While many talk about the importance of agroecology in India and also globally, there are very few who are willing to walk the talk. Krishna Sudha Academy for Agroecology, established in Nuzividu (Andhra Pradesh), India, is the first of its kind education and research centre in the country that has been promoting agroecology through adaptive research and capacity development. In this blog, Ayush Lal and Shaktiranjan Das highlight experiences from their recent visit to the Krishna Sudha Academy for Agroecology.

CONTEXT 

Agroecology offers potential answers to some of the most pressing challenges in agriculture today, viz., nutrition insecurity, biodiversity, climate change, soil degradation, and the struggles of small and marginal farmers. Can focusing on agroecology rather than exploiting the land truly meet the needs of a growing population? Can a combination of ecological and social concepts embedded in agroecology make a difference? Can a new policy ecosystem be designed to support farmers’ livelihoods while ensuring a resilient food system?

With these questions in mind, we scheduled our visit to the Krishna Sudha Academy of Agroecology, located in Kondaparva, NTR district, Andhra Pradesh (India). We were eager to explore how the academy is addressing these pressing challenges through its work.