, and rural development. They are seen as constant innovators and researchers who contribute to develop sustainable agriculture and more resilient rural livelihoods.

Below some examples of how farmers and other food provisioners are acting as the custodians of complex and innovative techniques that, through agroecology, combine local knowledge, traditional products and innovation.

In Regions

The countries and regions page offer knowledge and information on agroecology related issues by country (FAO Members and Associated Nations) and region. The purpose is to offer a quick and reliable way to access country-specific information on agroecology without the need to search in each section of the platform.

Agroecology enables the improvement of agricultural production through the enhancement of local natural resources and traditional know-how. It contributes to maintaining biodiversity and restoring land in drylands, which are particularly...
2022
Produced jointly by the FAO and the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD), with contributions from multiple stakeholders, this technical guide addresses the integration of the Voluntary Guidelines on...
2022
The initiative is located in the valley of Asni, at the foot of the High Atlas Mountains. In 2010, the family farms of the Tifawine cooperative decided to change their...
2021
The Senegalese village of Guélack is located 19 km southeast of Saint-Louis and north of Dakar, in the commune of Gandon. The drought of the 1970s severely affected the population of...
2021
FAO published, in collaboration with the support of the Spanish Agency for International Development Cooperation (AECID) and within the Scaling up Agroecology Initiative, ''Legislation to promote agroecology in the Latin American and...
2021
This fact sheet presents a family agroecosystem, located in the community of Enjeitado in the Sertão do Pajeù in Brazil – the most populous semi-arid region in the world. Sabià Agroecological...
2021
The initiative is situated in the greater Johannesburg area in Gauteng Province. This urban area is the most densely populated and industrialised in southern Africa. Most of its food is...
2021
Bio Gardening Innovations, a holistic gardening project in Emuhaya, Western Kenya supports smallholder farmers to break away from monocultures and create thriving, overflowing “food forests” on their farmland using modern...
2021
The mission of the Voluntary Association of Agricultural General Development Health and Reconstruction Alliance in India (VAAGDHARA) is to create and nurture vibrant institutions of poor and tribal peoples in Western...
2021
This initiative is taking place in the Agreste da Borborema region and is led by the Oziel Pereira community. Their aim is to use the role of collective action mechanisms...
2021
The DUHA Farmers' Directory lists places where consumers can buy fresh local food. The objective of the map is to provide contacts and information about family and small farms, working...
2021
The Skoura palm grove is located in the province of Ouarzazate, an Arab enclave in a Berber region where the population lives mainly from oasis agriculture. The project was born of...
2021
FoodSHIFT2030 is a 7.5 million Innovation Action project funded by the EU Horizon 2020 programme which aims to launch an ambitious citizen-driven transition of the European food system towards a low...
2021
The initiative is located in Central India, encompassing the Vidarbha District and the adjoining districts of Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh. Dietary-based anemia is a widespread problem, especially amongst young women....
2021
The Mission of the Heiveld Cooperative is to produce and market the finest organic rooibos tea at fair prices on behalf of the members and thereby create a better life...
2021
Climate change affects crop yields, causing them to fluctuate significantly. Agriculture is both impacted by climate change and contributes to it through the release of greenhouse gases. German Operational Group...
2021
The Caatinga recovery program takes place in the Caatinga biome in the Brazilian semiarid region, within the Sertão do São Francisco Territory. Approximately 50% of this region is seriously affected...
2021
The initiative takes place in the central part of the Brazilian semi-arid region. Due to climatic irregularities, this region has a high risk of losses of rainfall-dependent crops, with low...
2021
With the development of food tech, more and more services in short food circuits are provided via computerized tools: production monitoring, plot management, product catalog management, online sales via e-commerce...
2021
This technical brief on fall armyworm (FAW) management from the lens of farmer field schools (FFS) outlines successes from previous projects in sub-Saharan Africa. Different control methods and traditional recipes...
2021