Agro-ecology
Agro-ecology is a scientific discipline that uses ecological theory to study, design, manage and evaluate agricultural systems that are productive but also resource conserving. Agro-ecological research considers interactions of all important biophysical, technical and socio-economic components of farming systems and regards these systems as the fundamental units of study, where mineral cycles, energy transformations, biological processes and socioeconomic relationships are analysed as a whole in an interdisciplinary fashion.
Agro-ecology is concerned with the maintenance of a productive agriculture that sustains yields and optimises the use of local resources while minimising the negative environmental and socio-economic impacts of modern technologies. In industrial countries, modern agriculture with its yield maximising high-input technologies generates environmental and health problems that often do not serve the needs of producers and consumers. In developing countries, in addition to promoting environmental degradation, modern agricultural technologies have bypassed the circumstances and socio-economic needs of a large number of resource-poor farmers.
The contemporary challenges of agriculture have evolved from the merely technical to also include social, cultural, economic and particularly environmental concerns. Agricultural production issues cannot be considered separately from environmental issues. In this light, a new technological and development approach is needed to provide for the agricultural needs of present and future generations without depleting our natural resource base. The agro-ecological approach does just this because it is more sensitive to the complexities of local agriculture, and has a broad performance criteria which includes properties of ecological sustainability, food security, economic viability, resource conservation and social equity, as well as increased production.
To put agro-ecological technologies into practice requires technological innovations, agriculture policy changes, socio-economic changes, but mostly a deeper understanding of the complex long-term interactions among resources, people and their environment. To attain this understanding, agriculture must be conceived of as an ecological system as well as a human dominated socio-economic system. A new interdisciplinary framework to integrate the biophysical sciences, ecology and other social sciences is indispensable. Agro-ecology provides a framework by applying ecological theory to the management of agro-ecosystems according to specific resource and socio-economic realities, and by providing a methodology to make the required interdisciplinary connections.
Reference
Agro-ecology is concerned with the maintenance of a productive agriculture that sustains yields and optimises the use of local resources while minimising the negative environmental and socio-economic impacts of modern technologies. In industrial countries, modern agriculture with its yield maximising high-input technologies generates environmental and health problems that often do not serve the needs of producers and consumers. In developing countries, in addition to promoting environmental degradation, modern agricultural technologies have bypassed the circumstances and socio-economic needs of a large number of resource-poor farmers.
The contemporary challenges of agriculture have evolved from the merely technical to also include social, cultural, economic and particularly environmental concerns. Agricultural production issues cannot be considered separately from environmental issues. In this light, a new technological and development approach is needed to provide for the agricultural needs of present and future generations without depleting our natural resource base. The agro-ecological approach does just this because it is more sensitive to the complexities of local agriculture, and has a broad performance criteria which includes properties of ecological sustainability, food security, economic viability, resource conservation and social equity, as well as increased production.
To put agro-ecological technologies into practice requires technological innovations, agriculture policy changes, socio-economic changes, but mostly a deeper understanding of the complex long-term interactions among resources, people and their environment. To attain this understanding, agriculture must be conceived of as an ecological system as well as a human dominated socio-economic system. A new interdisciplinary framework to integrate the biophysical sciences, ecology and other social sciences is indispensable. Agro-ecology provides a framework by applying ecological theory to the management of agro-ecosystems according to specific resource and socio-economic realities, and by providing a methodology to make the required interdisciplinary connections.
Reference
Principles
1. Enhance recycling of biomass and optimizing nutrient availability
and balancing nutrient flow.
2. Securing favorable soil conditions for plant growth, particularly by
managing organic matter and enhancing soil biotic activity.
3. Minimizing losses due to flows of solar radiation, air and water by
way of microclimate management, water harvesting and soil
management through increased soil cover.
4. Species and genetic diversification of the agroecosystem in time
and space.
5. Enhance beneficial biological interactions and synergisms among
agrobiodiversity components thus resulting in the promotion of key
ecological processes and services.
These principles can be applied by way of various techniques and strategies. Each of these will have different
effects on productivity, stability and resiliency within the farm system, depending on the local opportunities,
resource constraints and, in most cases, on the market. The ultimate goal of agroecological design is to integrate
components so that overall biological efficiency is improved, biodiversity is preserved, and the agroecosystem productivity and its self-sustaining capacity is maintained. The goal is to design a quilt of agroecosystems within a landscape unit, each mimicking the structure and function of natural ecosystems.
and balancing nutrient flow.
2. Securing favorable soil conditions for plant growth, particularly by
managing organic matter and enhancing soil biotic activity.
3. Minimizing losses due to flows of solar radiation, air and water by
way of microclimate management, water harvesting and soil
management through increased soil cover.
4. Species and genetic diversification of the agroecosystem in time
and space.
5. Enhance beneficial biological interactions and synergisms among
agrobiodiversity components thus resulting in the promotion of key
ecological processes and services.
These principles can be applied by way of various techniques and strategies. Each of these will have different
effects on productivity, stability and resiliency within the farm system, depending on the local opportunities,
resource constraints and, in most cases, on the market. The ultimate goal of agroecological design is to integrate
components so that overall biological efficiency is improved, biodiversity is preserved, and the agroecosystem productivity and its self-sustaining capacity is maintained. The goal is to design a quilt of agroecosystems within a landscape unit, each mimicking the structure and function of natural ecosystems.
