Agroecology Has a PR Problem. Here’s How We Can Solve It
Why our messages aren’t landing
Ask ten people on the street if they’ve heard of agroecology, and most will say no. Ask what it might mean, and they’ll guess it’s something scientific (like entomology, perhaps?).
The agroecology movement is growing in recognition and influence. But it has a PR problem. As a movement we are locked behind technical jargon and inaccessible language. And that makes us easy to ignore.
Definitions of agroecology seem obscure to the layperson. (The 13 principles and 10 elements, anyone? How many could you name?) Here’s but one recent example from my inbox:
“promoting soil regeneration, diversified crop and livestock production, reduced dependency on external inputs, circular systems and economies, landscape multifunctionality, good governance…” It goes on.
This isn’t just an agroecology problem. Across the food movement, we’ve paid too little attention to the frames and stories we use to win popular support. We assume our audiences share our vocabulary and associations – but often we just sound weird.