From Uniformity to Diversity: The Role of Biodiversity and Agroecology

Emile A. Frison– IPES FOOD

Commission on Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture, Rome, 31 January 2017

From Uniformity to Diversity: The Role of Biodiversity and

Agroecology

EMILE FRISON, IPES-FOOD

Emile A. Frison – IPES FOOD




What is wrong with our food systems?

Triple burden of malnutrition• Hunger, micronutrient deficiencies, obesity &NCDs

Environmentally unsustainable• Biodiversity losses, water pollution, soil degradation, GHG

emissions, unsustainable use of natural resources, low resilience …

Social inequities• Poverty, disempowerment …

Neglect of cultural values

Directly associated with current food systems based on industrial agriculture



Outcomes of industrial agriculture: Viscious cycles



What diversified agrocecologicalsystems can bring

◦ Economic◦ Productivity and income

◦ Resilience and stability

◦ Environmental◦ Ecosystem services

◦ Biodiversity

◦ Health: better nutrition and healthy environment

◦ Social: Employment

◦ Cultural: respect for cultural preferences



Different pathways, common goal



Economic outcomes of diversified agroecological systems

• Productivity equivalent after transition years• Better income after transition years• Better resilience and stability



Environmental outcomes of diversified agroecological systems

◦ Keep/put carbon in the soil: turns agriculture into a solution rather than a problem

◦ Restore degraded land

◦ Improve ecosystem services◦ Water and nutrient cycling

◦ Pollination

◦ Pest and disease management



Outcomes of diversified agroecologicalsystems: boosting biodiversity



Outcomes of diversified agroecologicalsystems: Virtuous cycles



Nutrition and health

◦ Avoids the negative health outcomes of industrial

agriculture: pesticides/antibiotics

◦ Diverse, healthy diets

◦ Increased levels of beneficial nutrients, such as

omega 3 fatty acids, and antioxidants such as

polyphenols…



Social and Cultural Social:

More employment

Employment throughout the year

Closer links with consumers

Cultural: Cultivation of diversity of traditional crops

Integration of traditional knowledge



A major question

Why do we not see a major transition towards

diversified agroecological systems, given the

expanding evidence that they can deliver on all

dimensions of sustainable food systems?

The political economy of food systems



What prevents change: 8 Lock-ins



8 Emerging opportunities for a transitionto diversified agroecological systems

• Global recognition (MEA, IAASTD, FAO, 10YFP)

• Changing policies (CAP, Brazil, Cuba, France…)

• Emerging multi-stakeholder initiatives (FPCs, JRC, NL)

• Integrated landscape thinking (City region, ILM, LPFN)

• Integrated food systems science (FSCs)

• Peer-to-peer action research (CaC, FFS …)

• Healthy Eating and Sustainable Sourcing (OA, FT …)

• Short supply chains



Changing the paradigm



Recognition of crucial importance of diversity for sustainable agriculture

Crucial role of farmers in managing diversity on-farm

Importance of farmer-managed seed systems



On-farm management of diversityOn-farm or in situ conservation and management of plant genetic diversity allows the continued evolution and selection of the diversity to adapt to changing environments and conserves a wider genetic base.

In the absence of continued evolution in situ, the global system of conservation risks becoming static, without the built-in adaptability essential to respond to future challenges, especially in marginal areas.



Farmer managed seed systems

For the majority of smallholder farmers, traditional, informal seeds systems based on farmer maintained seeds, exchanges between neighbouring or distant farmers and local markets still provide up to 90% of the seed and planting material grown

Traditional seed systems are dynamic. The crops and varieties change over time reflecting the changing production conditions and needs

Informal seed systems are not perfect. They may need improvements



Different pathways, common goal



Thank you!

www.ipes-food.org



Key messages

• Industrial agriculture provides calories to global markets, but with many negative outcomes

• Problems are linked specifically to industrial agriculture

• Industrial agriculture is locked in place by a series of vicious cycles

• Tweaking practices can improve some of the specific outcomes, but will not provide long-term solutions to the multiple problems



Key messages (cont’d)

• What is required is a fundamentally different model of agriculture: diversified agroecologicalsystems that support food sovereignty

•These systems can compete with industrial agriculture in terms of total outputs, performing particularly strongly under environmental stress

• Change is already happening

• A series of modest steps can collectively shift the centre of gravity in food systems



Outcomes of organic agriculture: productivity

“Overall, organic yields are typically lower than conventional yields. But these yield differences are highly contextual …, and range from 5% lower organic yields to 34% lower yields”. (Seufert et al. 2012)

Increased yield in 17% of comparisons for organic agriculture and 87% of comparisons for SRI (Garbach et al. 2016)

But most comparisons are done over short periods!



Outcomes of diversified agroecologicalsystems: productivity & resilience

30 years comparison of organic/conventional

Education

From Uniformity to Diversity: The Role of Biodiversity and Agroecology