Has agroecology lost the plot? The fracture between science, movement, and practice in the Insular Caribbean

Abstract

Agroecology, as a set of principles influenced by science, agrarian social movements, and ecological farming practices, has shown that it is possible to design sustainable and resilient food systems across latitudes. Despite its potential to reduce vulnerabilities to hazards and socio-environmental challenges, agroecology has seldom been documented in the Insular Caribbean–a region known for its history of colonial plantations, frequent climate events, and political struggles. To understand how discourses around agroecology are framed within the available scientific literature, we synthesized 128 peer-reviewed publications, which mention the Insular Caribbean, from the Scopus database. A frame analysis revealed seven distinct narratives, ranging from skeptical discourses and those focused mainly on productivity and sustainability, to those centered on farmer participation, peasants, social movements, and radical notions of agroecology. The fracture between these frames leads to a failure of agroecological science to effectively challenge dominant plantation logics at the expense of perspectives that underscore the power of plot, indigenous practices, marronage, knowledge sharing, and social movements. We recommend different polycultures of agroecological research, returning to the plot where frames are better integrated, and radical discourses and participatory methodologies cross-pollinate and synergize with technical approaches to support agroecological transformations of Caribbean food systems.