Agroecology The need for technical and institutional innovation Prof. dr. Pablo A. Tittonell Farming Systems Ecology Group, Wageningen University, The Netherlands Program Natural Resources & Environment - Argentina
Agroecology
The need for technical and institutional innovation
Prof. dr. Pablo A. Tittonell
Farming Systems Ecology Group, Wageningen University, The Netherlands
Program Natural Resources &
Environment
- Argentina
0 2 4 6 8 10 12
Oman
NL BE
Contribution to world
production (%)
Average yield per country (t ha-1)
50
100
75
25
Kuwait NZ
USA
China
Western Europe
S Korea Egypt
Sub-Saharan Africa, South Asia & Central America
Vietnam
India
12.5%
Turkey
Australia
Argentina
3.1
Brazil
Ukraine
Mexico
Source: FAOSTAT 2014
15%
1.3 t/ha
Low yieldcountries
High yieldcountries
178 Mha
86 Mha
Land available
0 2 4 6 8 10 12
Oman
NL BE
Contribution to world
production (%)
Average yield per country (t ha-1)
50
100
75
25
Kuwait NZ
USA
China
Western Europe
S Korea Egypt
Sub-Saharan Africa, South Asia & Central America
Vietnam
India
12.5%
Turkey
Australia
Argentina
3.1
Brazil
Ukraine
Mexico
Source: FAOSTAT 2014
15%
1.3 t/ha
Low yieldcountries
High yieldcountries
178 Mha
86 Mha
Land available
Food security
Availability
Access
Stability
Utilisation
Food security: not just a matter of distribution!
Caloriesproduced
Caloriesneeded
2700 KCal
2100 KCal
American
corn belt
Rural Malawi
Food security: not just a matter of distribution!
Caloriesproduced
Caloriesneeded
2700 KCal
2100 KCal
American
corn belt
Rural Malawi
Biofuels
Red Meat
Fish
Milk
Fr uit
Nuts and Seeds
Vegetables
Whole gr ains
Globally available food (% of what we need)
568%
100%
154%
Mur r ay (2014) Inst itute for Health Met r ics and Evaluat ion
89%
42%
66%
51%
148%
Food security: not just a matter of distribution!
Caloriesproduced
Caloriesneeded
2700 KCal
2100 KCal
American
corn belt
Rural Malawi
Biofuels
Red Meat
Fish
Milk
Fr uit
Nuts and Seeds
Vegetables
Whole gr ains
Globally available food (% of what we need)
568%
100%
154%
Mur r ay (2014) Inst itute for Health Met r ics and Evaluat ion
89%
42%
66%
51%
148%
Nutrition-sensitive landscapes
Bulozi, Zambia
Food security: not just a matter of distribution!
Caloriesproduced
Caloriesneeded
2700 KCal
2100 KCal
American
corn belt
Rural Malawi
Biofuels
Red Meat
Fish
Milk
Fr uit
Nuts and Seeds
Vegetables
Whole gr ains
Globally available food (% of what we need)
568%
100%
154%
Mur r ay (2014) Inst itute for Health Met r ics and Evaluat ion
89%
42%
66%
51%
148%
Nutrition-sensitive landscapes
Bulozi, Zambia
8
Agroecology as a scientific
discipline
2000s 1960/70s 1980s 1990s 1940/50s 1920/30s
Scale: field/plot Scope: biology/physics Descriptive nature
Scale: agro-ecosystem Scope: ecology/agronomy Analytical nature
From descriptive to
analytical, increases
scope and scale
From analytical to
prescriptive, further
increases scope and scale
Conceptual framework to design and manage agro-
ecosystems
Agroecology as a set of practices
2000s 1970s 1980s 1990s
Further increases scope
and scale: Agroecology as
the interdisciplinary
study of food systems
Agro-ecological
principles inspire
farming practices
Indigenous agricultural knowledge for natural
resources management
Agroecology as a social movement
2000s 1980s 1990s
Spread of practices
is intertwined with
movements
Indigenous knowledge and
family farms
Agro-biodiversity, food sovereignty
Sustainable agricultural
intensification and food systems
Agroecological practices are introduced or further developed (conservation
agriculture, permaculture, system of rice intensification, organic farming)
Agroecological practices as alternative
paradigm to conventional agric.
http://pubs.iied.org/14629IIED.html?c=foodag
Historical perspective
9
Agroecology as a scientific
discipline
2000s 1960/70s 1980s 1990s 1940/50s 1920/30s
Scale: field/plot Scope: biology/physics Descriptive nature
Scale: agro-ecosystem Scope: ecology/agronomy Analytical nature
From descriptive to
analytical, increases
scope and scale
From analytical to
prescriptive, further
increases scope and scale
Conceptual framework to design and manage agro-
ecosystems
Agroecology as a set of practices
2000s 1970s 1980s 1990s
Further increases scope
and scale: Agroecology as
the interdisciplinary
study of food systems
Agro-ecological
principles inspire
farming practices
Indigenous agricultural knowledge for natural
resources management
Agroecology as a social movement
2000s 1980s 1990s
Spread of practices
is intertwined with
movements
Indigenous knowledge and
family farms
Agro-biodiversity, food sovereignty
Sustainable agricultural
intensification and food systems
Agroecological practices are introduced or further developed (conservation
agriculture, permaculture, system of rice intensification, organic farming)
Agroecological practices as alternative
paradigm to conventional agric.
http://pubs.iied.org/14629IIED.html?c=foodag
Historical perspective
Agroecology principles
Diversity
Resource efficiency
Recycling
Natural regulation
Synergies
10
Agroecology as a scientific
discipline
2000s 1960/70s 1980s 1990s 1940/50s 1920/30s
Scale: field/plot Scope: biology/physics Descriptive nature
Scale: agro-ecosystem Scope: ecology/agronomy Analytical nature
From descriptive to
analytical, increases
scope and scale
From analytical to
prescriptive, further
increases scope and scale
Conceptual framework to design and manage agro-
ecosystems
Agroecology as a set of practices
2000s 1970s 1980s 1990s
Further increases scope
and scale: Agroecology as
the interdisciplinary
study of food systems
Agro-ecological
principles inspire
farming practices
Indigenous agricultural knowledge for natural
resources management
Agroecology as a social movement
2000s 1980s 1990s
Spread of practices
is intertwined with
movements
Indigenous knowledge and
family farms
Agro-biodiversity, food sovereignty
Sustainable agricultural
intensification and food systems
Agroecological practices are introduced or further developed (conservation
agriculture, permaculture, system of rice intensification, organic farming)
Agroecological practices as alternative
paradigm to conventional agric.
http://pubs.iied.org/14629IIED.html?c=foodag
Historical perspective
Agroecology principles
Diversity
Resource efficiency
Recycling
Natural regulation
Synergies
Yield-increasing potential of different interventions in Africa
11
Agroecology as a scientific
discipline
2000s 1960/70s 1980s 1990s 1940/50s 1920/30s
Scale: field/plot Scope: biology/physics Descriptive nature
Scale: agro-ecosystem Scope: ecology/agronomy Analytical nature
From descriptive to
analytical, increases
scope and scale
From analytical to
prescriptive, further
increases scope and scale
Conceptual framework to design and manage agro-
ecosystems
Agroecology as a set of practices
2000s 1970s 1980s 1990s
Further increases scope
and scale: Agroecology as
the interdisciplinary
study of food systems
Agro-ecological
principles inspire
farming practices
Indigenous agricultural knowledge for natural
resources management
Agroecology as a social movement
2000s 1980s 1990s
Spread of practices
is intertwined with
movements
Indigenous knowledge and
family farms
Agro-biodiversity, food sovereignty
Sustainable agricultural
intensification and food systems
Agroecological practices are introduced or further developed (conservation
agriculture, permaculture, system of rice intensification, organic farming)
Agroecological practices as alternative
paradigm to conventional agric.
http://pubs.iied.org/14629IIED.html?c=foodag
Historical perspective
Agroecology principles
Diversity
Resource efficiency
Recycling
Natural regulation
Synergies
Social movements: ‘medium’ on which agroecology spreads
1. Innovative design
2. A landscape approach
3. A dialogue of wisdoms
4. Social organisational innovation
agroecology
Rice-ducks-fish-azolla - Indonesia
Khumairoh et al., 2012
Building upon local agroecological knowledge
Rice-ducks-fish-azolla - Indonesia
Khumairoh et al., 2012
Building upon local agroecological knowledge
Rice yield (t ha-1) at increasing levels of complexity
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
Rice Rice+ducks
Rice+compost
Rice+ducks+fis
h
Rice+compost+azolla
Rice+ducks+compost
Rice+ducks+fish+
compost
Rice+ducks+compost+azolla
Rice+ducks+fish+
compost+azolla
Assessing greenhouse gas emissions (T. del Rio, 2014)
Rice-ducks-fish-azolla - Indonesia
Khumairoh et al., 2012
Building upon local agroecological knowledge
Rice yield (t ha-1) at increasing levels of complexity
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
Rice Rice+ducks
Rice+compost
Rice+ducks+fis
h
Rice+compost+azolla
Rice+ducks+compost
Rice+ducks+fish+
compost
Rice+ducks+compost+azolla
Rice+ducks+fish+
compost+azolla
Rice-ducks-fish-azolla - Indonesia
Khumairoh et al., 2012
Building upon local agroecological knowledge
Rice yield (t ha-1) at increasing levels of complexity
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
Rice Rice+ducks
Rice+compost
Rice+ducks+fis
h
Rice+compost+azolla
Rice+ducks+compost
Rice+ducks+fish+
compost
Rice+ducks+compost+azolla
Rice+ducks+fish+
compost+azolla
Assessing greenhouse gas emissions (T. del Rio, 2014)
Rice-ducks-fish-azolla - Indonesia
Khumairoh et al., 2012
Building upon local agroecological knowledge
Rice yield (t ha-1) at increasing levels of complexity
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
Rice Rice+ducks
Rice+compost
Rice+ducks+fis
h
Rice+compost+azolla
Rice+ducks+compost
Rice+ducks+fish+
compost
Rice+ducks+compost+azolla
Rice+ducks+fish+
compost+azolla
Assessing greenhouse gas emissions (T. del Rio, 2014)
Air ammonia concentration at 3 sampling dates
Rice-ducks-fish-azolla - Indonesia
Khumairoh et al., 2012
Building upon local agroecological knowledge
Rice yield (t ha-1) at increasing levels of complexity
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
Rice Rice+ducks
Rice+compost
Rice+ducks+fis
h
Rice+compost+azolla
Rice+ducks+compost
Rice+ducks+fish+
compost
Rice+ducks+compost+azolla
Rice+ducks+fish+
compost+azolla
Assessing greenhouse gas emissions (T. del Rio, 2014)
Air ammonia concentration at 3 sampling dates
Nutritional ‘carrying capacity’ of each system
(G. Garnacho Alemany, 2014)
Rice-ducks-fish-azolla - Indonesia
Khumairoh et al., 2012
Building upon local agroecological knowledge
Rice yield (t ha-1) at increasing levels of complexity
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
Rice Rice+ducks
Rice+compost
Rice+ducks+fis
h
Rice+compost+azolla
Rice+ducks+compost
Rice+ducks+fish+
compost
Rice+ducks+compost+azolla
Rice+ducks+fish+
compost+azolla
Assessing greenhouse gas emissions (T. del Rio, 2014)
Air ammonia concentration at 3 sampling dates
Nutritional ‘carrying capacity’ of each system
(G. Garnacho Alemany, 2014)
• Pest control, pollination, weed seed predation, decomposition
• Pest control: 400 billion US$/year world wide
• Pollination: 117 billion US$/year world wide
Landis et al. 2008; Losey & Vaughan 2006; Costanza et al. 1997
Arthropod-mediated ecosystem services
National Vegetation Database
National Vegetation Database
0
20
40
60
80
100
Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
Rel
ativ
e n
ecta
r av
aila
bili
ty
0
20
40
60
80
100
Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
Rel
ativ
e ap
hid
ava
ilab
ility
National Vegetation Database
0
20
40
60
80
100
Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
Rel
ativ
e n
ecta
r av
aila
bili
ty
0
20
40
60
80
100
Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
Rel
ativ
e ap
hid
ava
ilab
ility
National Vegetation Database grey = field borders
green = existing hedgerows
red = planned new hedgerows
500 m.
Participatory landscape design
7 objectives prioritised
0
20
40
60
80
100
Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
Rel
ativ
e n
ecta
r av
aila
bili
ty
0
20
40
60
80
100
Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
Rel
ativ
e ap
hid
ava
ilab
ility
National Vegetation Database grey = field borders
green = existing hedgerows
red = planned new hedgerows
500 m.
Participatory landscape design
7 objectives prioritised
Bio
contr
ol
Pesticide need Current
landscape Groot and Rossing, 2010
Exploration of alternative landscape structures
Technical innovation
Inst
itu
tio
nal
inn
ova
tio
n
Critical transition
zone (vulnerability)
Transition or transformation? Continuity or rupture?
Policy innovation Tittonell, 2014. Current Opinion in Environmental Sustainability 8: 53–61
Slowly evolving socio-technical landscape
Dynamically stable socio-technical regime
Regular openings for niche innovations
Leve
ls in
sys
tem
inn
ova
tio
n
Time
Niche innovations
Cross-scale feedback
Landscapes, regimes and niches
Niche innovations
Turbulent socio-technical landscape
Adapting socio-technical regime
Frequent openings & feedbacks
Leve
ls in
sys
tem
inn
ova
tio
n
Time
System innovation programs
Landscapes, regimes and niches
(Complex)
systems approach
Social
learning setting
Dynamic project
monitoring
Co-innovation
Co-innovation in family agriculture (Latin America)
Family vegetable production system, Canelones, Uruguay
RE-DESIGN RE-DESIGN
Implementation support and monitoring
DIAGNOSIS IMPLEMENTATION AND
EVALUATION IMPLEMENTATION AND
EVALUATION
Implementation
Process monitoring
MSC Records and analysis of the interaction process between
farmers and scientists
Reflection workshop
Records and analysis of the interaction process between
farmers and scientists
MSC
Reflection workshop
PIPA workshop
Reflection workshop
RE-DESIGN RE-DESIGN
Implem
entation support and m
onitoring
DIAGNOSIS IMPLEMENTATION AND
EVALUATION IMPLEMENTATION AND
EVALUATION
(Complex)
systems approach
Social
learning setting
Dynamic project
monitoring
Co-innovation
Co-innovation in family agriculture (Latin America)
Family vegetable production system, Canelones, Uruguay
RE-DESIGN RE-DESIGN
Implementation support and monitoring
DIAGNOSIS IMPLEMENTATION AND
EVALUATION IMPLEMENTATION AND
EVALUATION
Implementation
Process monitoring
MSC Records and analysis of the interaction process between
farmers and scientists
Reflection workshop
Records and analysis of the interaction process between
farmers and scientists
MSC
Reflection workshop
PIPA workshop
Reflection workshop
RE-DESIGN RE-DESIGN
Implem
entation support and m
onitoring
DIAGNOSIS IMPLEMENTATION AND
EVALUATION IMPLEMENTATION AND
EVALUATION
Planned improvements % adoption
Drainage and erosion control 83
Green manures 88
Chicken manure 100
Crop Rotation 75
Rotation with pastures 64
Area of Crops 100
Crop manag 93
Strategic weed control 81
Record sheets 44
Post-project adoption (Dogliotti et al., 2014)
(Complex)
systems approach
Social
learning setting
Dynamic project
monitoring
Co-innovation
Co-innovation in family agriculture (Latin America)
Family vegetable production system, Canelones, Uruguay
RE-DESIGN RE-DESIGN
Implementation support and monitoring
DIAGNOSIS IMPLEMENTATION AND
EVALUATION IMPLEMENTATION AND
EVALUATION
Implementation
Process monitoring
MSC Records and analysis of the interaction process between
farmers and scientists
Reflection workshop
Records and analysis of the interaction process between
farmers and scientists
MSC
Reflection workshop
PIPA workshop
Reflection workshop
RE-DESIGN RE-DESIGN
Implem
entation support and m
onitoring
DIAGNOSIS IMPLEMENTATION AND
EVALUATION IMPLEMENTATION AND
EVALUATION
Planned improvements % adoption
Drainage and erosion control 83
Green manures 88
Chicken manure 100
Crop Rotation 75
Rotation with pastures 64
Area of Crops 100
Crop manag 93
Strategic weed control 81
Record sheets 44
Post-project adoption (Dogliotti et al., 2014)
0
100
200
300
400
500
600
0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35
Fa
mil
y I
nc
om
e (
$u
yr-
1)
Soil erosion (Mg ha-1 yr-1)
Farm 1 Farm 2 Farm 3
Initial
Actual
Potential
Initial
Initial
Actual
ActualPotential
Potential
Farm monitoring + model exploration
Before After
Minas Gerais, Brazil
Before After
Minas Gerais, Brazil
Extreme poverty (%) in Brazil, 1990-2008
FAO, 2010
Before After
Minas Gerais, Brazil
Extreme poverty (%) in Brazil, 1990-2008
FAO, 2010
Zero hunger program
Before After
Minas Gerais, Brazil
Extreme poverty (%) in Brazil, 1990-2008
FAO, 2010
Zero hunger program
Targeted actions
Before After
Minas Gerais, Brazil
Extreme poverty (%) in Brazil, 1990-2008
FAO, 2010
Zero hunger program
Targeted actions A national policy on agroecology
Supporting transitions
• Challenge the current system
• Prove that alternatives work
• Work towards convergence*
* Warning!
Philip Morris vs. Uruguay
Switzerland-based tobacco giant is suing Uruguay over
cigarette packaging restrictions (limits on space for branding unfairly infringes on intellectual property rights)
Philip Morris vs. Uruguay
Switzerland-based tobacco giant is suing Uruguay over
cigarette packaging restrictions (limits on space for branding unfairly infringes on intellectual property rights)
Food sovereignty
Food sovereignty
Food sovereignty
Learning from practice: Agroecology series
Final messages
• Agroecology already offers technical solutions to smallholders around the world – how to scale them up?
• It is not so much the technical but the social organisational aspects that need to be supported
• Let us not be misled by popular myths, false advocacy or corporate interest… no time to be politically correct!
• Agroecological principles to guide the design of large scale agriculture
Learning from practice: Agroecology series
Thanks for your attention
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