What is Agroecology?
Agroecology is a holistic and integrated approach that simultaneously applies ecological and social concepts and principles to the design and management of sustainable agriculture and food systems. It seeks to optimize the interactions between plants, animals, humans and the environment, while also addressing the need for socially equitable food systems within which people can exercise choice over what they eat and how and where it is produced. Agroecology is concurrently a science, a set of practices and a social movement and has evolved as a concept over recent decades to expand in scope from a focus on fields and farms to encompass the entirety of agriculture and food systems. It now represents a transdisciplinary field that includes the ecological, socio-cultural, technological, economic and political dimensions of food systems, from production to consumption (Tittonell, 2023).
It is no longer possible to look at food, livelihoods, health and the management of natural resources separately. Embracing systems thinking through holistic approaches is needed to address these complex and interdependent challenges. The fundamental connection between people and the planet, with sustainable agriculture and food systems, is at the heart of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, which stresses the urgent need to take concerted action and pursue policies directed at transformational change. Ending poverty and achieving zero hunger, while ensuring inclusive growth and sustainably managing the planet’s natural resources, all in the context of climate change and biodiversity loss, will only be possible through holistic and integrated approaches that respect human rights.
Agroecology represents an overarching and comprehensive system framework to guide public policies towards sustainable agrifood systems. It enhances public efficiency by fostering integrated and inter-ministerial policy design and implementation, bringing together agricultural and food sectors that are often disaggregated. It actively engages different stakeholders through inter-disciplinary mechanisms which favour a responsible and transparent governance of natural resources. As a result, agroecological transitions can support the simultaneous achievement of multiple sustainability objectives – economic, environmental, social, nutritional, health and cultural – holistically and in an integrated manner at different levels and scales while being adapted for different ecological and cultural contexts.
Agroecology is based on bottom-up and territorial processes, helping to deliver contextualized solutions to local problems with people at the centre. There is no single way to apply agroecological approaches – it depends on local contexts, constraints and opportunities but there are common principles that have been articulated in the framework of the 10 Elements of Agroecology.
The 10 Elements of Agroecology framework
The 10 Elements emerged through a four-year regional and international consultative process. Designed to be inclusive and deliberative, the process recognized and included the views of small-scale food producers as well as consumers. The 10 Elements of agroecology were adopted by the 197 FAO Member States in December 2019. This framework is meant to guide countries in driving transformative change. These Elements are interconnected and offer a simplified yet comprehensive perspective on reality. They outline the crucial components, interactions, interdependencies and enabling conditions for transitioning towards sustainable agrifood systems.
Agroecology brings solutions to multiple Sustainable Development Goals
SDGs
End poverty in all its forms everywhere
Family farming, herding and artisanal fisheries and aquaculture provide livelihoods for many of the world’s rural poor. Agroecological approaches support food producers in reducing production costs, translating into greater income, economic stability and resilience.
SDGs
End hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition and promote sustainable agriculture
Agroecological systems optimize the use of local and renewable resources and knowledge. This enables agricultural production systems to harness ecosystem benefits such as pest control, pollination, soil health and erosion control while ensuring productivity. The conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity leads to robust ecosystem services and sustainable agriculture.
SDGs
Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages
By minimizing the use of potentially harmful agro-chemical inputs, agroecology reduces agriculture’s negative effects on both human and environmental health. By re-localizing diets, agroecology can help to inform sustainable and healthy diets.
SDGs
Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all
Agroecology depends on knowledge adapted to local contexts by food producers and other actors. It delivers relevant and practical knowledge through empowering peer-to-peer systems, enhanced with the knowledge of formal scientists.
SDGs
Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls
Women have a central role in agroecology. They are often custodians of healthy and traditional diets and are key players in sustainable food systems, from the home, to the field, to the market and beyond. Agroecology has the potential to advance women’s rights, self-determination and autonomy.
SDGs
Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all
Agroecology prevents surface water and groundwater pollution and contamination. It promotes practices that are efficient in water use, enhances soil water retention, and values locally adapted crops that require less (or no) irrigation, allowing safer and more sustainable aquifer storage, recovery and recharge.
SDGs
Promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all
Agroecological approaches create new decent rural employment opportunities for youth and women. The increased resilience of agroecological production systems helps to better maintain existing jobs, supporting rural livelihoods and communities.
SDGs
Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable
By promoting a territorial approach to development, agroecology encourages the development of integrated plans for urban and rural development, with urban areas recognising the multiple benefits that sustainable landscapes can provide them and re-connecting producers and consumers to shorten value chains and increase resilience.
SDGs
Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns
Agroecology enhances diversification to achieve sustainable and healthy diets and food and nutrition security. Agroecological food systems have proven, in many local contexts, to be exemplary providers of high-quality nutritious, healthy and adequate diets, preserving and promoting local food traditions and traditional knowledge. By shortening value chains, agroecology contributes to the reduction of food losses and waste.
SDGs
Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts
Agroecology helps mitigate against climate change and its impacts. It reduces the emission of greenhouse gases by promoting integrated production systems that are less dependent on energy from fossil fuels and that store and fix carbon. By promoting diversified and integrated production systems, agroecology facilitates resilience and adaptation to a changing climate.
SDGs
Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development
In aquatic systems, the Ecosystem Approach to Fisheries (EAF) and to aquaculture (EAA) demonstrates an agroecological approach. The Ecosystem Approach ensures that the management of living resources applies an integrated approach to fisheries within meaningful boundaries, taking into account knowledge and uncertainties in the biotic, abiotic and human components.
SDGs
Protect, restore and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, sustainably manage forests, combat desertification, and halt and reverse land degradation and halt biodiversity loss
Agroecology works with local communities, food producers, and other actors to prevent land degradation and restore degraded areas. Agroecology helps to conserve and sustainably use and value the biodiversity and ecosystem services that underpin food production.
SDGs
Promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, provide access to justice for all and build effective, accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels
Agroecology supports strong and inclusive producers’ organisations that enable the sharing and co-creation of knowledge, solidarity, representation of their concerns at the policy level and responsible governance.
SDGs
Strengthen the means of implementation and revitalize the Global Partnership for Sustainable Development
Scaling up agroecology calls for increased cooperation between productive sectors, social actors and countries.