ESG / CSR
Industries
Ecology
Greenly solutions
When we think of sustainable ways to improve our quality of life in the midst of climate change or to benefit the planet itself, we tend to think about the impact we create with material items such as clothing or technology – making our food consumption and agroecology lower on the list.
Agroecology is an approach to farming that aims to include both environmental and social aspects into the process of food production – with a goal to build greater resilience, efficiency and overall sustainability.
In this article, we’ll explain what agroecology is, the 13 principles of agroecology, how it impacts economic viability, the downsides to agroecology, and if agroecology is beneficial in the fight against climate change.
Agroecology is a scientific method of farming which aims to incorporate ecological, social and economic factors into the production of food and how it is consumed.
This is ultimately beneficial for both the consumer as well as farmers, seeing as more sustainable food production and consumption is healthier for people and can also help to boost farmer’s productivity and sales.
💡Did you know? Agroecology was first introduced prior to World War II in 1928 when the term was first published by Basil Bensin, and was then used by zoologists in the 1930s. Since then, agroecology has continued to grow and evolve.
In order to be as effective for food and farming systems as possible, agroecology makes use of science and various ecological theories to propose, develop, and test various methods that may be used in agricultural systems. This type of extensive research often requires studying biology, socioeconomic factors, as well as the available and most relevant technologies that can be used for ecosystem services and a the potential farming system in the proposed plan.
Some of the main values of agroecology include:
👉 Ultimately, agroecology can serve as a way for farmers to develop a more productive and fair-minded food system – seeing as it will rely on a more holistic approach as opposed to using chemicals or unnatural substances to encourage food production.
There are 13 main principles of agroecology: including participation, land and resources governance, connectivity, social values, economic diversification, and biodiversity.
Here are the 13 main principles of agroecology broken down:
In addition to the 13 principles of agroecology, this scientific approach to food development also operates on these main elements:
👉 Agroecology was developed as an effort to instill a more well-rounded approach to food production – one that doesn’t prioritize profit or productivity over the health and well-being over society or the environment, but does not forsake economic viability either.
| Element | Description |
|---|---|
| Human & Social Value | Agroecology emphasizes improving the livelihoods and well-being of farmers, workers, and communities involved in food production. It seeks to create fair labor conditions, equitable access to resources, and social equity. |
| Responsible Governance | Involves participatory decision-making processes, transparency, and accountability in managing food systems. It ensures that policies support sustainable practices and benefit all stakeholders, including marginalized groups. |
| Culture & Food Traditions | Agroecology values and incorporates local and indigenous knowledge, cultural practices, and food traditions. It promotes biodiversity by preserving traditional crops and foodways that are adapted to local environments. |
| Circular Economy | Focuses on closing nutrient and energy loops through recycling, composting, and reusing agricultural by-products. This reduces waste, enhances resource efficiency, and supports sustainable production systems. |
| Diversity | Diversity in agroecology includes crop and livestock diversity, genetic diversity, and ecosystem diversity. It enhances resilience, reduces risks, and contributes to sustainable and productive food systems. |
| Resilience | Agroecology builds resilient food systems capable of withstanding and recovering from climate change, economic shocks, and other disturbances. It includes practices that enhance soil health, water management, and biodiversity. |
| Regulation | Ensures that agroecological practices comply with environmental, health, and safety standards. Effective regulation supports sustainable agriculture by enforcing rules that protect natural resources and public health. |
| Efficiency | Efficiency in agroecology means optimizing resource use to maximize productivity while minimizing environmental impact. It includes practices like precision farming, efficient water use, and integrated pest management. |
Alternative agriculture such as agroecology affects the economic viability of farms seeing as it seeks to reduce the dependency on external inputs, which in turn should make food producers more financially independent and more lucrative in the long-run.
Farming systems that aim to implement agricultural production systems and sustainable agriculture methods such as agroecology are bound to not only benefit from improved ecological processes, but also to help support local communities and build more sustainable food systems.
Some practices that farmers could implement to ensure agroecology benefits them financially include implementing diversity, mitigating the use of chemical fertilizers which harm soil and contribute to air pollution, improving overall pest control, or implementing any of the other 13 main principles of agroecology.
👉 Overall, agroecology can help reduce operational expenses and allow farmers or food producers to reap the benefits of a more stable income – something becoming more important in the midst of climate change, as extreme temperatures and natural disasters continue to have an effect on agriculture.
Although agroecology could pave the way for future, more sustainable food production practices, many critique agroecology due to some of its downsides – which include how new the field of study is and an overall lack of consistency.
In addition to this, one of the main problems many have with agroecology is that it doesn’t follow a set rulebook. In other words, some claim that a major flaw of the principles of agroecology is that the 13 main principles are more of a loose guideline as opposed to a meticulous, full-proof plan to rectify food production systems.
For example, agroecology isn’t standardized or scalable – meaning that it can be hard to replicate success in farms across the world using the 13 main principles, seeing as each food farm is subject to various weather conditions, resources, and are different sizes.
👉 In the end, while agroecology could prove successful for many food producers and farmers – it may not be conducive to be used as a baseline methodology seeing as the study and practice is still too new to take variables into consideration.
Agroecology, despite its criticism, could still prove effective in the midst of climate change – seeing as when its principles are put into practice, it could result in a more profitable and consistent food supply, reduce air pollution, and ultimately help to mitigate global food waste seeing as agroecology could help maximize food production.
Here are a few more reasons why agroecology could help fight climate change:
Overall, while agroecology still has a long way to go before it is considered a reputable approach to rectifying our current food production systems – it still holds the potential to inspire farmers and food producers around the world to modify their current practices in favor of more sustainable ones.
If reading this article about agroecology has made you interested in reducing your carbon emissions to further fight against climate change – Greenly can help you!
Seeking to understand how agroecology could have an impact on your business can prove difficult to understand, but don’t worry – Greenly is here to help! Click here to book a demo and get personalized expertise on how you can start to reduce your own emissions and decrease your environmental impact.
Greenly can help you make an environmental change for the better, starting with a carbon footprint assessment to know how much carbon emissions your company produces.
How do Democrats view global warming, what kind of climate change policies do they create, and how do they draft new climate legislation and environmental regulations with climate change and other key factors in mind?
How do Republicans view global warming, what kind of policies do Republicans implement to fight climate change, and how do they approach the creation and passing of legislation with the concept of climate change in mind?
In this article, we’ll explain what kerosene is, why it’s bad for the planet, and what we could use instead of kerosene.
In this article, we'll discuss the Principles for Responsible Investment and how these six principles can benefit both ESG factors and your finances.
