The concept of agroecology emerged at the end of the 20th century from the need for an alternative to recover sustainable food production technologies and improve existing knowledge to promote food sovereignty with practices accessible to family farmers. Biodiversity, social justice, the rational use of natural resources, and the enhancement of traditional knowledge are among its fundamental principles.
After World War II, with the development of synthetic fertilisers, pesticides, and, later, genetic engineering for agricultural products, there was a rapid process of agricultural modernisation. This transition became known as the Green Revolution, and its effect is what we know today as conventional agriculture. Conventional agriculture was recognised for its capacity to increase agricultural productivity and promise to end world hunger. However, despite the increase in production, it was soon realised that its application had many risks. Among the most adverse impacts are several changes in the physicochemical characteristics of ecosystems, soil quality, hydrological cycles, and the significant and worrying reduction in biodiversity.
In the context of family farming, the impacts are particularly expressive and negative given the promotion of intensive technologies that require inaccessible investments for this segment. The agricultural sector is experiencing a shortage of work opportunities, income generation, rural exodus, and social exclusion. This is due to the monopolisation of markets, the creation of technological packages that generate cycles of dependence on farmers, and the reduction in crops yield.
Climate change is also a driver for an urgent transition to food systems capable of slowing down the release of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere and creating greater resilience for agricultural production.
Considering that agricultural production needs will increase by 60% by 2050 to keep pace with population growth ¹, there are critical challenges to consider in promoting the transition to more sustainable food systems
Agroecology integrates agronomic, ecological, and socio-economic principles to understand and assess the effect of technologies on agricultural systems and society as a whole.²
As a bottom-up paradigm for sustainable rural development, agroecology empowers people to become their own change agents.
According to FAO (2021), agroecology proposes to transform food systems based on the following interconnected and interdependent principles³