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

pablo.tittonell@wur.nl www.wageningenUR/FSE

https://www.facebook.com/FSE.WageningenUR