Princípios da Agroecologia
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. target="_blank" rel="noopener">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:
Agroecology advocates maximising diversity. From a biological point of view, this diversity of species and genetic resources can be maintained at a spatial level (agroforestry systems and intercropping) or temporal level (crop succession) and by the effective combination of plants and animals. Biodiversity contributes to the maintenance of nutritional wealth; to productivity, creation of new market opportunities, product variety, and consequently income; security against the risks of climate change in agricultural production; greater capacity for efficient use of environmental resources, in addition to performing ecosystem services such as pollination and maintenance of soil quality. Diversified agroecological systems are more resilient, with a more remarkable ability to recover from disturbances, including extreme weather events such as droughts, floods, or hurricanes, and to withstand the onslaught of pests and diseases. Agroecological approaches can also increase socio-economic resilience. Through diversification and integration, producers reduce their vulnerability if a single crop, animal species, or other commodity fails. By reducing dependence on external inputs, agroecology can reduce producers' vulnerability to economic risk.
Agroecology builds and disseminates its technologies based on local knowledge and global scientific knowledge in searching for solutions adapted to each context. Knowledge sharing plays a central role in developing and implementing agroecological innovations to address challenges in food systems. The experience of the producers on agricultural biodiversity and management and their knowledge of markets and institutions are absolutely central in this process.
Dignity, equity, inclusion, and social justice are fundamental values in agroecology; it aims at helping individuals, especially empowering women and young people out of poverty. Agroecological systems must place the aspirations and needs of those who produce, distribute and consume food in the center of food systems. By building autonomy and adaptive capacities to manage their agroecosystems, agroecology allows communities to overcome poverty, hunger, and malnutrition while promoting human rights such as the right to food. It also promotes environmental management for future generations to live in prosperity.
Agroecology addresses gender inequalities, creating opportunities for women. Women are nearly half of the agricultural workforce and play a vital role in household food security, food diversity, health, conservation, and sustainable use of biological diversity. However, women remain economically marginalised and vulnerable to violations of their rights, while their contributions often remain unrecognised.
Agroecology also provides a promising job-generation solution for the future, as it is based on a different form of agricultural production that is knowledge-intensive, environmentally friendly, socially responsible, innovative, and that depends on skilled labour. Meanwhile, rural youth worldwide possess energy, creativity, and a desire to positively change the world.
Reducing the prevalence of hunger in the world does not only imply increasing the amount of food produced. Agroecology promotes the construction of more harmonious relationships between food production and consumption, intending to realise the Human Right to Adequate Food and Nutrition
It is crucial to have transparent, accountable, and inclusive governance mechanisms to create an enabling environment for producers to transform the systems they operate, following agroecological concepts and practices that guarantee social participation and intersectoral coordination. Equitable access to natural resources is critical to greater social justice