Presentation of the principles of agroecology

Etienne Hainzelin In collaboration with Cirad researchers

FAO 9 April 2015

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Outline

1. Agriculture : high on the global agenda and on the verge of a radical transformation with a new vision of performance

2. Agroecology is one of the main avenues of this transformation since it is based on ecosystemic services

3. Agroecology has many incarnations but no consensual definition. Its founding principles and lowest common denominator is found at plot level : mobilization of ecosystemic services.

4. Agroecology strongly relies on locally available natural resources and knowledge. Research exploring agroecology must renew its role.

The Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) for 2000-2015

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1. Eradicate extreme poverty and hunger 2. Achieve universal primary education 3. Promote gender equality and empower women 4. Reduce child mortality 5. Improve maternal health 6. Combat HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases 7. Ensure environmental sustainability 8. Develop a global partnership for development

Agriculture, high on the global agenda

The Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) for 2000-2015

1. Eradicate extreme poverty and hunger 2. Achieve universal primary education 3. Promote gender equality and empower women 4. Reduce child mortality 5. Improve maternal health 6. Combat HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases 7. Ensure environmental sustainability 8. Develop a global partnership for development

Agriculture, high on the global agenda

The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) for 2016-2030 (draft)

1. End Extreme Poverty Including Hunger 2. Promote Economic Growth and Decent Jobs Within Planetary Boundaries 3. Ensure Effective Learning for All Children and Youth for Life and Livelihood 4. Achieve Gender Equality, Social Inclusion, and Human Rights for All 5. Achieve Health and Wellbeing at All Ages 6. Improve Agriculture Systems and Raise Rural Prosperity 7. Empower Inclusive, Productive, and Resilient Cities 8. Curb Human-Induced Climate Change and Ensure Sustainable Energy 9. Secure Biodiversity and Ensure Good Management of Water, Oceans, Forests and Natural ressources 10. Transform Governance and Technologies for Sustainable Development

http.//unsdsn.org/

Agriculture, high on the global agenda

The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) for 2016-2030 (draft)

1. End Extreme Poverty Including Hunger 2. Promote Economic Growth and Decent Jobs Within Planetary Boundaries 3. Ensure Effective Learning for All Children and Youth for Life and Livelihood 4. Achieve Gender Equality, Social Inclusion, and Human Rights for All 5. Achieve Health and Wellbeing at All Ages 6. Improve Agriculture Systems and Raise Rural Prosperity 7. Empower Inclusive, Productive, and Resilient Cities 8. Curb Human-Induced Climate Change and Ensure Sustainable Energy 9. Secure Biodiversity and Ensure Good Management of Water, Oceans, Forests and Natural resources 10. Transform Governance and Technologies for Sustainable Development

http.//unsdsn.org/

Agriculture, high on the global agenda

A radical transformation of agriculture

A radical transformation of agriculture

New meaning of agriculture performance

D’après Dabouineau et Ponsero, extrait « Le râle d’eau », vol. 137 . 9-7, 2009

Natural ecosystems

Intensive cereal crop

Crop with restaured

ecosystemic services

Water quality

Flood regulation

Habitat preservation

Forest production

Carbon sequestration

Pest regulation

Air quality

Production

Water quality

Flood regulation

Habitat preservation

Forest production

Carbon sequestration

Pest regulation

Air quality

Production

Water quality

Flood regulation

Habitat preservation

Forest production

Carbon sequestration

Pest regulation

Air quality

Production

Visualisation of ecosystem services with different cropping systems (service value from 0 to 8)

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Compared intensitivity of cropping systems (adapted from M. Griffon 2013)

Natural resources / ecosystem services

Inputs

Products / biomass

Positive externalities

Negative externalities

Conventionally intensified

farming systems

Natural resources / ecosystem services

Inputs

Products / biomass

Positive externalities

Negative externalities

AE. Ecologically intensified

farming systems

Compared intensitivity of cropping systems (adapted from M. Griffon 2013)

Adapted from M. Griffon 2013

Natural ecosystem

Conventionally intensified

farming systems

AE. Ecologically intensive farming systems

Diversification Complexification “aggradation”

Uniformization Simplification Degradation

Regulated dynamics

Natural dynamics

Traditional farming

systems with no input

Agroecology themes(2500 references 1975 – 2012)

Rebout et al. 2014

Agricultural systems & food

production, organic

landscape management &

natural habitats, biodiversity

Cropping systems &

rotation, management

Biological control / pesticide use,

intergated pest management

N and P balance,

management and

disponibility

Soil Organic matter and

mineralization

Agroecological zone,

agriculture forecast

Agricultural land use systems &

environmental degradation

Ecosystem services & landscape

management, Biological control &

conservation 13

Agroecology Integrated

pest management

Organic agriculture

conservation agriculture

Permaculture

Ecological intensification

Organic and resource-conserving

agriculture Eco-Agriculture

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The very diverse incarnations of ‘Agroecology’

and many more …

The very diverse incarnations of ‘Agroecology’

Inspired from Wezel et al, 2009

Agroecology

Scientific Discipline

Ecology of plots, fields,

herds

Ecology of Food systems

Ecology of

agrosystems

Environne- mentalism

Rural Development

Sustainable agriculture

Technologies

Social Movement Practices

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Among the diverse “incarnations” of AE, the lowest common denominator is found at plot level.

The basic and common principle is to to enhance the services provided by living organisms, taking the optimal advantage of natural resources, especially those which are abundant and free (solar energy, air carbon and nitrogen, rainfall, biodiversity).

• planning and optimizing functional biodiversity aboveground, at

different scales over space and time, both to intensify biological cycles and synergies for nutrients, water and energy, and to control crop pests.

• managing functional biodiversity underground by amplifying biogeochemical cycles in the soil, by recycling the nutrients from deep profiles and by increasing biotic activities.

The basic principles of agroecology at plot level

Expected advantages at plot level. • increased biomass production and C-sequestration in plants and soil • enhanced soil biology and fertility in the long term • Reduced inputs costs and solutions for the challenges of resources • stability of output, resistance to stress, perturbation and aggressors

Increased number

of cultivated species or genotypes

Optimizing plant functional biodiversity means complexification of cropping systems

Ex 1. Association of 2 rice genotypes to reduce Pyricularia incidence

Li et al., 2013 Encyclopedia of Biodiversity 2nd Edition 382-395 19

Ex 2. Complexification of cropping systems.

Conservation agriculture in Mato Grosso

(1980-2010)

Source. L. Seguy et al., (2009) La symphonie inachevée du semis direct dans Brésil central http.//agroecologie.cirad.fr/librairie_virtuelle 20

Ero

sio

n

Ex 3. A large family of applications of « stimulo-deterrent » technologies against

the pests

D’après J. Van den Berg

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Ex 4. Multiples examples of agroforestry

From planned associated cropping

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…… to complex agroforests

Agroforestry

Agriculture

Forest

… 100 ha agroforestry produce as much wood and food products as 160 ha conventionnal separate cropping.

100 ha 160 ha

Agroforestry with intensive cereal crop

Conventionnal separate cropping

Source: Dupraz et al, INRA

~

Economic market

Landscape

Adapted from M. Griffon 2013

Watershed basin

Farm

Animal productions

Plant productions

Field

The different space scales of integration

Food systems

Agroecology strongly relies on locally available natural resources, including agro-biodiversity, and therefore it does not prescribe ready-to-use technical packages to farmers :

Models and solutions are built mingling scientific and traditional knowledge and strongly relying on local learning and innovation processes.

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Implications

- The importance of local context. shift from “ready-to-use” to “custom-made” cropping systems put the producers at the center of local innovation systems, to combine technologies and traditional knowledge.

- Need for public policies favoring AE: transition policies for family agriculture, payment of environmental services, training, etc.

- Agrobiodiversity, a key component of resilience, must remain accessible to small farmers at no cost, as a capital for future adaptation;

- The role of scientific research is questioned: path dependency, knowledge management, local partnerships, priority and funding settings, global orchestration, etc.

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Bouthan, 2011

Thanks for your attention