Tag Archive for: Agroecology

Press Release: A New Tool to Track Agroecology Funding Streams

Faced with the combined climate, food security and biodiversity crises, there is a growing interest in agroecology. Until today, however, we could not easily track the volume and quality of these funds globally and were left with the question: how much money is actually invested in agroecology?

At a crucial junction for international discussions around how to make our food systems truly sustainable, during the Committee on World Food Security (October) and ahead of the UN Climate Change Conference COP28 in Dubai (December), a new tool has just been launched today. The tool had previously been presented at the Agroecology Donors Convening in Rome on 21st October, gathering governments, donors and investors.

The new Agroecology finance assessment tool, aiming at improving the tracking and assessment of funding streams for agroecology, is founded on an innovative methodological framework.

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Exploring the connections between Agroecology and Regenerative Agriculture

Food security is one of a human being’s most basic needs, and the threat of food insecurity causes primal anxiety. Food insecurity is among the main causes of climate-related migration and, in turn, one of the main causes of the growing insecurity of nations.

With these vulnerabilities so raw, it’s no wonder people worldwide are questioning their food supply or that worldwide concern is surging about an industrial food system that feeds climate change and causes political instability – not to mention a system that weakens our immune systems and Nucauses serious nutrition-related health conditions and diseases.

It should also be no surprise that there is rapidly scaling curiosity about alternative food systems that don’t ride roughshod over human rights; about systems that keep people and the planet safe and healthy. And yet it can be confusing to understand the similarities and differences between these alternative systems. Let’s take a look at two approaches: Agroecology and Regenerative Agriculture.

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La agroecología ha llegado para quedarse

La agroecología surgió en Latinoamérica, hacia finales de la década de 1970, como una respuesta a la crisis ecológica y los problemas sociales y medioambientales generados por la agricultura indiustrializada. Desde su origen, estuvo ligada a movimientos campesinos, ambientalistas y otros que luchan por conseguir la soberanía alimentaria y la justicia social. La finalidad de la agroecología, como ciencia, práctica y movimiento social, es establecer formas de producción y consumo alternativas al modelo productivo agroindustrial, y que apunten hacia una agricultura socialmente más justa, económicamente viable y ecológicamente apropiada.

La introducción de la agroecología en los espacios académicos y políticos no ha sido fácil. Durante las primeras décadas, las personas relacionadas con el incipiente sector fueron ignoradas, cuando no ridiculizadas, por la corriente dominante, y tildadas de ilusas, predicadoras, radicales, charlatanas o calificativos peores.

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Por qué creemos que la agroecología puede arreglar nuestros sistemas alimentarios

Todos sabemos que no hay fórmulas mágicas que puedan hacer frente a la confluencia de crisis a las que nos enfrentamos actualmente en nuestro planeta: hambre, degradación generalizada de la tierra y los recursos hídricos, pérdida catastrófica de biodiversidad y el cambio climático. No obstante, la agroecología es un enfoque que puede abordar estos retos de forma sistémica mediante el desarrollo de un conjunto de soluciones localmente relevantes a través del apoyo a la innovación local a escala. Tiene el potencial no solo de hacer frente a la crisis alimentaria mundial actual, sino también de aportar soluciones a largo plazo a otros problemas medioambientales y sociales, como la pérdida de biodiversidad, la pobreza y la inequidad de género.

¿Parece demasiado bueno para ser verdad? Vamos a explicarlo: Lo que hace única a la perspectiva agroecológica es que se propone explícitamente abordar múltiples retos al mismo tiempo.

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AFSA Urges African Climate Leaders: Prioritise Agroecology, Food Sovereignty and Biodiversity Conservation Now!

As members of the Africa Food Sovereignty Alliance (AFSA), we represent the largest social movement made up of farmers, fisherfolk, indigenous communities and societal organizations civil society across the continent. As the 2023 Africa Climate Week (ACW) takes place from September 4-8, 2023 in Nairobi, and runs alongside the September 4-6 African Climate Summit, both hosted by the Government of Kenya, we take this moment to highlight the importance of sustainable, people-centered and African-led solutions to address the urgent climate crisis.

While these platforms provide vital opportunities to discuss climate solutions across various sectors, it is disheartening to recognize that the relentless impacts of the climate emergency continue to reverberate across Africa. Every day, rising temperatures, floods, storms, droughts and land degradation disproportionately affect small-scale food producers and communities, amplifying their vulnerabilities. Faced with the urgency of adapting and preserving their livelihoods and the subsistence of their families, the need for increased support becomes essential.

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La agroecología, un camino hacia la agricultura sustentable

La agroecología es un nuevo enfoque y paradigma de la agricultura que ha surgido como respuesta a los problemas ambientales y sociales derivados de la agricultura moderna, la cual, si bien ha aumentado los volúmenes producidos de alimentos, ha provocado importantes impactos ambientales: erosión de suelo, contaminación, pérdida de biodiversidad, desforestación, como así también problemas sociales: de salud de trabajadores y consumidores, marginación de productores y erosión cultural.

Entre sus definiciones, se la considera como ciencia, práctica y movimientos sociales. Como ciencia, incluye el estudio integrador de la agronomía y la ecología de todo el sistema alimentario, en sus dimensiones ecológica, económica y social. Como conjunto de prácticas agrícolas, la agroecología busca formas de mejorar los sistemas agrícolas aprovechando los procesos naturales, rescatando interacciones biológicas beneficiosas y sinergias entre los componentes del agroecosistema y minimizando el uso de insumos externos sintéticos aprovechando los servicios ecosistémicos que brinda la naturaleza.

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Corporaciones se adueñan de los sistemas alimentarios y de los recursos naturales de África

Las empresas transnacionales son compañías que tienen su registro en países del Norte Global, pero también cuentan con subsidiarias o filiales en países del Sur Global. Estas empresas a menudo se benefician de la disponibilidad de recursos naturales y mano de obra económica en los países del Sur Global, así como también se aprovechan de las leyes laborales débiles que son comúnmente encontradas en las naciones en desarrollo.

África ha sido y continúa siendo afectada por las acciones negativas de las empresas transnacionales en relación con el trabajo, la alimentación, el medio ambiente y muchos otros aspectos. Estas consecuencias han tenido un impacto significativo en la región, generando problemas que persisten hasta el día de hoy. África se ha convertido en una nueva frontera para los negocios, lo cual se puede observar a través de la presencia de muchas empresas multinacionales que operan en el continente.

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Agroecological Practices Are Widely Used by African Farmers

Agroecology is a body of knowledge, practices and political movements that aims to support transformation of food and agricultural systems to long-term social and environmental sustainability. African farmers face multiple challenges, and agroecology has been proposed as contributing to solutions and hence is being supported and promoted on the continent. However, the viability of agroecological practices for African farmers has been questioned.
The project that produced the results in this paper was set up to understand more about the viability of agroecological practices at farm and household level, identifying the lockins and drivers of use of agroecology and paying particular attention to labour and work. A case study approach was used, with 11 cases across eight countries from Tunisia to Madagascar contributing evidence. A common framework was used in all cases but with adaptation of details to local contexts. After two years collecting data, case-study and coordinating teams met in December 2022 to look at results and plan detailed analyses.

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Farmers’ Seeds: The Key to Agroecology

We’re thrilled to announce the final episode of ‘THE LAST SEED’ film, “Farmers’ Seeds: The Key to Agroecology.” This production is a result of a partnership between the Rosa Luxemburg Foundation, the Alliance for Food Sovereignty in Africa, Biowatch South Africa, and PELUM Tanzania.

This compelling documentary takes a deep dive into the world of farming, agriculture, and most importantly, the critical role of seeds. Through a diverse set of voices, including farmers, consumers, and agricultural experts, the film emphasizes the role of seeds as the basis of life and sustainable agriculture.

The film opens with a powerful quote, “They tried to bury us, but they didn’t know we were seeds.” encapsulating the resilience inherent in farmers’ seeds. The film underscores the importance of farmer-managed seed systems, highlighting their crucial role in sustainable, agroecological practices. It celebrates the resilience of these seeds that have nourished communities over generations. The film stresses that preserving indigenous seeds extends beyond ensuring a food supply—it also includes protecting our environment and maintaining a vital relationship between earth and its inhabitants. One of the core messages conveyed throughout the film is the rejection of the colonization of African food policies, agricultural practices, and governance. Instead, the documentary proposes agroecology—a sustainable approach to farming that embraces farmer-managed seed systems. By empowering farmers to take control of their seeds, agroecology represents a departure from dependency on corporate entities. A fundamental tenet of the film is the importance of diversity and how it can help us transition towards a more sustainable, agroecological approach. By encouraging farmers to experiment with diversifying their crops, we can increase the productivity of the entire farm, not just one crop.

This idea forms the crux of a key message in the film: agroecology is about increasing the productivity of the whole farm. Agroecology prioritizes farmers’ empowerment, enabling them to make informed decisions based on local conditions. It reduces reliance on external seed sources as farmers can cultivate and improve their seeds through observation, testing, and adaptation. Each seed thus becomes a knowledge reservoir, integrating years of information about the environment and enhancing resilience.

The film also highlights the fragility of the industrial seed system, drawing attention to its vulnerability when faced with adverse conditions. In contrast, the seeds from a farmer-managed seed system demonstrate their ability to thrive and adapt, reflecting their close alignment with the local ecosystem. It becomes clear that agroecology, rooted in traditional knowledge and sustainable practices, outperforms industrial agriculture on multiple fronts.

Ultimately, “Farmers’ Seeds: The Key to Agroecology” argues that transitioning towards agroecology may be a challenging endeavor, but it is by no means unattainable. It is a rallying cry for everyone – farmers, consumers, and policymakers – to put our minds and hearts into supporting sustainable agricultural practices. We invite you to join us on this eye-opening journey into the world of agroecology. Let’s explore the power of seeds, the resilience of nature, and the potential of farmer-managed seed systems. By embracing agroecology, we can cultivate a future where sustainable farming and food sovereignty are the norm.

Groundbreaking Research Reveals Natural Farming Leads for Yields, Livelihoods, and Health

pioneering new study analyzing the costs and benefits of different farming systems gives new evidence to support agroecological natural farming as a key approach to help feed communities and transition farmers to nature-positive outcomes in support of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

This first-of-its-kind research, led by impact data and analytics provider GIST Impact and supported by the Global Alliance for the Future of Food, used True Cost Accounting methods to compare the major economic, social, and health impacts of natural farming with the three existing and still dominant farming systems in the Indian State of Andhra Pradesh – tribal farming, rainfed dryland agriculture, and chemically-intensive farming in the delta region.

The study shows that farms using natural inputs achieved equal or higher yields compared to the other farming systems – on average, these farms saw an 11% increase in yields – while maintaining higher crop diversity.

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Tag Archive for: Agroecology

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