Prospects for Agroecology in Europe

Abstract

Agroecology is not a new concept. Its rising prominence, however, is linked to greater societal awareness of environmental pressures associated with agricultural practices, a decline in the number of farmers, the growing market power of major corporate businesses, and links between ill-health and patterns of food consumption. In this context, agroecology is proposed as an alternative and sustainable model for agricultural production and for organising food systems. However, the uptake of agroecological practices in Europe is low. Fewer than 3 per cent of all farms have been defined as agroecological by achieving a pre-determined threshold on all five of key management principles. Economic viability, specifically the return to labour, will be a key factor in determining the attractiveness of agroecological practices to farmers and ultimately the farming system chosen. If current market conditions and economic incentives prove to be insufficient to promote the uptake of agroecological practices, then the associated non-market or social benefits may be key in generating appropriate rewards to farmers adopting these systems.