Agroecology in Africa - Part 1
by E.Etta
Agroecology is an integrated approach that combines ecological and social concepts and principles to the design and management of food and sustainable agricultural systems. It is practicing sustainable agriculture and food systems that are tailored to each specific community and environment, and for local farmers in Africa, can be a solution to promoting food sovereignty and environmental health. Agroecology is fundamentally different from other approaches to sustainable development. It is based on bottom-up and territorial processes, helping to deliver contextualized solutions to local problems.
Principles of Agroecology
The ultimate goal of agroecology is to establish sustainable agriculture and food systems that are tailored to the specific community and environment.
Zero hunger, food security, nutrition, and health - Agroecology promotes local, stable, and diverse diets with year-round integrated production of healthy and nutritious foods.
Biodiversity - Maintaining and enhancing diversity of species is key to agroecological transitions to ensure food security and nutrition while conserving, protecting, and enhancing natural resources.
Social Values & Diets - Build food systems based on the culture, identity, tradition, social, and gender equity of local communities that provide healthy, diversified, seasonally and culturally appropriate diets.
Co-creation and sharing of knowledge - Agroecology emphasizes farmer-led innovations, participatory research, and knowledge exchange.
Synergies - Enhancing positive ecological interaction among the elements of agroecosystems (animals, crops, trees, soil, and water).
Efficiency - Producing more with fewer resources and preferably only using local resources.
Recycling - Preferentially use local renewable resources and more recycling, which means agricultural production with lower economic and environmental costs.
Climate Change Resilience - Diverse, well-integrated agroecological systems can promote greater carbon sequestration, increase resilience of livelihoods, and provide climate change mitigation and adaptation solutions.
Responsible Governance - Sustainable food and agriculture require responsible and effective governance mechanisms at different scales – from local to national to global.
Connectivity - Ensures proximity and confidence between producers and consumers through promotion of fair and short distribution networks.
Animal Health - Ensuring animal health and welfare.
Land & Natural Resource Governance - Strengthen institutional arrangements to improve the recognition and support of family farmers, smallholders, and peasant food producers as sustainable managers of natural and genetic resources.
Soil Health - Secure and enhance soil health and functioning for improved plant growth, particularly by managing organic matter and by enhancing soil biological activity.
Examples of Agroecology:
Agroforestry - combining agriculture and trees (planting trees) can improve the health of the soil and provide another source of income from the fruits, nuts, or timber the trees provide.
Organic farming - is a form of agroecological farming. It is a sustainable agricultural system that relies on ecologically based pest controls and biological fertilizers, mainly from animal and plant wastes, and nitrogen-fixing cover crops.
Intercropping - A method of growing more than one crop in the same piece of land during the same crop season. By diversifying plant species in a single plot, intercropping maximizes resource use, reduces pests and diseases, and enhances overall productivity.
Crop rotation - Is the practice of not planting the same crops in the same place in back-to-back years. By not planting the same vegetables in the exact spot every year, you can avoid having pests and diseases continuously build up in the soil.
Water harvesting - Is the method of collecting, storing, and utilizing rainwater efficiently. Water harvesting techniques are broadly classified into two main categories: in situ water harvesting, which captures rainwater exactly where it falls, and surface water harvesting, which collects runoff water in constructed storage systems for later use. Zaï pits (West Africa)
Integration of livestock - Integrating livestock into an agroecology system creates a mutually supportive and mutually dependent system. For example, livestock transform plant residues and by-products into edible high-quality protein and manure, which is used as an organic fertilizer, replacing dependency on mineral fertilizers.