Agroecology for a Sustainable Agriculture and Food System: From Local Solutions to Large-Scale Adoption

Annual Review of Resource Economics, Journal Year: 2023, Volume and Issue: 15(1), P. 351 - 381

Published: July 12, 2023

Agroecology is often considered as the ultimate and most comprehensive solution to many challenges of agricultural food system, also referred agri-food system. This review investigates what extent agroecology can become mainstream model for transforming agriculture toward more sustainable resilient systems within given economic political context. We find that enhancing will require a fully integrated multiscale approach from farm region globe. The must consider relevant processes relationships, actors stakeholders well drivers, sustainability indicators, respective assessment methods across all scales. Giving specific attention drivers related economy, technology, policy we point out needs be economically viable farmers other system actors. In particular, new emerging technologies digitalization breeding should consideration in agroecological transformation. stress need an analytical operational framework adequate design suggest six areas needed support large-scale adoption agroecology.

Language: Английский

---

Agriculture for the Anthropocene: novel applications of technology and the future of food

Food Security, Journal Year: 2023, Volume and Issue: 15(3), P. 613 - 627

Published: March 27, 2023

Language: Английский

---

Fields of contestation and contamination: Maize seeds, agroecology and the (de)coloniality of agriculture in Malawi and South Africa

Elementa Science of the Anthropocene, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 12(1)

Published: Jan. 1, 2024

Farmer-managed seed systems and the conservation of agrobiodiversity are increasingly recognized as important components food sovereignty. In contrast, hybrid, genetically modified (GM), and, increasingly, gene-edited crops continue to be promoted by Green Revolution proponents a “climate smart” package that includes fertilizers, pesticides, purchased seeds, links global markets. Influencing laws policies support uptake modern crop varieties has been key entry point in many countries, facilitated networks foreign donors, philanthropists, governments, multinational companies. Using case South Africa, where GM have grown for several decades, we provide insights on implications Malawi, which passed Seed Act 2022, implicitly supporting crops. Both countries histories colonial agriculture with strong policy modern, hybrid maize, replacement (and displacement) local, open-pollinated maize varieties. studies revealed contamination smallholder fields systems. Through political ecology lens, explore how its cotechnologies were commodified Africa what African experiences adoption farming can tell us about challenges faced Malawian farmers. We reveal ongoing colonialities power, knowledge, being, nature shape character form both running counter needs agroecological farmers their ways knowing being. conclude envisioning reimagined, transformed decolonial approaches might look like continent, they contribute toward attainment sovereignty an future.

Language: Английский

---

Toward a caring and (re)productive bioeconomy? A feminist analysis of socio-technical innovations and sustainability shortcomings

Sustainability Science Practice and Policy, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 20(1)

Published: July 22, 2024

The bioeconomy is touted as an innovative economic approach to make economies more sustainable through the use of biological resources and processes. In many policies, expansion biomass key enabled by new biotechnologies precision agriculture (PA). We respond demand for critical approaches sustainability ask: How can feminist (sustainability) research – specifically ecological economics science technology studies help assess shortcomings socio-technical innovations in bioeconomy? have drawn from these two fields construct a framework analysis illustrate its application looking at field PA, which has emblematic production agricultural bioeconomy. how this analytical reveal manifold linked innovations, such reinforcement power relations; promotion productivism; undermining precaution, sufficiency, cooperation development; fetishization data; delegitimization local knowledge. While only exemplary, it shows allows fine-grained multifaceted assessment specific draw attention structural systemic are often overlooked.

Language: Английский

---

Ag-tech, agroecology, and the politics of alternative farming futures: The challenges of bringing together diverse agricultural epistemologies

Agriculture and Human Values, Journal Year: 2023, Volume and Issue: 40(3), P. 913 - 928

Published: April 21, 2023

Abstract Agricultural-technology (ag-tech) and agroecology both promise a better farming future. Ag-tech seeks to improve the food system through development of high-tech tools such as sensors, digital platforms, robotic harvesters, with many ag-tech start-ups promising deliver increased agricultural productivity while also enhancing sustainability. Agroecology incorporates diverse cropping systems, low external resource inputs, indigenous farmer knowledge, is increasingly associated political calls for more just system. Recently, demand has grown potentially groundbreaking benefits their convergence, University California, Santa Cruz (UCSC) attempting union. Building on its combined expertise in engineering agroecology, well longstanding reputation socially progressive institution, university administrators believe that UCSC could produce unique, form designed small, low-resource farmers—a rare contribution given ag-tech’s tendency cater primarily large-scale agribusiness. This paper examines complexities uniting interviews agroecologists, engineers, social scientists involved UCSC’s initiative. Within setting historically radical yet neoliberalizing university, I find significant epistemic structural barriers exist come together an even playing field. case study contributes broader discussions future by focusing contours challenges widely called-for collaboration, highlighting difficulty but areas possibility particularly rich, contested context.

Language: Английский

---

Turning promise into practice: Crop biotechnology for increasing genetic diversity and climate resilience

PLoS Biology, Journal Year: 2022, Volume and Issue: 20(7), P. e3001716 - e3001716

Published: July 26, 2022

As climate change increasingly threatens agricultural production, expanding genetic diversity in crops is an important strategy for resilience many contexts. In this Essay, we explore the potential of crop biotechnology to contribute diversification, especially industrialized systems, by using historical perspectives frame current dialogue surrounding recent innovations gene editing. We unearth comments about possibility enhancing made ambitious scientists early days recombinant DNA and follow implementation technology, which has not generated diversification some anticipated. then turn claims promise editing tools with respect same goal. encourage researchers other stakeholders engage activities beyond laboratory if they hope see what technologically possible translated into practice at critical point transformation.

Language: Английский

---

Regulating gene editing in agriculture and food in the European Union: Disentangling expectations and path dependencies

Sociologia Ruralis, Journal Year: 2023, Volume and Issue: 63(2), P. 348 - 369

Published: Feb. 26, 2023

Abstract This study investigates how proponents and critics of gene editing in agriculture food (GEAF) employ expectations—discourses with future‐oriented impacts—as they compete to secure desired futures mobilise social processes resources towards their goal influencing GEAF (re)regulation agro‐food systems within the EU. We draw on 27 semi‐structured interviews 53 Euractiv media articles identify analyse proponents’ critics’ responses 2018 European Court Justice regulatory decision that will be regulated as genetically modified organisms. Despite similar themes environmental sustainability, security winners losers agricultural innovation systems, discourses reflect divergent expectations GEAF. argue both groups link concerns about path dependencies technological innovations which serve influence emerging political, public elite perspectives Although some extent performative, these offer important insights should problematised engaged governance spaces. is conceptually framed by socio‐technical futures, dependency political economy literature.

Language: Английский

---

Prospects for increasing the resolution of crop diversity for agroecosystem service delivery in a Dutch arable system

Agriculture Ecosystems & Environment, Journal Year: 2023, Volume and Issue: 351, P. 108472 - 108472

Published: March 23, 2023

Finding a balance between the agroecological benefits of in-field crop diversification and associated management demands, while maintaining expected production levels, is essential for making diversity work farmers. The aim this study was to find workable resolution within context an on-station organic arable cropping systems experiment in Netherlands. tested gradient treatments from sole-crop references strip (3 m x 54 strips sown adjacent pairs varying complexity) pixel (0.25 m2 plots each with one out six total crops arranged 7.5 12 grids). In these we assessed performance multiple agroecosystem service (AES) indicators (soil fertility, yield quality, weed cover diversity, natural enemy activity density) three focal (cabbage, wheat, potato) using years field data three-part analysis. First, used linear mixed models assess effects treatment on AES indicators. We found no clear indication that performed better than rest across Second, developed novel method quantifying temporal, spatial, genetic structural into compound scores, scores analyze response relationships increasing delivery. Here had positive effect species density. For indicators, observed inflection point most diverse treatment, performing notably poorly. Third, multivariate analysis approach contribution delivery, but individual dimensions These findings suggest prospects are when it comes balancing aims increases other also feasibility. Reconciling shortcomings highly (e.g. through development appropriate technologies) may be way mitigate trade-offs ecological at resolutions higher cropping.

Language: Английский

---

Sociotechnical imaginaries for Canadian agri-food futures: a farmer survey

Agriculture and Human Values, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: unknown

Published: Jan. 23, 2025

Language: Английский

---

“It’s all about factory farming:” German public imaginaries of gene editing technologies in animal agriculture

Agriculture and Human Values, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: unknown

Published: Feb. 18, 2025

Language: Английский

---