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.

Érosion, désertification, salinisation, à Fimela, delta du Saloum, 30 % seulement des terres agricoles restent cultivables. C’est la cause du bradage des terres et de l’exode rural vers les villes...
2018
The project Macho Sauti (Eyes and voice in Kiswahili) is an innovative collaboration between scientific research institutions and civil society in the development context. By merging agroecological methodologies that promote...
2018
This book results from the compilation of different case studies from the ALiSEA Small Grant Facility and other research work carried out since 2015. ALiSEA funded 26 initiatives to support...
2018
In western Burkina Faso, on-farm manure production has long been confined to the edges of houses and cattle pens. With increasing land pressure and the remoteness of fields, manure production...
2018
Maize is the predominant crop in Zambia, both in terms of production and consumption, and levels of crop diversity on Zambian farms tend to be very low. The country’s maize-centric...
2018
A better use of crop genetic diversity is recognized as an essential leverage for agroecology, as it promotes various ecosystem services, in a context of increasing environmental stochasticity caused by...
2018
The government agriculture extension system in Ghana is in crisis, with the ratio of one agriculture extension agent to over six thousand farmers in some parts of the country. The...
2018
“Grape Mundo” is a technology ecosystem that guides grape farmers to do precision and sustainable grape farming to produce high-quality grapes using minimum chemicals, thus lowering the cost. This ecosystem...
2018
UNACMA is the only association, at a national level, representing traders and repairers of agricultural machinery, and of machinery for the maintenance of green areas. It is associated with CONFCOMMERCIO...
2018
The Guidelines propose how to ensure effective agroforestry implementation at household, farm and landscape levels to achieve the SDGs. Its content focuses on connectivity, resilience and security of the people...
2018
Por muchos años, el desarrollo agrícola en Bolivia se caracterizó por un modelo de transferencia tecnológico, burocrático y vertical: de los investigadores académicos, a los extensionistas y finalmente a los...
2018
The Seeds of Hope project improves climate change resilience, food security and sovereignty and autonomy of small farmer communities in North India. It relies on the recognition of women’s traditional...
2018
Cocoa is a key crop for many Indonesian smallholder farmers, who own over 90 percent of the country’s cocoa production land. However, cocoa bean yields have fallen from around 750...
2018
La innovación consiste en la implementación de un sistema integrado que contempla la utilización de tecnologías y técnicas agroecológicas para la producción de hortalizas por parte de mujeres campesinas. Este...
2018
In Cambodia, small-scale farmers are facing the issue of low economic returns from their rice farming because of low productivity and high input costs. The system of rice intensification (SRI)...
2018
Two serious problems in rice production should be solved, not only in China, but also all over the world. First, environmental problems need to be addressed, such as soil erosion...
2018
More than 12 million small-scale farmers and their families in the risk-prone, dryland areas of the Western Sahel have become chronically vulnerable to food and nutrition insecurity. This growing crisis...
2018
Durante mucho tiempo la producción de ganado en el trópico seco se ha centrado en el desmonte del bosque (también llamado “monte”) y la siembra de pastos mejorados. Sin embargo,...
2018
Agriculture is the mainstay of the Kenyan economy and contributes over 45 percent of government revenue. The agricultural sector is the largest employer, representing 60 percent of total employment. Overall,...
2018
Small-scale agroecological and organic farming systems require appropriate machinery and technologies, and a change of paradigm in the way they are conceived, produced, sold and patented. The mainstream agricultural model...
2018