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Agroecological practices are known to reduce environmental pressure of farming systems and increase food system resilience in tropical regions. In contrast, in the temperate climate and industrialized agricultural context of the Netherlands, agroecology use remains limited and its impacts are unknown. As agroecological systems can form a sustainable alternative to conventional farming, it is relevant to study to what extent farmers use agroecological practices in the Netherlands, potentially serving as a model for transition. This study assesses spatial patterns of uptake of agroecological practices and their relationship with income resilience. Using data from 735 Dutch farms, we created a composite Agroecology Index to quantify the extent of use of agroecological practices. The FAO's 10 Elements of Agroecology framework was used to select indicators for the index, by selecting the six of the Elements in this framework for which our dataset contained suitable data. Linear regressions explored underlying factors, such as farm size and farm type. Using an outlier analysis, bright and dark spot farms, exceeding or lagging the Dutch average, were mapped. We evaluated the effects of agroecological practices on income resilience over a 10-year period. On a 0–100 scale, agroecology scores ranged from 16.5% to 61.1% (36.6 ± 7.0), with stark contrasts between different Elements of agroecology. Arable farms excelled in Diversity, while livestock farms performed better in Efficiency. Spatial variation was substantial, with both bright and dark spots dispersed across the country. We found highest average scores and the strongest prevalence of bright spots in the province of Flevoland, an area with an exceptional number of organic farmers. Higher agroecology scores were linked to increased income stability, independent of farm size or type. The methods developed in this study provide an approach to address the growing demand for evidence of the upscaling of agroecology in practice. Also, the relationships between agroecology and social and environmental outcomes from farm to regional scales can be addressed, which can guide developments towards sustainable agriculture. [Display omitted] • Agroecological practices can decrease environmental pressure and increase food system resilience. • This study assesses spatial patterns of adoption of agroecological practices and its impact on income resilience. • On average, the use of agroecological practices was low, and spatial variation was substantial. • Higher agroecology uptake was linked to increased income stability, independent of farm size or type. • The developed index allows assessing large-scale uptake of agroecology, which can guide developments towards sustainable agriculture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper offers an approach to Yucatecan social reality in terms of entrepreneurship and the process of creating companies dedicated to the production and/or commercialization of agroecological products, considering its contribution to sustainable rural development. The key actors’ perspective towards the existence of policies that favor land sustainability, assist in the development of rural areas and their population, and support these business initiatives is also presented. Likewise, it illustrates the small entrepreneurs’ standpoint on the role of public institutions in promoting wealth generation and sustainable development in lower growth areas, such as the state of Yucatan, in Mexico. A qualitative methodology was used for this research, based on in-depth interviews with a group of businessmen and -women from the region. The main results give a pessimistic view of institutional concern regarding both production and consumption of agroecological products and, therefore, the promotion of these enterprises for the socioeconomic development of Yucatan. From these findings, we detect: (a) A policy of scarce support for this type of production, due to political priorities; (b) inadequate management that prevents the consolidation of certain structures needed to support agroecological enterprises; (c) a lack of confidence in the Yucatecan government, which does not promote or support a social network of collaboration between agroecological producers and marketers; (d) a difficulty in undertaking agroecological enterprises because of social and cultural norms and poor environmental awareness among the population; (e) significant training deficiencies among entrepreneurs in agroecological agriculture; (f) absence of adequate distribution channels for agroecological products; and (g) excessive bureaucratic obstacles through laws that hinder entrepreneurial processes.

One experiment was conducted at the Rafael Fernandes Experimental Farm, in the Alagoinha district, rural area of Mossoró- Rn, Brazil, with the objective of evaluating optimized amount of hairy woodrose (Merremia aegyptia L.) in the productivity of coriander cultivars. The experimental design of randomized complete blocks with the treatments arranged in 5 x 2 factorial scheme with four replicates. The first factor consisted of four amounts of hairy woodrose (0.0, 1.0, 2.0, 3.0 and 4.0 kg/m² of dry beds) and the second factor corresponding to coriander cultivars (Verdão and Tabocas). The characteristics evaluated were: plant height, number of stems per plant, productivity, number of bunches and dry mass. The best productive performance for coriander cultivars was obtained in the amount of 3.0 kg/m2 hairy woodrose incorporated into the soil. Between the coriander cultivars, Verdão was more productive than cultivating Tabocas. The cultivation of coriander cultivars is agronomically viable with the use of hairy woodrose as green manure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents methods of agroecological production in Europe and the U.S., the basic principles and methods of organic farming in Ukraine, grounded introduction of innovative technologies in organic production activities of agricultural enterprises.В статье приводятся методы ведения агроэкологического производства продукции в странах Европы и США, рассматриваются основы и способы ведения органического земледелия в Украине, обосновано внедрение инновационных технологий органического производства в деятельности аграрных предприятий.

This paper shows the environmental behavior of different horticultural production systems. Emergy assessment was applied for the analysis of three family-managed horticultural farms located in Ibiúna County and one horticultural subsystem of Yamaguishi Eco-Village in Jaguariúna County, both located in the state of São Paulo, Brazil. For Ibiúna and Jaguariúna farms the total Emergy varied from 2.36E+16 to 9.59E+16 seJ ha −1 year −1 , the Transformity ranged from 1.58E+06 to 4.98E+06 seJ J −1 , the Renewability from 17% to 55%, the Emergy Yield Ratio from 1.14 to 2.24 and the Emergy Investment Ratio ranged from 0.81 to 4.76. The Environmental Loading Ratio values showed a large variation, for organic production from 0.81 to 1.54 and for the conventional production from 4.77 to 4.88. Emergy Exchange Ratio showed a wide variation from 0.03 to 3.49. These results were compared to those obtained in an emergy analysis of five organic horticultural systems located in the highlands of Rio de Janeiro, a study performed by Nobre Junior (2009) . The analysis of the whole set of results is that the renewability of Rio de Janeiro's systems is higher than Ibiúna and Jaguariúna systems because these last systems respond to the pressures of market to decrease prices increasing the volume of production using industrial aggressive inputs in a more intensive way. The conclusion will be made available to Ibiúna city government and population in order to promote a transition to Agroecological Systems involving the recovery of soil biota and native vegetation, recycling urban wastes and lowering pesticides and chemical fertilizers use. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chacras, which are Amazonian agricultural systems, are examples of traditional agricultural management that are sustainable. They are also characteristic of the identities of different ethnographic groups in tropical America. However, information regarding the botanical characterization of chacras is scant. In tropical rural communities, there is a gender bias hypothesis that makes women potential reservoirs of traditional chacras plant knowledge. We present an experimental study in order to demonstrate if this knowledge difference really exists and to plan accordingly. We performed workshops in an isolated Kichwa community from Amazonian Ecuador. We calculated the cultural signififcance index (CSI) for 97 local flora plants. Our results revealed statistically significant differences. They were coherent with the Kichwa worldview and the structure of their society. We concluded that gender perspective must be taken into account in biodiversity conservation programs, such as, for example, those to implement the resilient agricultural practices of tropical contexts promoted by The United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 2 (SGD2). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]