Agroecology is based on applying ecological concepts and principles to optimize interactions among plants, animals, humans and the environment while taking into consideration the social aspects that need to be addressed for a sustainable and fair food system.
By building synergies, agroecology can support food production and food security and nutrition while restoring the ecosystem services and biodiversity that are essential for sustainable agriculture. Agroecology can play an important role in building resilience and adapting to climate change.
Overview and FAO contribution
Agroecology is based on the context-specific design and organization of crops, livestock, farms and landscapes. It works with solutions that conserve above- and below-ground biodiversity and cultural and knowledge diversity with a focus on the roles in agriculture of women and youth. To harness the multiple sustainability benefits that arise from agroecological approaches, an enabling environment is required, including adapted policies, public investments, institutions and research priorities. Agroecology is the basis for evolving food systems that are equally strong in environmental, economic, social and agronomic dimensions.
Agroecology is fundamentally different from other approaches to sustainable development. It is based on bottom-up and territorial processes, helping to deliver contextualized solutions to local problems. Agroecological innovations are based on the co-creation of knowledge, combining science with the traditional, practical and local knowledge of producers. By enhancing their autonomy and adaptive capacity, agroecology empowers producers and communities as key agents of change. Rather than tweaking the practices of unsustainable agricultural systems, agroecology seeks to transform food and agricultural systems, addressing the root causes of problems in an integrated way and providing holistic and long-term solutions. This includes an explicit focus on the social and economic dimensions of food systems. Agroecology places a strong focus on the rights of women, youth and indigenous peoples.
As agroecology has several concepts and can be perceived in different ways as per its context-specific feature, a set of elements were developed as an analytical tool to support the operationalization of the agroecological transition. By identifying important properties of agroecological systems and approaches, as well as key considerations in developing an enabling environment for agroecology, the 10 Elements of Agroecology are a guide for policymakers, practitioners and stakeholders in planning, managing and evaluating agroecological transitions.
Agroecology for Sustainable Food Systems
The 10 Elements of Agroecology are interlinked and interdependent.
Publications
