Agroecology Knowledge Hub

Human and social values: protecting and improving rural livelihoods, equity and social well-being is essential for sustainable food and agricultural systems

Agroecology places a strong emphasis on human and social values, such as dignity, equity, inclusion and justice all contributing to the improved livelihoods dimension of the SDGs. It puts the aspirations and needs of those who produce, distribute and consume food at the heart of food systems. By building autonomy and adaptive capacities to manage their agro-ecosystems, agroecological approaches empower people and communities to overcome poverty, hunger and malnutrition, while promoting human rights, such as the right to food, and stewardship of the environment so that future generations can also live in prosperity.

Agroecology seeks to address gender inequalities by creating opportunities for women. Globally, women make up almost half of the agricultural workforce. They also play a vital role in household food security, dietary diversity and health, as well as in the conservation and sustainable use of biological diversity. In spite of this, women remain economically marginalised and vulnerable to violations of their rights, while their contributions often remain unrecognized. Agroecology can help rural women in family farming agriculture to develop higher levels of autonomy by building knowledge, through collective action and creating opportunities for commercialization. Agroecology can open spaces for women to become more autonomous and empower them at household, community levels and beyond – for instance, through participation in producer groups. Women’s participation is essential for agroecology and women are frequently the leaders of agroecology projects.

In many places around the world, rural youth face a crisis of employment. Agroecology provides a promising solution as a source of decent jobs. Agroecology is based on a different way of agricultural production that is knowledge intensive, environmentally friendly, socially responsible, innovative, and which depends on skilled labour. Meanwhile, rural youth around the world possess energy, creativity and a desire to positively change their world. What they need is support and opportunities.

As a bottom-up, grassroots paradigm for sustainable rural development, agroecology empowers people to become their own agents of change.

Database

It is widely recognized that a radical transformation of food and agriculture systems is urgently needed in order to address converging social, economic, health and ecological crises. The potential of agroecology to transform food systems and render them more resilient, sustainable and inclusive is increasingly recognized and backed by a...
Event
2021
On International Earth Day this discussion will provide an opportunity to disseminate the work of scholarship holders of the Research and Training Programme on Andean Agroecological Systems of Latin American Council of Social Sciences (CLACSO) and McKnight Foundation. This is the result of the work that over the course of four years...
Bolivia (Plurinational State of) - Ecuador - Peru
Event
2021
What is the role of policymakers in empowering the long-term, resilient transformation of the food and agricultural systems? The digital event “Scaling up Agroecology in the Himalayas Together” aims to inspire and guide key decision-makers on policies supporting agroecology and organic agriculture. High-level experts will provide in-depth analyses of approaches and tools to help...
Bhutan - India - Nepal
Event
2021
The planet is facing mounting crises: from COVID-19 to climate change to mass biodiversity extinction. It is time to listen to the powerful voices of leaders who are on the frontlines of these crises: women. Studies have shown that women’s leadership is critical to long-lasting and innovative solutions to environmental...
Costa Rica - Peru
Event
2021
There is a growing attention for agroecology in debates around urban food strategies and policies. Already for several years, this is considered a promising policy area, and agroecology was even already mentioned in the Milan Urban Food Policy Pact signed in 2016 as one of the relevant approaches within policies...
Event
2021