Inaugural lecture Pablo Tittonell Powerpoint

Farming Systems Ecology
Towards ecological intensification of world agriculture
Prof. dr ir. Pablo A. Tittonell
Inaugural lecture upon taking up the position of Chair in Farming Systems Ecology at
Wageningen University on 16 May 2013
A recurring question…
Can organic agriculture feed the world?
• Inappropriate – it deters any fruitful debate
• Misleading – complex problems require complex solutions
• Irrelevant – let’s turn it around…
Can conventional agriculture feed the world?
Can conventional agriculture feed the world?
Global hunger index
State of Food Insecurity in the World
2012
FAO, WFP, IFAD
870 million people suffered from chronic
undernourishment between 2010-12
TSBF, 2007
Can conventional agriculture feed the world?
Global hunger index
Global Food Price Index
State of Food Insecurity in the World
2012
FAO, WFP, IFAD
870 million people suffered from chronic
undernourishment between 2010-12
TSBF, 2007
Can conventional agriculture feed the world?
140
Consomation de viande per capita
Meat consumption per capita (kg/year)
USA
120
France
100
Brésil
80
60
Chine
40
Monde
20
0
1960
1970
1980
1990
2000
2010
TSBF, 2007
Can conventional agriculture feed the world?
140
Consomation de viande per capita
Meat consumption per capita (kg/year)
USA
120
France
100
Brésil
80
60
Chine
40
Monde
20
0
1960
1970
1980
1990
2000
2010
TSBF, 2007
Can conventional agriculture feed the world?
140
Consomation de viande per capita
Meat consumption per capita (kg/year)
USA
120
France
100
Brésil
80
60
Chine
40
Monde
20
0
1960
1970
1980
1990
2000
2010
TSBF, 2007
Farming Systems Ecology
Towards ecological intensification of world agriculture
Outline:
1. Why does current agriculture fail at feeding the world?
2. Intensify, extensify, detoxify… (ecological intensification)
3. Farming Systems Ecology: systems, actors and landscapes
1. Why does current agriculture fail at feeding
the world?
1. Worldwide, food is not produced where it is needed
2. Agricultural inputs not affordable to all farmers
3. Current diets not compatible with sustainable resource use
4. Ineffective market, storage and distribution chains
1. Why does current agriculture fail at feeding
the world?
The green revolution
Green revolution cereals:
Production
x7
x3
x2
x2
Water & nutrients
1960-2010: food calories produced increased by 179% while population grew by 117%
Pesticides
The green revolution
Cereal
productivity
Cereal
productivity
(t ha-1 year-1)
France
United States
China
Brazil
Kenya
Burkina Faso
8
7
6
(t ha-1 yr-1)
Fertiliser
use (tintensity
Fertiliser
use intensity
ha year )
-1
(kg ha-1 yr-1)
350
300
Green revolution cereals:
5
-1
Production
250
x7
200
4
150
3
x3
2
100
x2
x2
1
0
50
0
1960
1970
1980
1990
2000
2010
1960
50 Pg of carbon lost from the world soils
1970
1980
1990 & nutrients
2000
Water
1960-2010: food calories produced increased by 179% while population grew by 117%
Fertiliser N use efficiency in China (Ju et al., 2009)
Year
Grain Production
(M tonnes)
N fertiliser
(M tonnes)
PFPN
(kg/kg)
Pesticies
1977
283
7.07
40.0
2005
484
26.21
18.5
% change
71%
271%
-54%
2010
The green revolution
Cereal
productivity
Cereal
productivity
(t ha-1 year-1)
France
United States
China
Brazil
Kenya
Burkina Faso
8
7
6
(t ha-1 yr-1)
Fertiliser
use (tintensity
Fertiliser
use intensity
ha year )
-1
(kg ha-1 yr-1)
350
300
Green revolution cereals:
5
-1
Production
250
x7
200
4
150
3
x3
2
100
x2
x2
1
0
50
0
1960
1970
1980
1990
2000
2010
1960
50 Pg of carbon lost from the world soils
1970
1980
1990 & nutrients
2000
Water
1960-2010: food calories produced increased by 179% while population grew by 117%
Fertiliser N use efficiency in China (Ju et al., 2009)
Year
Grain Production
(M tonnes)
N fertiliser
(M tonnes)
PFPN
(kg/kg)
Pesticies
With the
excess
fertiliser
used
by
Chinese
1977
283
7.07
40.0
farmers
2005it is possible
484 to fertilise
26.21 the whole
18.5 of
% change
271%
SS Africa
at a rate71%
of 60 kg/ha
(Ju et al., 2009) -54%
2010
Obesity outweighs hunger
Food demand increases as incomes rise
Obesity outweighs hunger
Food demand increases as incomes rise
Prevalence of undernourishment
1300 million obese people worldwide
(WHO, 2012)
Obesity outweighs hunger
Food demand increases as incomes rise
Prevalence
ofobesity
undernourishment
Prevalence of
1300 million obese people worldwide
(WHO, 2012)
Obesity outweighs hunger
Food demand increases as incomes rise
Prevalence
ofobesity
undernourishment
Prevalence of
1300 million obese people worldwide
65% of the world population lives in countries
(WHO, 2012)
where obesity kills more people than hunger
(WHO, 2012)
Waste causes hunger
In India, 21 million tonnes of wheat is
wasted each year due to inadequate
storage and distribution systems (FAO,
2011)
Waste causes hunger
In India, 21 million tonnes of wheat is
wasted each year due to inadequate
storage and distribution systems (FAO,
2011)
Waste causes hunger
It is estimated that 30 to 50% of all food
In India, 21 million tonnes of wheat is
produced
(or 1.2 to 2 billion tonnes) never
wasted each year due to inadequate
storage and distribution systems (FAO,
reaches
the human
stomach (Gustavsson et al., 2011; FAO)
2011)
Ecological intensification
Change is much needed…
1. Worldwide, food is not produced where it is most needed
2. Agricultural inputs not affordable to all farmers
3. Current diets not compatible with sustainable resource use
4. Ineffective market, storage and distribution chains
2. Intensify in the South, extensify in the
North, detoxify everywhere…
Context
Attainable productivity
Intensify, extensify, detoxify…
Context
Poverty
traps
Eco-efficiency
possible
Inefficiency and
pollution
Resources/ investment
‘Ecologisation’
‘Intensification
Context
Attainable productivity
Intensify, extensify, detoxify…
Context
Poverty
traps
Eco-efficiency
possible
Inefficiency and
pollution
Resources/ investment
‘Ecologisation’:
How to maintain productivity while reducing fossil fuel inputs?
‘Intensification’:
How to increase productivity in a sustainable, affordable way?
‘Ecologisation’
‘Intensification
Context
Context
Attainable productivity
Intensify, extensify, detoxify…
Poverty
traps
Eco-efficiency
possible
Inefficiency and
pollution
Resources/ investment
‘Ecologisation’:
How to maintain productivity while reducing fossil fuel inputs?
‘Intensification’:
How to increase productivity in a sustainable, affordable way?
Organic vs. conventional yields
Organic vs. conventional yields
Organic vs. conventional
yields crop yields
Organic vs. Conventional
Seufert et al., 2012
Organic vs. conventional
yields crop yields
Organic vs. Conventional
Organic vs. conventional cereal yields
De Ponti et al., 2012
16"
0.84 0.77 0.75
0.79
12"
1:
10"
ine
l
1
12"
8"
6"
4"
2"
Org.%
Yield%%=%0.81%*%Conv.%Yield%4%0.15%
R²%=%0.81%
0"
0"
2"
4"
6"
8"
10"
12"
Conventional yield (t ha-1)
14"
16"
Average yield (t ha-1)
Organic yield (t ha-1)
14"
Organic"
10"
Conven: onal"
8"
6"
4"
2"
0"
0"to"3.3"
3.3"to"5.0"
5.0"to"6.4"
6.4"to"13.7"
Seufert et al., 2012
Organic vs. conventional
yields crop yields
Organic
vs.
Conventional
Research investment gap between
organic and
conventional agriculture?
e.g.,
Dutch government = 4 million euro/year
Monsanto
= 980
dollars/year (www.monsanto.com/investors)
Organic
vs. conventional
cerealmillion
yields
De Ponti et al., 2012
16"
0.84 0.77 0.75
0.79
12"
1:
10"
ine
l
1
12"
8"
6"
4"
2"
Org.%
Yield%%=%0.81%*%Conv.%Yield%4%0.15%
R²%=%0.81%
0"
0"
2"
4"
6"
8"
10"
12"
Conventional yield (t ha-1)
14"
16"
Average yield (t ha-1)
Organic yield (t ha-1)
14"
Organic"
10"
Conven: onal"
8"
6"
4"
2"
0"
0"to"3.3"
3.3"to"5.0"
5.0"to"6.4"
6.4"to"13.7"
Seufert et al., 2012
Biological N2 fixation
Maize-Pigeon pea intercrops in Southern Africa
No interference
Relaying effect
Nutrient cycling
Biological N2 fixation
Maize-Pigeon pea intercrops in Southern Africa
Residual effects on maize
Relaying effect
Nutrient cycling
Maize grain yield (t ha-1)
No interference
Ruzinamhodzi et al., 2012
Biological N2 fixation
Maize grain yield (t ha-1)
Maize-Pigeon pea intercrops in Southern Africa
Residual effects on maize
More than
No interference
Relaying effect
fivefold yield Nutrient cycling
increase without
fertilisers!
Ruzinamhodzi et al., 2012
Designing agricultural systems by mimicking nature
Agricultural field (millet/cowpea)
Savannah vegetation (under use)
Net primary productivity = 1 to 2 t/ha/year
Net primary productivity = 10 to 20 t/ha/year
Designing agricultural systems by mimicking nature
Agricultural field (millet/cowpea)
Savannah vegetation (under use)
Net primary productivity = 1 to 2 t/ha/year
Net primary productivity = 10 to 20 t/ha/year
Simplistic approaches will not work…
3. Farming systems ecology: systems,
landscapes and actors
Simplistic approaches will not work…
1. The yield gap between organic and conventional agriculture is to
large extent a research investment gap
2. Great potential to intensify symbiotic N fixation; yet nutrient
management is a bottleneck for up-scaling ecological farming
3. Green revolution technologies do not work on degraded or fragile
soils: need to draw inspiration from nature
4. We need systems approaches that embrace landscape-level
processes and the communities that manage and/or live on them
3. Farming systems ecology: systems,
landscapes and actors
Produce more, but produce differently…
Specialized System
Specialized System
Output
Input
Output
Input
Externalities
Ecoefficiencies
Externalities
Agro-diverse System
Input
Output
Externalities
Produce more, but produce differently…
Specialized System
Specialized System
Output
Input
Output
Input
Externalities
Ecoefficiencies
Externalities
Agro-diverse System
Input
Output
Externalities
Produce more, but produce differently…
Specialized System
Specialized System
Output
Input
Output
Input
Externalities
Ecoefficiencies
Externalities
Agro-diverse System
Input
Output
Pursuing narrowly-defined efficiency reduces
systems resilience (Walker et al., 2009)
Externalities
Ecological intensification requires systems re-design
Reality (current agroecosystems)
Problems
Design
Questions
Structure
Analysis
Function
Purpose
Function
Knowledge
Purpose
Synthesis
Conclusions
New facts, new realities
Structure
Decisions
Adapted from: Goewie, 1993
Building upon local agroecological knowledge
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-ducks-fish-azolla - Indonesia
Rice yield (t ha-1) at increasing levels of complexity
12
10
8
6
4
2
0
Rice
Rice +
ducks
h
Rice +
Rice +
Rice +
Rice +
Rice +
Rice +
Rice +
compost ducks + compost ducks + ducks + ducks + ducks +
fis
+ azolla compost fish + compost fish +
compost + azolla compost
+ azolla
Khumairoh et al., 2012
Native resources and local knowledge in the Sahel
Facilitation of crop production
through association with native woody
species (Lahmar et al., 2012)
Piliostigma reticulatum
Guiera senegalensis
Native resources and local knowledge in the Sahel
Facilitation of crop production
through association with native woody
species (Lahmar et al., 2012)
Understanding traditional soil fertility management
Piliostigma reticulatum
Guiera senegalensis
Understanding/optimising local practices
Thesis: Georges Félix, FSE
Understanding/optimising local practices
NS-No shrub
(17x25 = 425 planting pits or zai holes)
LSD-Low Shrub Density, Spacing (6,4 x 3,2) m
414 planting pits or zai holes and 11 shrubs
atum
a reticul
NT-HSD
NT-LSD
Z-LSD
Z-MSD
Z-MSD
ment
de ruisselle
nya
Faso
Burkina
Rue du
Allée 1-1
Thesis: Georges Félix, FSE
des eaux
Evacuation
Z-NS
Z-HSD
Rue du CIRAD
NT-HSD
Z-HSD
Ke
Rue du
dation 2iE
Rue de la Fon
opéenne
l'Union Eur
Boulevard de
Z-LSD
Z-MSD
NT-LSD
que
de l'Afri
Avenue
NT-LSD
NT-HSD
Z-HSD
Z-MSD
Z-NS
Z-LSD
NT-LSD
scar
Madaga
Rue de
Z-NS
Z-LSD
Z-NS
NT-HSD
Z-HSD
HSD-High Shrub Density, Spacing (1,6 x 3,2)m
393 planting pits and 32 shrubs
e
Zimbabw
Rue du
.4
MSD-Medium Shrub Density, Spacing (3,2 x 3,2)m
407 planting pits and 18 shrubs
NORD
stigm
de Pilio
Réserve
Sustainable intensification pathways
Cortez-Arriola et al. (2013)
Farm productivity gap
Ecological services
Ecological services
Sustainable intensification pathways
Productivity per animal
Cortez-Arriola et al. (2013)
Farm productivity gap
Ecological services
Ecological services
Sustainable intensification pathways
Productivity per animal
Cortez-Arriola
et al. (2013)
Productivity
per unit labour
Farm productivity gap
Ecological services
Ecological services
Sustainable
intensification
pathways
a.
Trade-offs
at farm scale
2400
Labor balance (h)
2000
Labour (h)
Productivity per animal
Groot et al., 2012. Agricultural Systems.
1600
1200
800
400
0
(kg/ha)
(kg/ha)
matter balance
OrganicSOM
-20
0
20
40
60
80
500
500
c.
b.
250
250
0
0
-250
-250
Cortez-Arriola
et al. (2013)
Productivity
per unit labour
-500
-500
-20
0
20
40
60
80
0
400
losses
(kg/ha)
loss(kg/ha)
nitrogen
SoilN
Farm productivity gap
80
1200
1600
2000
2400
80
80
d.
800
e.
f.
70
70
70
60
60
60
50
50
50
40
40
40
30
30
30
20
20
20
10
10
10
0
0
-20
0
20
40
60
Operating
Profitprofit
(K$)(k€)
80
Ecological services
0
400
800
1200
1600
2000
Labor
balance
Labour
(h)(h)
2400
0
-500
-250
0
250
500
Organic
matter
balance (kg/ha)
SOM
(kg/ha)
Ecological services
Sustainable
intensification
pathways
a.
Trade-offs
at farmto
scale
Exploring
strategies
narrow the
2400
Labor balance (h)
2000
Labour (h)
Productivity per animal
farm productivity gap
Groot et al., 2012. Agricultural Systems.
1600
1200
800
400
Environment
Profitability
Compromise
0
(kg/ha)
(kg/ha)
matter balance
OrganicSOM
-20
0
20
40
60
80
500
500
c.
b.
250
250
0
0
-250
-250
Cortez-Arriola
et al. (2013)
Productivity
per unit labour
-500
-500
-20
0
20
40
60
80
0
400
losses
(kg/ha)
loss(kg/ha)
nitrogen
SoilN
Farm productivity gap
80
1200
1600
2000
2400
80
80
d.
800
e.
f.
70
70
70
60
60
60
50
50
50
40
40
40
30
30
30
20
20
20
10
10
10
0
0
-20
0
20
40
60
Operating
Profitprofit
(K$)(k€)
80
Ecological services
0
400
800
1200
1600
2000
Labor
balance
Labour
(h)(h)
2400
0
-500
-250
0
250
500
Organic
matter
balance (kg/ha)
SOM
(kg/ha)
Ecological services
Ecological intensification of grazing systems
Theses:
Andrea Ruggia (INIA)
Pablo Modernel (UR)
500,000 km2
65 million heads of cattle
430,000 farms
800 grasses and 200 legumes species
Regional economic relevance
Ecological intensification of grazing systems
Theses:
Andrea Ruggia (INIA)
Pablo Modernel (UR)
500,000 km2
65 million heads of cattle
430,000 farms
800 grasses and 200 legumes species
Regional economic relevance
Ecological intensification of grazing systems
Environmental impact of different intensification pathways
Modernel et al., sbmtd.
Traditional system
Feedlot
Theses:
Andrea Ruggia (INIA)
Pablo Modernel (UR)
GHG
emissions
Energy
consumption
500,000 km2
65 million heads of cattle
430,000 farms
Pesticide
Soil erosion
N surplus andP200
surplus
800 grasses
legumes
species
contamination
Regional economic relevance
Designing pest suppressive landscapes
Hawassa, Ethiopia
Thesis: Yodit Kabede
erons, bien que l’analyse de la déviance ne montre pas d’effet des sous-zones écologiques
e niveau d’infestation.
Designing pest suppressive landscapes
Pour visualiser les différences spatialisées dans la dynamique d’infestation, les
nées sont comparées selon les sous-zones écologiques dans la Figure 20.
Spatio-temporal variation
Index d'infestation moyen
Infestation index
4,5
4
3,5
Zones
3
ZE 1
2,5
ZE 2
2
ZE 3
1,5
ZE 4
1
0,5
0
S1 1 Week
S2 2 Week
S3 3 Week
S4 4 Week
S5 5
Week
e 20. I ndex d’infestation moyen des champs en fonction des semaines de relevés, pour les quatr e zones
giques. K ajulu, K enya, 2011
Sur la base de ces données, des dynamiques d’infestation différentes se dessinent selon
sous-zones écologiques. La sous-zone écologique 3 présente en effet un index
festation supérieur à celui des autres sous-zones, en début de période : jusqu’à la
maine. Or cette sous-zone écologique est caractérisée par un intense réseau de haies, et
mosaïque de champs très fine. Si la concentration en plantes hôtes des pucerons Aphis
civora et Aphis fabae joue le rôle de refuge pour les pucerons, ceci pourrait expliquer une
station plus importante dans les champs, dès le début du cycle de culture du haricot.
Concernant l’infestation en sous-zone écologique 4, elle commence à un niveau plus
le mais sa pente est plus forte. Or cette zone-ci se caractérise par l’absence de haies, et un
sage
plus ouvert Ethiopia
que les autres zones. La sous-zone écologique 3 pourrait donc jouer le
Hawassa,
de réservoir à pucerons pour les autres sous-zones alentours.
Thesis:
Kabede
Les indexYodit
d’infestation
dessous-zones écologiques 1 et 2 sont représentés dans ce
erons, bien que l’analyse de la déviance ne montre pas d’effet des sous-zones écologiques
e niveau d’infestation.
Designing pest suppressive landscapes
Pour visualiser les différences spatialisées dans la dynamique d’infestation, les
nées sont comparées selon les sous-zones écologiques dans la Figure 20.
Spatio-temporal variation
Index d'infestation moyen
Infestation index
4,5
4
3,5
Zones
3
ZE 1
2,5
ZE 2
2
ZE 3
1,5
ZE 4
1
0,5
0
Study area
S1 1 Week
S2 2 Week
S3 3 Week
S4 4 Week
S5 5
Week
e 20. I ndex d’infestation moyen des champs en fonction des semaines de relevés, pour les quatr e zones
giques. K ajulu, K enya, 2011
Sur la base de ces données, des dynamiques d’infestation différentes se dessinent selon
sous-zones écologiques. La sous-zone écologique 3 présente en effet un index
festation supérieur à celui des autres sous-zones, en début de période : jusqu’à la
maine. Or cette sous-zone écologique est caractérisée par un intense réseau de haies, et
mosaïque de champs très fine. Si la concentration en plantes hôtes des pucerons Aphis
civora et Aphis fabae joue le rôle de refuge pour les pucerons, ceci pourrait expliquer une
station plus importante dans les champs, dès le début du cycle de culture du haricot.
Concernant l’infestation en sous-zone écologique 4, elle commence à un niveau plus
le mais sa pente est plus forte. Or cette zone-ci se caractérise par l’absence de haies, et un
sage
plus ouvert Ethiopia
que les autres zones. La sous-zone écologique 3 pourrait donc jouer le
Hawassa,
de réservoir à pucerons pour les autres sous-zones alentours.
Thesis:
Kabede
Les indexYodit
d’infestation
dessous-zones écologiques 1 et 2 sont représentés dans ce
erons, bien que l’analyse de la déviance ne montre pas d’effet des sous-zones écologiques
e niveau d’infestation.
Designing pest suppressive landscapes
Pour visualiser les différences spatialisées dans la dynamique d’infestation, les
nées sont comparées selon les sous-zones écologiques dans la Figure 20.
Spatio-temporal variation
Index d'infestation moyen
Infestation index
4,5
4
3,5
Zones
Exploration
of alternative landscape structures
3
ZE 1
2,5
ZE 2
2
ZE 3
1
0,5
0
Study area
S1 1 Week
S2 2 Week
S3 3 Week
S4 4 Week
S5 5
Week
Biocontrol
1,5
ZE 4
e 20. I ndex d’infestation moyen des champs en fonction des semaines de relevés, pour les quatr e zones
giques. K ajulu, K enya, 2011
Sur la base de ces données, des dynamiques d’infestation différentes se dessinent selon
sous-zones écologiques. La sous-zone écologique 3 présente en effet un index
festation supérieur à celui des autres sous-zones, en début de période : jusqu’à la
maine. Or cette sous-zone écologique est caractérisée par un intense réseau de haies, et
mosaïque de champs très fine. Si la concentration en plantes hôtes des pucerons Aphis
civora et Aphis fabae joue le rôle de refuge pour les pucerons, ceci pourrait expliquer une
station plus importante dans les champs, dès le début du cycle de culture du haricot.
Concernant l’infestation en sous-zone écologique 4, elle commence à un niveau plus
le mais sa pente est plus forte. Or cette zone-ci se caractérise Current
par l’absence de haies, et un
sage
plus ouvert Ethiopia
que les autres zones. La sous-zone écologique 3 pourrait donc jouer le
Hawassa,
de réservoir à pucerons pour les autres sous-zones alentours. landscape
Thesis:
Kabede
Les indexYodit
d’infestation
dessous-zones écologiques 1 et 2 sont représentés dans ce
Pesticide need
Groot and Rossing, 2010
Collective decision making on natural resources
Mapa de la Reserva de la Biosfera de la Sepultura. Fuente: CONANP
Simulation and gaming for improving local adaptive capacity;
The case of a buffer-zone community in Mexico
E.N. Speelman
Collective decision making on natural resources
Mapa de la Reserva de la Biosfera de la Sepultura. Fuente: CONANP
Simulation and gaming for improving local adaptive capacity;
The case of a buffer-zone community in Mexico
E.N. Speelman
Collective decision making on natural resources
Mapa de la Reserva de la Biosfera de la Sepultura. Fuente: CONANP
Simulation and gaming for improving local adaptive capacity;
The case of a buffer-zone community in Mexico
E.N. Speelman
Collective decision making on natural resources
Mapa de la Reserva de la Biosfera de la Sepultura. Fuente: CONANP
Simulation and gaming for improving local adaptive capacity;
The case of a buffer-zone community in Mexico
E.N. Speelman
Farming Systems Ecology (FSE) research strategy
Guiding principles
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•
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Discipline
Actors
Ecological intensification
Systems design as core business
Agroecology
Interface between ecology and society
Parallel strategies for the North (Europe) and Systems
Landscapes
the South (Tropics)
Farming Systems Ecology
Collaboration
Rural sociology
Farming
systems
ecology
Crop & weed
ecology
Soil quality
group
Organic plant Animal production
breeding
systems
Innovation &
communication
studies
Plant production
systems
Farm technology
group
FSE in the world (PhD theses)
Actors
Agroecology
Systems
Landscapes
Farming Systems Ecology
On-going
Inherited (France)
Starting 2012/3
Communication and image
Photo: Steve Sherwood
A conventional farmer
purchasing pesticides
Photo: Clarin Rural
An agroecological farmer
inspecting his intercrop
Communication and image
Photo: Steve Sherwood
A conventional farmer
purchasing pesticides
Photo: Clarin Rural
An agroecological farmer
inspecting his intercrop
Estancia Laguna Blanca, Entre Rios, Argentina
Ecological farming on 3000 ha
Communication and image
Photo: Steve Sherwood
A conventional farmer
purchasing pesticides
Photo: Clarin Rural
An agroecological farmer
inspecting his intercrop
Estancia Laguna Blanca, Entre Rios, Argentina
Ecological farming on 3000 ha
Communication and image
Photo: Steve Sherwood
A conventional farmer
purchasing pesticides
Photo: Clarin Rural
An agroecological farmer
inspecting his intercrop
Estancia Laguna Blanca, Entre Rios, Argentina
Ecological farming on 3000 ha
Communication and image
Photo: Steve Sherwood
A conventional farmer
purchasing pesticides
Photo: Clarin Rural
An agroecological farmer
inspecting his intercrop
Concluding remarks
Ecologically intensive farming is more than just
conventional farming without inputs
It requires:
- ecological engineering at farm and landscape level
- ability to engage with local actors and learn from them
- systems approaches that embrace the complexity of social-ecological
interactions
It needs:
- Serious public funding that compensates for the investment gaps
Intensify in the South, extensify in the North,
detoxify everywhere…