Agroecology as a transformative approach to tackle climatic, food, and ecosystemic crises

Abstract

Agroecology (AE) has been proposed as a transformative approach to climate change mitigation and adaptation that reduces climate risk while supporting long-term productivity and resilience of food systems by applying ecological and humanistic principles. Agroecology is a holistic systems approach to producing food, which incorporates social, economic, and political dimensions. Agroecological practices include landscape and farm diversification, intercropping, crop and pasture rotation, adding organic amendments, cover crops, and minimizing or avoiding synthetic inputs. Social dimensions of agroecology include co-creation of knowledge with farmers, participatory processes, nonwage labor relations, collective property and management of resources, and addressing social inequities. This paper reviews the recent evidence and potential for agroecology as a transformative approach, both as climate change adaptation and mitigation strategy as well as to meet key societal goals such as healthy ecosystems, food security, and nutrition.