© Christophe Da Silva pour Action contre la Faim
Headline
Climate
What is agroecology?
HUNGER IS ON THE RISE FOR THE FIFTH YEAR IN A ROW, ACCORDING TO THE 2023 REPORT ON THE STATE OF FOOD SECURITY AND NUTRITION IN THE WORLD (SOFI). IT AFFECTS 735 MILLION* PEOPLE ALL OVER THE WORLD. ITS CAUSES ARE MULTIPLE: CONFLICTS, ECONOMIC INEQUALITIES AND THE CLIMATE CRISIS.
The consequences of climate change are increasingly visible and threaten more and more people every day. Climate phenomena such as droughts, torrential rain, floods and storms are getting worse and accentuating the dangers already faced by the most vulnerable populations.
In light of these successive crises, our initial emergency response is to detect, treat and prevent malnutrition, by ensuring access to food, water and health care in the countries where we operate. In parallel, we offer solutions to improve resilience in the local populations. One of the solutions we promote is the development and strengthening of agroecology and small-scale agriculture in the countries where we work.
To fight hunger and provide responses to climate change, Action contre la Faim promotes agroecological development for the most vulnerable populations in the areas where it operates and advocates for it among governments, so that small-scale agroecology may be supported by public policies.
Agroecology is defined as a scientific discipline, a set of agricultural and food practices, and a social movement.
As a scientific discipline, agroecology is the application of ecology to the study, design and management of sustainable agricultural and food systems.
As a set of agricultural practices, agroecology consists of techniques and ways to improve agricultural systems by imitating biological processes and using natural solutions, thus creating beneficial biological interactions between the constituent parts of the agroecosystem.
In terms of its social dimension, agroecology is a major driver of social development and social cohesion (exchange between producers, consumers and all other parties involved in food systems; reduction of social inequalities within communities; mutual learning and sharing among producers, etc.).
As an overall approach, agroecology involves all spheres of social organisation – food security, nutrition, health and the environment – and fights climate change, as well as fostering economic and social development.
What is the goal? What are the main principles of agroecology?
Agroecology is based on an integrated, sustainable agricultural development approach that brings together agriculture’s economic performance, environmental sustainability and social dimension. It aims to mobilise and optimise interactions between plants, animals, humans and the environment while considering the social aspects that need to be taken into account in order to ensure that the agricultural and food system is sustainable and fair.
Agroecology is based on the following principles:¹
- Biomass recycling and soil fertility management through the optimisation of organic matter
- Sustainable management of natural resources (soil, water, energy, air, biodiversity preservation)
- Diversification of agricultural production within the agroecosystem in terms of both space and time
- Strengthening of biological interactions in agricultural production, with a focus on nature-based solutions
- Protection of agricultural and livestock farming systems through strengthened agroecosystem resilience
- Optimisation of human and social capital in terms of production, knowledge sharing, and agricultural production system innovation and adaptation
Agroecology invites us to rethink our agricultural production and food systems by focusing on agriculture’s economic, environmental and social performance. According to the FAO, there are ten elements of agroecology: synergies, efficiency, diversity, co-creation and sharing of knowledge, recycling, resilience, human and social values, responsible governance, the circular and solidarity economy, and culture and food traditions.
Sustainable land management for climate change adaptation and mitigation
© Christophe Da Silva pour Action contre la Faim
© Barbara Debout / Momentum Production pour Action contre la Faim
© Peter Caton pour Action contre la Faim
© R'Santatr' Andria pour Action contre la Faim
Ways of practising agroecology
Mixed farming and diversification of agricultural production
One of the agricultural practices prioritised by agroecology is the integration of agriculture and livestock farming, or mixed farming. Mixed farming is a set of practices that involve responsible production resource management and recycling of natural resources through the creation of beneficial synergies between plant and animal production, such as the use of outputs from the plant production system as inputs for the animal production system. For example, some crops and crop residue can be used as fodder for animals, while the outputs and residues from livestock farming can serve as organic fertilisers for plant production.
On top of that, it is important to consider the financial flows in both directions, especially for small-scale farmers: revenue from the sale of crops can be used to buy more animals, while the sale of animals can be invested into crop production.
Crop and livestock integration
Agroecological practices such as intercropping, crop rotation and agroforestry bring about a host of advantages. Unlike monoculture systems, which damage soil fertility and reduce biodiversity, intercropping and crop rotation are beneficial in several ways. They contribute across the board to promoting various agroecology principles, especially in connection to soil fertility, soil water retention capacity, improvement of biodiversity, phytosanitary pressure management and the fight against climate change. Globally, they foster beneficial biological interactions and synergies among different crops, trees, the soil, animals and the environment.
Sustainable management of natural resources and biodiversity
One of the key goals of agroecology is to use natural resources in a sensible, optimised way. This involves better soil health management, optimised use of agricultural water, and sustainable biodiversity management and preservation.
Agroecology is a way of tackling the problem of dwindling natural resources, thus contributing to the preservation of our environment. Agroecology also offers a certain number of benefits to the ecosystem, including the protection of wildlife habitats, greater plant diversity, preservation of genetic diversity and optimised management of agricultural water resources.
It also protects the environment by fertilising the soil naturally, regenerating soil and fighting against desertification.
Recycling on the farm is another pillar of agroecology, as it helps to reduce the financial, social and environmental costs of farming.
Promotion of exchanges and development on a local scale
Human and social values are an essential part of agroecology. Protecting and improving rural populations’ livelihoods, while ensuring equity and social well-being, are crucial in any sustainable food or agricultural system. Agroecology can therefore be a major driver of development in rural areas and strengthen social cohesion.
On an economic level, agroecology practices represent potential employment opportunities in rural areas, as agroecology work can diversify income, put a stop to the rural exodus and kickstart economic development in these areas.
The circular and solidarity economy fostered by agroecology could re-establish the relationship between producers and consumers. Short supply chains make consumers less vulnerable to fluctuations in the price of food on the market because they provide nutritious, high-quality foods made locally. This strengthens local food systems.
For example, agroecological farms create social cohesion in their area and even help to improve a region’s economic fabric, by creating jobs directly or indirectly and promoting small, local businesses.
Local organisations leading fight against hunger in Central African Republic
Improving small-scale family farms’ autonomy and resilience
Agroecology allows small-scale farmers to become more autonomous and self-sufficient in terms of agricultural inputs. Indeed, agroecology encourages recycling and usage of all the resources the field has to offer, rather than using external chemical inputs that tend to be costly. Ultimately, this strengthens farming households’ buying power, autonomy and resilience.
Resilience among people, communities and ecosystems is key in order to ensure sustainable food and agricultural systems. Agroecology provides local solutions – adapted to the local context and climate – to the issues of food security, nutrition and climate change.
A new science, but ancient expertise
Agroecological practices are based on traditional expertise and scientific foundations. Agroecology is a science of ecosystems that values knowledge of the land and local farmers’ expertise.
It involves updating effective farming techniques by combining them with scientific knowledge.
Agricultural innovations are more equipped to solve local problems when they are thought up jointly within participatory processes.
Agroecology and food security
Several parties and organisations involved in agriculture – agronomists, experts, NGOs, producers, consumers, etc. – agree that agroecology can sustainably provide responses to global food insecurity.
Organic farming, permaculture or agroecology?
Organic farming is a type of agriculture mainly characterised by an absence of chemical inputs on farms. It is a form of agriculture that prioritises respect for living things and natural cycles through production that is friendly both to the environment and to animal welfare. The organic production method fulfils certain clear-cut specifications. Organic farming is a component of agroecology.
As well as refraining from using pesticides, as called for by organic farming, agroecology seeks to integrate other parameters, such as the economic, social and environmental dimensions of farming.
Permaculture² is an agricultural production model that aims to preserve the diversity, stability and resilience of natural ecosystems. It is characterised by a harmonious integration of human activities and ecosystems with a view to producing food and energy, building housing and fulfilling people’s material and intangible needs sustainably. Permaculture is a similar concept to agroecology, but different in that it has remained relatively isolated from scientific research, while agroecology is a scientific discipline.
© Christophe Da Silva pour Action contre la Faim
© Christophe Da Silva pour Action contre la Faim
© Christophe Da Silva pour Action contre la Faim
© Christophe Da Silva pour Action contre la Faim
© Christophe Da Silva pour Action contre la Faim
© Christophe Da Silva pour Action contre la Faim
© Christophe Da Silva pour Action contre la Faim
© Christophe Da Silva pour Action contre la Faim
Promoting agroecology in the countries where we operate
So, agroecology is at the heart of our strategy for agricultural interventions. This strategy seeks to improve populations’ resilience to food crises as well as preventing malnutrition during and after emergency interventions. The four main goals established as part of this strategy are as follows:
- To ensure agricultural recovery after acute crises
- To improve the resilience of smallholders and agriculture, livestock farming and forestry systems
- To promote access to diversified food consumption
- To advocate for family agriculture
This strategy has been made operational through the development and implementation of agricultural projects focusing on agroecology in several countries where Action contre la Faim works.
A farmer field school: An example of an agroecological project in Cameroon
Papa Abdou is the facilitator of a farmer field school in Cameroon. He is among the first enthusiasts to decide to test agroecological techniques on his fields: even methods that may seem repulsive at first, like the use of human urine as a fertiliser.
‘Above all, the farmer field school is about sharing experiences. Everyone comes with their own expertise, and we learn from each other. The Action contre la Faim leaders have trained us in techniques we didn’t know about, like agroecology. These are cheap yet effective practices, like making compost. A field without chemical fertilisers or insecticides offers better yields than ones where chemical products are used. Neighbours who use chemical techniques often come to see us to ask us how we do it. Our plants have grown bigger than theirs. Every member of the group has their own field, which they cultivate with the techniques learned in the farmer field school. We plant sorghum, maize, peanut plants or even black-eyed peas, depending on our preferences.’
"Neighbours who use chemical techniques often come to see us to ask us how we do it"
Papa Abdou
Field Facilitator, Cameroon
At home, Papa Abdou shows us his agroecological products. He points out a bottle containing a cloudy liquid: a natural pesticide made by grinding neem seeds, pepper and local tobacco. The resulting powder is diluted in water and left to steep for a few hours before being filtered. Next to it, there are bowls with ground compost, which will be scattered around the plants to help them grow. In a corner of the courtyard, Papa Abdou has lined up about sixty bottles, forming a gradient of colours from light yellow to peaty black. He has been collecting his urine for two months. Its already high nitrogen content is increased by the natural fermentation process. The mixture will become a natural fertiliser that, once diluted in water, will be sprayed around the plants.
© Christophe Da Silva pour Action contre la Faim
© Christophe Da Silva pour Action contre la Faim
© Christophe Da Silva pour Action contre la Faim
© Christophe Da Silva pour Action contre la Faim
‘Agriculture enables me to look after my family. There are 23 of us: 18 children and grandchildren, my wife and 3 orphans. My brother and his wife were killed by Boko Haram, so I took in their children. When the people from Action contre la Faim came to our community with this farmer field school to talk to us about agroecology techniques that are more effective and cheaper than chemical products, they totally fulfilled my needs. I’m no longer vulnerable, and I’m setting an example for others.’
Agroecology training in Pakistan
In Pakistan, our teams operate in around ten districts by providing support with producing crops suitable for the climate, growing vegetable gardens, managing animal production (including rearing goats and fowls) and carrying out community fish farming activities. Action contre la Faim has worked with small-scale farmers by implementing popularisation methods such as the creation of demonstration plots and training sessions. These measures aim to accelerate the exchange of knowledge and encourage farmers to change their practices, moving towards a more environmentally friendly kind of agriculture.
Strengthening populations’ resilience in the face of the climate crisis in Madagascar
In Madagascar, the Grand Sud populations’ dependence on rainfed agriculture and extensive livestock farming makes them highly vulnerable to climate variability. To face these new challenges, we are working to inform communities about climate change, promote agroecology to make the region’s agriculture more resilient, and improve management of natural resources.
Our teams use an integrated ‘nutrition–food security’ approach and stay in close contact with village communities to help them to organise and manage their land. This intervention is helping over 4,000 households to set up market gardens and small-scale livestock farming operations. The aim is to improve food availability by advocating for sustainable agricultural production, through training, agroecology, cooperatives, etc.
Agroecology: At the heart of the fight against world hunger
There are many examples of the impact of agroecology.
In Cambodia and Uganda, we have helped populations to create vegetable gardens and market gardens. This action can render populations more independent. It can sometimes provide an extra source of income and foster food diversification.
In Ethiopia, we assisted in the development of hydroponics activity, so that local farmers can deal with drought and soil degradation. With this technique, farmers can grow food for livestock and local populations outside of the soil.
In Central African Republic, we are supporting the development of responsible beekeeping. This project in Ouham consists of a modernisation process to go from a honey harvesting method that destroys traditional hives and kills bees to beekeeping based on modern hives and harvesting techniques that involve putting the bees to sleep with a smoker to be able to collect the honey without killing them.
Small-scale agroecology has agronomic, economic, social and political facets. It offers solutions to a great number of the challenges faced by our food systems (inequalities, climate crisis, nutrition and health) and provides alternatives to the dominant industrial food systems. All over the world, we promote agroecology in order to help to limit the effects of the climate crisis and to make the populations we support more resilient to these effects, thus ensuring their long-term food security.
BLOWING THE WHISTLE ON INDUSTRIAL AGRICULTURE
Currently, global agriculture is at a crossroads between two agricultural models, and agricultural systems belong to one or the other or both, with a combination of techniques and approaches. The first is industrial agriculture. This model is generally characterised by widespread use of synthetic inputs (fertilisers, pesticides, herbicides), reliance on private investments, a high degree of specialisation based on monoculture, long global production chains and highly competitive markets. Those that support this model argue that it is the best one for solving the problem of food insecurity and malnutrition across the world. Though it is the dominant model, it is increasingly being questioned and highlighted by numerous publications, which are drawing the international community’s attention to its indirect health, social and environmental consequences and its negative impacts on food security and nutrition worldwide.
Industrial agriculture and increasing consumption of meat are directly criticised by the last IPCC reports. Industrial agricultural practices, use of pesticides and chemical inputs, and even monocultures contribute to increased greenhouse gas emissions and to soil depletion and degradation. Soil is considered a vast carbon sink that can store CO2 from the atmosphere. Degradation reduces soil’s storage capacity, thus exacerbating climate change.
Industrial agriculture is based on monoculture farming, characterised by widespread use of chemical inputs (fertilisers, pesticides, herbicides), long global production chains and a concentration of power among a small number of businesses, to the detriment of the majority of small-scale farmers. These agricultural systems exacerbate the climate crisis as they emit a lot of greenhouse gases. According to the FAO, industrial
agriculture and livestock farming combined make up 1/5 of total greenhouse gas emissions, most of which comes from turning forests into agricultural land and from animal and plant production.
Given the consequences of industrial agriculture, the international community is calling more and more for a transition to sustainable agricultural and food models. The agricultural development model most able to provide this transition is agroecology. Indeed, the agroecological model has emerged as an alternative to conventional agriculture, offering sustainable agricultural development that adopts a development approach centred around valuing natural resources (soil, water, biodiversity) and managing them sustainably, in a way based on existing farming knowledge that makes the most of local capacities. This model is particularly suitable for most smallholders, especially in regions where families’ food security largely depends on their production.
Action contre la Faim is committed to supporting and promoting agroecology in the areas where it operates.
In our eyes, there is no question that our food systems must be transformed to make them more sustainable and fairer and to feed the world population a healthy diet. Small-scale agroecology must be at the heart of this agricultural transformation and recognised as a sustainable, effective agricultural development model.
As well as promoting agroecology, Action contre la Faim recognises that the adoption of the agroecological model must be accompanied by support measures to minimise smallholders’ vulnerability during the transition phase. Because of this, Action contre la Faim offers the necessary support to ensure effective change, through the creation of partnerships with local and/or international organisations working on agroecology. In addition, for agroecology to have the space needed for its development, Action contre la Faim calls for it to be promoted through advocacy based on evidence and arguments that highlight its benefits and potential. These advocacy efforts are intended to influence public policy–makers and donors so that family farms and agroecology are included as a key part of national food security and nutritional policies and strategies.
FRANCE MUST MOBILISE AND (REALLY) PROMOTE AGROECOLOGY TO ACCELERATE TRANSITION
For ten years now, France has been one of few countries to present themselves as champions of agroecology and the climate. With the ‘success’ of COP21 in Paris in 2016 and the slogan ‘Make Our Planet Great Again’ used by President Emmanuel Macron in 2017 following the decision made by Donald Trump’s USA to leave the Paris Climate Accords, France has emerged as a leading country in terms of climate issues.
Though France may be an ‘agroecology champion’ on paper, French funding tells another story. Only 13.3% of the French financial support for other countries
studied in the report is going towards a real agroecological transition, while just 4.7% is for climate purposes.
Worse yet is the fact that, in 2018, France devoted almost 3 times more funding to agro-industry, a highly mechanised, intensive agricultural model based on widespread use of chemical inputs. In the Action contre la Faim report ‘Une Pincée d’agroécologie pour une louche d’agro–industrie’ (A pinch of agroecology for a ladleful of agro-industry), CCFD and Oxfam point to France’s hypocrisy and the incoherence of its international agricultural and climate policy.
Agroecology offers a comprehensive response to the challenges of food security, nutrition and the climate crisis. It prioritises local, environmentally friendly production through minimised product transformation and the use of farming expertise. Agroecology also contributes to reducing the effects of climate change, as it involves storing carbon in the soil and maintaining biodiversity.
France must support agroecology, especially through financial support. There are a number of projects in effect on a local level, but they must be expanded to become national and international projects. For this reason, agroecology requires assistance and decisive action from politicians in order to accelerate food systems’ agroecological transition.
Action contre la Faim fights against all the causes and consequences of hunger. Support us!
¹Berton, S., Billaz, R., Burger, P., Lebreton, A., 2013. Agroécologie, une transition vers des modes de vie et de développement viables. Paroles d’acteurs
¹Altieri, M.A., 2012. It is possible to feed the world by scaling up agroecology”.
²Mollison B, Holmgren D (1978) Permaculture one: a perennial agricultural system for human settlements. Tagari, Tyalgum
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