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Effects of climate change and especially the associated climate variability require farmers to adjust to increasing frequencies of extreme events. In the agriculturally highly productive Romanian Plain, the frequency, intensity, and duration of heatwaves and drought have increased over the past 20 years. Although recent surveys revealed farmers’ awareness of climate change and enumerated a number of farm adaptation measures in the Romanian context, a systems approach to adaptation that allows conclusions on farm vulnerability and adaptive capacity is missing. Here, we use archetypal analysis to elucidate and characterize for the first time the types of adaptation responses of arable farmers in southern Romania. We conducted semi-structured interviews with 30 farmers managing 51,500 ha located across the southern lowlands of Romania, selected for their diversity of management approaches. Farmers were asked about experienced climatic disturbances, crop production losses during the most extreme events over the past 5–10 years, and the adaptation measures they implemented over that period of time. In addition, structural characteristics of the farm were recorded. The adaptation measures were classified and mapped on the efficiency, substitution, and redesign gradient used to classify sustainability stages. Results revealed three archetypes of adaptation, consisting of measures at field and farm level ranging from predominantly efficiency-enhancing ones (e.g., crop choice and management and risk insurance) to complete farm redesign involving agrotechnical and financial management changes. Structural farm characteristics did not explain differences between farms in their association with one of the archetypes. Our approach and results show for the first time both the need for strengthening farmer-level support in one of Europe’s key food production areas and the lessons that can be drawn from the outlier adaptation examples. Current European and national policies offer op

Agriculture in semi-arid Burkina Faso is dominated by mixed crop-livestock smallholder farms with limited investment capacity in production factors, such as improved seeds, fertilizer and equipment. Hence, to make a living, farmers try to make the best use of available resources based on principles of agro-ecology, including crop diversity and nutrient and biomass recycling. We investigated farm-level management of resources (soil, crops and livestock) through time to assess whether the current management options were able to sustain crop and livestock production and fulfil household food requirements. We ran a one-year detailed farm monitoring campaign in collaboration with 22 volunteer farmers representing the diversity of the farming system in our study area. We quantified inputs and outputs in the cropping system (177 fields) for one rainy season. In addition, the weekly dynamics of crop residues left on field were quantified. Moreover, inflow and outflow of resources at farm level were quantified weekly. The cropping system was characterized by a negative nitrogen balance of about 12 kg N/ha/year, with market-oriented farms and large livestock owners having the most negative balance. Legumes grown (sole and intercropping) contributed to alleviate the nitrogen depletion by adding 15 kg N/ha/year to the nitrogen inputs through atmospheric fixation. However, cereal-legume intercropping did not significantly reduce the nitrogen deficit in comparison to sole cereal cropping mainly because of the small proportion of legumes (8%) in intercropped fields. Livestock grazed crop residues left on the soil (739 kg dry matter/ha on average) at a rate of 26 − 76 kg/ha/week, thus strongly reducing the potential for mulching in the region. Livestock protein requirements were rarely met from farm-produced feed with average feed gaps ranging between 40% and 89% of the daily requirements for small and large herd keepers respectively. Large livestock (cattle) owners relied on trans

This article outlines the visions of Tunisian and Indian dissident political thinkers and agronomists, 1950s–1980s, for decentralised food and farming systems using just technologies. Amidst ascendent US imperialism, these marginalised proposals opposed the Green Revolution model of agrarian development, illustrating broader postcolonial politics of defending political sovereignty and advancing to economic/technological sovereignty. Erasing these dissident voices enabled the legitimisation of the Green Revolution as an ‘inevitable’ way to ensure food security. We argue that recovering this intellectual history is critical to displace the techno-centric Green Revolution narrative, and to inform and support struggles for ecologically attuned alternatives that foreground agroecology.

In an extensive systematic review of the literature on permanent grassland in Europe we show that reducing the management intensity of permanent grasslands and preventing the conversion of permanent grasslands to croplands secures the provision of multiple ecosystem services. The evidence is based on 696 out of 70,456 screened papers.

Permanent grasslands cover 34% of the European Union's agricultural area and are vital for a wide variety of ecosystem services essential for our society. Over recent decades, the permanent grassland area has declined and land use change continues to threaten its extent. Simultaneously, the management intensity of permanent grasslands increased. We performed a systematic literature review on the multifunctionality of permanent grasslands in Europe, examining the effects of land use and management on 19 grassland ecosystem service indicators. Based on the evidence in 696 out of 70,456 screened papers, published since 1980, we found that both land use change and intensification of management decreased multifunctionality. In particular, preventing conversion of permanent grasslands to croplands secured the delivery of multiple ecosystem services. A lower management intensity was associated with benefits for biodiversity, climate regulation and water purification, but impacted the provision of high-quality animal feed. Increasing the number of species in the sward enhanced multifunctionality of permanent grassland without significant trade-offs such as losses in production. Our review covered many aspects of land use, management and ecosystem services, but we also identified areas with no or only few studies. The most prominent gaps were related to comparisons between permanent and temporary grasslands, and effects of management practices on the provision of cultural values, and on erosion and flood control. We suggest that, despite apparent changes in human dietary preferences, the protection of permanent grasslands in Europe must be prioritised. At the same time, considering the need to reduce ruminant livestock's contribution to climate change, the time seems ripe to increase support for low-intensity grassland management to optimise the provision of essential ecosystem services from Europe's permanent grasslands.

Questo paper si prefigge di indentificare le caratteristiche del sistema produttivo del piccolo agricoltore in Kenya, evidenziando le sfide per la transizione sostenibile. L’ipotesi di ricerca si basa sulla letteratura propria della agro-ecology e della Eco-economy, secondo cui il piccolo agricoltore contribuisce direttamente alla food security locale e rappresenta anche un moltiplicatore di pratiche sostenibili. Questo perché il suo agire è place-based, nonché basato sulle conoscenze e le pratiche tradizionali. Il campione della ricerca è composto da 100 piccoli agricoltori dell’area di Gilgil, contea di Nakuru County, in Kenya. La ricerca ha coinvolto un team di partner internazionali, è stata sponsorizzata dal MIUR e contribuisce al dibattito sulla transizione sostenibile dei sistemi agro-alimentari., This paper identifies the features of Kenyan small-scale farmers and their production systems, highlighting the challenges of sustainability transition. Drawing on the agro-ecology and eco-economy literature, the research hypothesis is that Kenyan farmers can play a role of paramount importance in stimulating place-based sustainability practices, and assure food security outcomes, because farming occurs following indigenous, place-based tradition and knowledge. 100 small farmers in the sub-county of Gilgil in Nakuru County, Kenya have been surveyed and profiled. The survey was sponsored by MIUR (Italian Ministry of University and Research). The research aimed to contribute to the debates on the sustainability of food systems.

Pollinators face multiple pressures and there is evidence of populations in decline. As demand for insect-pollinated crops increases, crop production is threatened by shortfalls in pollination services. Understanding the extent of current yield deficits due to pollination and identifying opportunities to protect or improve crop yield and quality through pollination management is therefore of international importance. To explore the extent of “pollination deficits,” where maximum yield is not being achieved due to insufficient pollination, we used an extensive dataset on a globally important crop, apples. We quantified how these deficits vary between orchards and countries and we compared “pollinator dependence” across different apple varieties. We found evidence of pollination deficits and, in some cases, risks of overpollination were even apparent for which fruit quality could be reduced by too much pollination. In almost all regions studied we found some orchards performing significantly better than others in terms of avoiding a pollination deficit and crop yield shortfalls due to suboptimal pollination. This represents an opportunity to improve production through better pollinator and crop management. Our findings also demonstrated that pollinator dependence varies considerably between apple varieties in terms of fruit number and fruit quality. We propose that assessments of pollination service and deficits in crops can be used to quantify supply and demand for pollinators and help to target local management to address deficits although crop variety has a strong influence on the role of pollinators.

This paper considers the relationship between Samir Amin’s programme for delinking, smallholder agriculture, his theories of ecology, and the current of ecological dependency that developed out of North African dependency analysis. It argues that ecological forms of agriculture in fact underpinned the original case from which Amin derived delinking–the developmental model of Amin’s China. It goes on to show how collaborators and fellow travellers of Amin like Mohamed Dowidar, Fawzy Mansour and Slaheddine el-Amami advanced the case for smallholder-centred national development, and connects their investigations to Amin’s theoretical framework.

Within the past years, the Green New Deal (GND) became the common language for Northern climate politics, offering a seeming exit path from Northern social and ecological crises while erasing an older Northern climate discourse tied to Southern demands for climate reparations and rights to development. This Eurocentric GND has become the environmental program for an equally Eurocentric social democratic renewal. This article situates the GND in world-systemic shifts, and Northern reactions to such shifts. It situates the GND as one of three possible Eurocentric solutions to the climate crisis: a great elite transformation from above; a left-liberal “reformist” resolution; a social democratic resolution. It then elaborates a possible “People’s Green New Deal,” a revolutionary transformation focused on state sovereignty, climate debt, auto-centered development, and agriculture. Within each proposed resolution, it traces the role of the land, agriculture, and peasants.

[EN] The artistic work linked to agro-ecology of the artist and teacher Rocher, as well as the projects that are born from her non-profit association Mandarina Borda, are an engine of dissemination and artistic creation that promotes good agro-ecological practices. Through artistic calls, under the name of Trastellaor, she appeals to creators of any age and nationality who are interested in relating both worlds. In addition, it offers the possibility for those selected to stay in its residence for the creation of the works., [ES] El trabajo artístico vinculado con la agroecología de la artista y docente Rocher, así como los proyectos que nacen desde su asociación sin ánimo de lucro Mandarina Borda, son un motor de difusión y creación artística que fomentan las buenas prácticas agroecológicas. A través de convocatorias artísticas, bajo el nombre de Trastellaor, hace un llamamiento a creadores de cualquier edad y nacionalidad que tengan interés en relacionar ambos mundos. Además, ofrece la posibilidadad a los seleccionados de alojarse en su residencia para la creación de las obras.

In order to describe the profile of consumers of agro-ecological foods and understand their motivations, we carried out 21 semi-structured interviews and a survey of 234 people at the Producer-to-Consumer Fair at the School of Agronomy of the University of Buenos Aires. In this article, the main features of the consumers are presented. The most important conclusion is that those who buy these foods are people from the urban middle class, with a higher than average level of formal education, and that consumption is motivated not only by associating them with a healthier life and a better quality of life, but also because they see in this practice a political and solidarity action., En la Feria del Productor al Consumidor en la Facultad de Agronomía de la Universidad de Buenos Aires, con el objetivo de describir el perfil de los consumidores de alimentos agroecológicos y comprender sus motivaciones, se realizaron 21 entrevistas semiestructuradas y una encuesta realizada a 234 personas. En este artículo, se presentan los rasgos principales de los consumidores. Como conclusión más destacada, se muestra que quienes adquieren estos alimentos son personas de clase media urbana, con un nivel de educación formal superior a la media y que el consumo está motivado no sólo por asociarlos a una vida más saludable y una mejor calidad de vida sino porque ven en esta práctica una acción política y solidaria.

The weakest sustainability indicators in the Agroecological Markets Network of Bogotá, Region, for 2016 and2017, were the number of consumers and sales. Therefore, this research sought to characterize consumers andconsumption in the RMABR, and then generate assertive communication, education and marketing strategies.A descriptive, mixed-focus investigation was carried out, for which a survey with twenty-six questions wasapplied through a Google form, between April 16 and May 17, 2018. The total sample was 149 consumers ( 80%reliability, 5% error). The analysis of the results was carried out using descriptive statistics and comparisonwith other studies.The main motivation for purchasing identified is health, while the reason for not buying is price, although thereis a willingness to pay a 10% premium. The favorite products are cereals, fruits and vegetables, the preferredpurchase frequencies are weekly and fortnightly, directly from producers and at fairs, with a majority range ofless than 100,000 to 300,000 pesos. These studies are not common in agroecology, 16 similar studies wereidentified for organic products, but only one for agroecological ones., Os indicadores de sustentabilidade mais fracos da Rede de Mercados Agroecológicos de Bogotá, Região, para2016 e 2017, foram o número de consumidores e vendas. Portanto, esta pesquisa buscou caracterizar consumidorese consumo na RMABR e gerar estratégias assertivas de comunicação, educação e marketing.Foi realizada uma pesquisa descritiva, de foco misto, para a qual uma pesquisa com 26 perguntas foi aplicadaatravés de um formulário do Google, entre 16 de abril e 17 de maio de 2018. A amostra total foi de 149 consumidores ( 80% de confiabilidade, 5% de erro). A análise dos resultados foi realizada por meio de estatísticadescritiva e comparação com outros estudos.A principal motivação para a compra identificada é a saúde, enquanto a razão para não comprar é o preço,embora exista uma disposição para pagar um prêmio de 10%. Os produtos favoritos são cereais, frutas evegetais, as frequências de compra preferidas são semanais e quinzenais, diretamente dos produtores e dasfeiras, com uma faixa maioritária de menos de 100.000 a 300.000 pesos. Esses estudos não são comuns emagroecologia, 16 estudos semelhantes foram identificados para produtos orgânicos, mas apenas um paraprodutos agroecológicos., Los indicadores de sostenibilidad más deficientes en la Red de Mercados Agroecológicos de Bogotá, Región,para 2016 y 2017, fueron el número de consumidores y las ventas. Por lo anterior, esta investigación buscócaracterizar los consumidores y el consumo en la RMABR, para, luego, generar estrategias asertivas de comunicación,educación y de mercadeo.Se realizó una investigación descriptiva, de enfoque mixto, para la cual se aplicó una encuesta con veinte seispreguntas a través de un formulario de Google, entre el 16 de abril y el 17 de mayo de 2018. La muestra totalfue de 149 consumidores (80 % confiabilidad, 5 % de error). El análisis de los resultados se efectuó medianteestadística descriptiva y comparación con otros estudios.La principal motivación de compra identificada es la salud, mientras la de no compra es el precio, aunque hayuna disposición a pagar sobreprecio del 10 %. Los productos favoritos son cereales, frutas y verduras, lasfrecuencias preferidas de compra son semanal y quincenal, directamente a productores y en ferias, con unrango mayoritario de menos de 100 mil a 300 mil pesos. Estos estudios no son comunes en agroecología, seidentificaron 16 estudios similares para productos ecológicos, pero uno solo para agroecológicos.

Context: Small forest fragments are often the most abundant type of semi-natural habitat in intensive agricultural landscapes. Wild pollinators can use these forest patches as nesting or foraging habitat. However, the importance of small forest fragments as pollinator habitat has been neglected so far. Objectives: We evaluated the role of these forest patches as pollinator habitat, focusing on the effect of nesting and foraging resources, both at a local and at a landscape scale. Methods: Pollinators were sampled with pan traps in 78 forest patches, spread over five study regions in Northwestern Europe. We evaluated effect of forest and landscape characteristics on bee and hoverfly species richness, diversity and activity-abundance. Results: We showed that the bee community is influenced by both microsite conditions and landscape characteristics. Species richness and activity-abundance were higher when suitable nesting resources, such as sloped terrain and bare soil were available. This suggests that forest edges are important in providing nesting sites, but that most species forage in different habitats. Hoverfly species richness was higher in old forest fragments. This relation was mainly caused by the presence of forest specialist hoverflies in old forest fragments. Conclusions: Small forest fragments in agricultural landscapes can harbour a diverse pollinator community. Increasing the amount of nesting habitat, such as bare soil and sloped terrains is expected to have beneficial effects on the bee community, whereas older forest fragments should be conserved to sustain a rich hoverfly community.

Moringa oleifera is a multipurpose fast growing tree which is widely cultivated in tropical and subtropical regions of the world due to its numerous benefits. The benefits include medicinal use, industrial use, soil fertility, water purification, climate change mitigation as well as of nutritional value for humans and livestock. Recently, many areas globally have been rendered vulnerable to climate change as well as food insecurity. Climate change increases irregularities of rainfall and temperature patterns in semi-arid conditions. One practical way to address this challenge in the agricultural sector is to introduce more trees crop species which are found to be more tolerant than annual crops under harsh growing conditions. Moringa is one species that could be considered under variable climatic conditions for positive outcomes through climate change adaptation and mitigation as well as life sustenance against food insecurity threats. Production of moringa in South Africa is exclusively for leaf processing and consumption. To date, there is no documented information available about seed and oil yield production of moringa mainly in the Limpopo Province of South Africa. The aim of the study was to generate knowledge on moringa growth, nutritional composition, seed and oil yield production as well as its response to drought through gaseous exchange parameters, as influenced by plant density under diverse agro-ecological locations in Limpopo Province. The study was conducted in the Limpopo Province, South Africa, from November 2013 to January 2016. The study area falls within the semi-region which is characterized by low and erratic rainfall which predominately falls in summer as well as extremely low or high temperatures. A survey was conducted from November 2013 to September 2014 in five districts of the Limpopo Province. Focus group discussion, questionnaires and field observations were used for data collection. A total of 150 moringa growers formed part of the foc

Predicting breed-specific environmental suitability has been problematic in livestock production. Native breeds have low productivity but are thought to be more robust to perform under local conditions than exotic breeds. Attempts to introduce genetically improved exotic breeds are generally unsuccessful, mainly due to the antagonistic environmental conditions. Knowledge of the environmental conditions that are shaping the breed would be needed to determine its suitability to different locations. Here, we present a methodology to predict the suitability of breeds for different agro-ecological zones using Geographic Information Systems tools and predictive habitat distribution models. This methodology was tested on the current distribution of two introduced chicken breeds in Ethiopia: the Koekoek, originally from South Africa, and the Fayoumi, originally from Egypt. Cross-validation results show this methodology to be effective in predicting breed suitability for specific environmental conditions. Furthermore, the model predicts suitable areas of the country where the breeds could be introduced. The specific climatic parameters that explained the potential distribution of each of the breeds were similar to the environment from which the breeds originated. This novel methodology finds application in livestock programs, allowing for a more informed decision when designing breeding programs and introduction programs, and increases our understanding of the role of the environment in livestock productivity.

Published by Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group. Agricultural landscapes offer unique habitats for many species. Because agriculture is a major land use worldwide, changes in farming practices can have major repercussions for biodiversity. Particularly in Western Europe, ongoing intensification and scale enlargement but also land abandonment and poor agricultural practices leading to land degradation form a major threat to agrobiodiversity. Agro-ecological farming practices are suggested as an alternative way of farming in order to conserve and enhance biodiversity. Yet knowledge about what factors explain farmers’ adoption of agro-ecological farming practices is fragmented and incomplete. In this paper, we offer a holistic framework that specifies these factors and how they are interconnected. The framework is illustrated and refined by means of a case study analysis of almond farming in Andalusia. The chosen case represents a specific localized farming practice that currently negatively impacts biodiversity but for which agro-ecology forms an attractive alternative regarding biodiversity. The case study demonstrates that our framework offers a useful tool to systematically identify the different factors that affect agro-ecological farming adoption, interlinkages between factors and particularly the more structural barriers to agro-ecology.

The wild pig is well known for its generalist diet, a contributing factor to its successful invasion around the globe. We used DNA metabarcoding analyses of scat to examine wild pig diet on a cow-calf operation in south-central Florida. This 4,249-ha ranch is comprised of improved pastures and semi-native pastures that contain a mosaic of vegetation types. Both pasture types contain numerous wetlands and ditches as well as oak-palm woodlands. Fecal sampling was conducted along transects from March 2016 to February 2017. The study site was divided into five sampling areas to ensure dispersed sampling across the ranch. At least five freshly deposited scats were collected every two months from each sampling area and frozen. Regions of multiple genes that targeted either animal or plant DNA (CO1, trnL, and 12S rRNA marker genes) were selected for high throughput sequencing. Sequences were identified using the GenBank reference database. Two hundred nineteen fecal samples were collected and 196 were analyzed. Consensus lineages were retained if they could be confidently identified to family and were likely intentionally consumed by a pig. Between the three marker genes, 66 plant, 68 animal, and 12 fungal families were identified. Plant species dominated the diet with oak, torpedograss, joyweed, Bahiagrass, dayflower, and other grasses occurring in over half the samples analyzed. Animals were present across a wide taxonomic breadth, but encountered less frequently than plants with the exception of an exotic earthworm. Cattle, house mouse, cotton mouse, raccoon, mole cricket, Virginia opossum, and six species of fly were recorded from over 10% of fecal samples. This represents the first study to employ DNA metabarcoding to examine the dietary composition of this invasive vertebrate across an entire year.

Some resourceful community-driven initiatives for local food production and retail have recently appeared in Luxembourg, where low organic agricultural rates are paradoxically paired with high consumer demands. This niche of social innovators combines agroecology with circular economy practices. Four cases of alternative food networks are presented here – studied with qualitative interviews and participant observation. One was established in the 1980s and has about 200 employees, partly linked to social assistance. The more recent and smaller initiatives are characterised by cooperative governance, a community-supported agricultural outlook, hands-on workshops and time banks, all enabled by social media. These initiatives are more radical in their agro-ecological or permaculture practices, focusing on regenerative land use without relying on imports and fostering the integration of consumers with varying degrees of prosumer involvement. This politicised step goes further than mere (and possibly industrialised) organic production. It represents a cultural shift in the food system by attracting media and policy interest, diverting attention away from individuals and focusing instead on the collective efforts that are necessary to build a more resilient food system.

The article aims to characterise the organisational model and the discourse of the food consumer groups located in Lavapiés, a district in central Madrid (Spain), in order to test whether these groups can be conceptualised as forms of political and social innovation based on the principle of cooperation between producers and consumers. The methodology consists of an empirical study based upon semi-structured interviews with a prominent member of each of Lavapiés’ consumer groups. An inductive coding and an analysis of co-occurrences were conducted in order to process the qualitative information. We verify the hypothesis that these groups constitute an example of construction of self-organised alternative social networks based upon the concept that food consumption can be considered to constitute a political choice, contributing to creating agro-ecological alternative models of food production and consumption. Territorial governance of consumer groups involves the existence of close links with a dense social network embedded in the neighbourhood of Lavapiés, and with Madrid’s agro-ecological movement., El artículo tiene como finalidad caracterizar el modelo organizativo y el discurso de los grupos de consumo alimentario de Lavapiés, un distrito del centro de Madrid, con objeto de verificar si estos grupos pueden ser conceptualizados como formas de innovación política y social sustentada en el principio de cooperación entre productores y consumidores. La metodología consiste en un estudio empírico basado en entrevistas semi-estructuradas con un miembro relevante de cada uno de los grupos de consumo de Lavapiés. Para procesar la información cualitativa, se llevaron a cabo una codificación inductiva y un análisis de coocurrencias. Se verifica la hipótesis de que estos grupos constituyen un ejemplo de construcción de redes sociales alternativas auto-organizadas basadas en la idea de que el consumo alimentario constituye una elección política, que contribuyen a crear modelos alternativos agro-ecológicos de producción y consumo alimentarios. El modelo de gobernanza territorial de los grupos de consumo involucra la existencia de vínculos intensos con las redes sociales del barrio de Lavapiés y con el movimiento agro-ecológico de Madrid.

Objective: To assess how agroecology allows the integration of socio-economic activities in the rural area, addressing therefore a sustainable design for development. Methodology: published and current discussions about rural concept are addressed. From there, the definition of rural tourism is also examined. Results: An important result is the analysis about the usefulness of agroecology to engender endogenous and local development in rural areas in Quintana Roo, in which tangible and intangible heritage are integrated in current development. Limitations: A limitation of this proposal is that this design is ascribed to a specific context, thus it is replicable when similar circumstances are corroborated. Conclusions: The main conclusion refers an alternative design proposal for development, based on rural tourism but not emphasising in natural resources exclusively but instead incorporating the rural areas complexity., Objetivo: valorar cómo la agroecología permite la integración de actividades socioeconómicas en el espacio rural, dando cuenta de un diseño sustentable de desarrollo. Metodología: se abordan las discusiones actuales sobre lo rural y se analiza la definición del turismo rural. Resultados: uno resultado sustantivo es el análisis de la utilidad de la agroecología para generar un desarrollo endógeno y local en el espacio rural de Quintana Roo; en el que se integran patrimonios tangibles e intangibles en el desenvolvimiento económico. Limitaciones: una limitación a tener en cuenta es que este diseño se adscribe a un contexto específico, sólo siendo replicable en espacios donde se corroboran circunstancias análogas. Conclusión: se refiere una propuesta de diseño alternativo de desarrollo basado en el turismo rural, que no hace hincapié en los atributos naturales exclusivamente, incorporando así la complejidad del espacio rural.

The main aim of this paper is to discuss how the small farmers as so as the nested markets can have an important role for stimulating a place based rural development. The paper focuses on the study of MESULA Project in Tanzania. Such project represents a process of rural development that relies traditional farming techniques. It promotes a sustainable transition of local farming systems associating with the development of nested markets. It also shows that the small farmers can play a pivotal role in stimulating place-based rural development. Albeit chiefly geared toward self-consumption, small farmers remain the principal suppliers of local and regional food markets in SSA, playing a pivotal role for the food security. In this sense, nested markets can be a relevant strategy for rural development being able to create opportunities for small farmers. In the same time small farmers could be the main actors of nested markets in SSA rural areas.

1.Grassland diversity can support sustainable intensification of grassland production through increased yields, reduced inputs and limited weed invasion. We report the effects of diversity on weed suppression from three years of a 31-site continental-scale field experiment.2.At each site, fifteen grassland communities comprising four monocultures and 11 4-species mixtures based on a wide range of species’ proportions were sown at two densities and managed by cutting. Forage species were selected according to two crossed functional traits, ‘method-of-nitrogen-acquisition’ and ‘pattern-of-temporal- development’.3.Across sites, years, and sown densities, annual weed biomass in mixtures and monocultures was 0.5 and 2.0 t DM ha−1 (7% and 33% of total biomass respectively). Over 95% of mixtures had weed biomass lower than the average of monocultures, and, in two thirds of cases, lower than in the most suppressive monoculture (transgressive suppression). Suppression was significantly transgressive for 58% of site-years. Transgressive suppression by mixtures was maintained across years, independent of site productivity.4.Based on models, average weed biomass in mixture over the whole experiment was 52% less (95% confidence interval 30% to 75%) than in the most suppressive monoculture. Transgressive suppression of weed biomass was significant at each year across all mixtures and for each mixture.5.Weed biomass was consistently low across all mixtures and years and was in some cases significantly but not largely different from that in the equiproportional mixture. The average variability (standard deviation) of annual weed biomass within a site was much lower for mixtures (0.42) than for monocultures (1.77).6.Synthesis and applications. Weed invasion can be diminished through a combination of forage species selected for complementarity and persistence traits in systems designed to reduce reliance on fertilizer nitrogen. In this study, effects of diversity on weed suppression

This contribution draws on original data relating to a land settlement case in Araponga, an administrative area in Minas Gerais, Brazil. The settlement of the land and subsequent building of robust, more self-dependent, land-based livelihoods have followed a joint experimentation trajectory in which the agro-ecologicalisation of agrarian production practices to regenerate and enrich the resource base has been coupled with effective institutional reform and the creation of a favourable institutional setting. Key to this grassroots transformation process has been the enrolment of various strategic actors in a collaborative support network by a mediating change agent. The paper argues that the Araponga case represents a particular expression of re-peasantisation. The Araponga project has evolved without the involvement of landless peoples' social movements such as the Movimento dos Trabalhadores Rurais Sem Terra (MST). This has been crucial to its character and impact.

The sustainability of agriculture can be improved by integrating management of ecosystem services, such as insect pollination, into farming practices. However, large‐scale adoption of ecosystem services‐based practices in agriculture is lacking, possibly because growers undervalue the benefits of ecosystem services compared to those of conventional management practices. Here we show that, under representative real‐world conditions, pollination and plant quality made similar contributions to marketable seed yield of hybrid leek (Allium porrum). Relative to the median, a 25% improvement of plant quality and pollination increased crop value by an estimated $18 007 and $17 174 ha−1 respectively. Across five crop lines, bumblebees delivered most pollination services, while other wild pollinator groups made less frequent but nevertheless substantial contributions. Honeybees actively managed for pollination services did not make significant contributions. Our results show that wild pollinators are an undervalued agricultural input and managing for enhancing pollinators makes sense economically in high‐revenue insect‐pollinated cropping systems.

The sustainability of agriculture can be improved by integrating management of ecosystem services, such as insect pollination, into farming practices. However, large‐scale adoption of ecosystem services‐based practices in agriculture is lacking, possibly because growers undervalue the benefits of ecosystem services compared to those of conventional management practices. Here we show that, under representative real‐world conditions, pollination and plant quality made similar contributions to marketable seed yield of hybrid leek (Allium porrum). Relative to the median, a 25% improvement of plant quality and pollination increased crop value by an estimated $18 007 and $17 174 ha−1 respectively. Across five crop lines, bumblebees delivered most pollination services, while other wild pollinator groups made less frequent but nevertheless substantial contributions. Honeybees actively managed for pollination services did not make significant contributions. Our results show that wild pollinators are an undervalued agricultural input and managing for enhancing pollinators makes sense economically in high‐revenue insect‐pollinated cropping systems.

This article, is about cultural values of corn (Zea mays) in the parish of Cayambe (Pichincha, Ecuador), describes the technologies and rituals associated with this product, and refers to the loss of its traditional uses, which have been influenced by changes in current agricultural productive initiatives and attempt to relate the cultural value of corn with tourism, gastronomy, ancestral knowledge and agro ecology activities. Like other cultures from South America, the ancient inhabitants of the province of Cayambe, called “Cayambis” – the same as the Incas– have worshipped corn and had its own celebration and rituals around the harvest, previous to the Inti Raymi's Inca Festival. However, the relationship between this festival and corn has been lost within current collective memory of the people of this parish due to internal and external migration, as well as other factors. In the investigation that helped as base to the article, was verified that the principal causes of the cultural erosion in the vernacular popula-tion of the parish are, the deep and severe acculturation, the population's loss of identity and the lack of integration of migrant population to the life style and costumes of cayambeños, Este artículo, sobre el valor cultural del maíz (Zea mays) en la parroquia de Cayambe (Pichincha, Ecuador), describe las tecnologías y ritos que vienen asociados a este producto alimenticio, y se refiere a la pérdida de sus usos tradicionales que han sido influidos por los cambios en las iniciativas productivas agrícolas actuales y pretende además, vincular el valor cultural del maíz con las actividades de turismo, gastronomía, saberes ancestrales y agroecología. Al igual que otras culturas suramericanas, los antiguos habitantes de la actual provincia de Cayambe llamados cayambis, igual que los Incas, han rendido culto al maíz y tenían su propia celebración ritual en torno a la cosecha, anterior a la fiesta inca del Inti Raymi. Sin embargo, esta celebración se ha perdido de la memoria colectiva de los habitantes actuales de esta parroquia, debido a la migración tanto interna como externa, así como a otros factores. En la investigación que sirvió de base al artículo, se constató como causas principales de la erosión cultural en la población vernácula de la parroquia, la profunda y sostenida aculturización, la pérdida de identidad y la falta de integración de la población migrante al modo de vida y a las costumbres cayambeñas.

Today there are more than 45 million hectares (ha) of concluded large-scale land acquisitions (LSLAs) in the low- and middle- income countries around the globe. Whether LSLA is referred to as land grabbing or land investment, LSLA means that the right to utilise land is moved from the local people to investors. Few studies investigate agro-ecological consequences and water use of LSLAs. Hence, this study aims to (1) identify LSLAs and their previous land use in Ghana, and (2) investigate the suitability of the current crops choice of LSLAs and compare with the previous crop choice of residents. The identification of LSLAs and previous land use is based on interpretation of satellite images and additional literature and statistics on land use and land covers of Ghana, whereas the results of agro-ecological suitability are generated from a global agro-ecological zoning (GAEZ) model. Eventually 20 LSLAs was identified, however their locations were confirmed with different levels of certainty. The previous land use was then determined and four different land use classes were found: small-scale farming, multifunctional land use, commercial forestry and large-scale cultivation. A crop suitability index (CSI) was generated for previous and current crops and the results showed that the CSI had increased significantly (p < 0.05) due to the LSLAs. The identification of LSLAs and the determination of previous land use using remote sensing were time consuming and field observations is needed to fully assess the certainty and the significance of the method. The increasing CSI indicate that either current crop choice or management are more suitable for the areas than previous crop choice or management. However, a combination of agro-ecological suitability and socio-economic suitability is required to obtain a holistic view of the consequences of LSLAs. Nevertheless, this study managed to identify LSLAs with open access data and remote sensing as well as assessing the agro-ecologi, Sedan 2008 har allt fler företag övertagit rätten att nyttja mark i låginkomstländer världen över. Dessa markövertag, eller mark markförvärv som de också kallas, kan ses som nödvändiga investeringar som driver jordbruksproduktionen framåt eller som fråntagandet av mark från fattiga. Studier har visat på att dessa markförvärv kan få sociala och ekonomiska, socioekonomiska, konsekvenser för befolkningen i de drabbade länderna och kan på olika sätt leda till minskad tillgång på livsmedel. Men det finns också tillfällen då företagen har skapat arbeten och ökad tillgången på sjukvård för invånarna i området. Denna studie har först haft som syfte att identifiera markförvärv i Ghana genom att studera satellitbilder. Genom att sedan studera äldre satellitbilder över de identifierade områdena har syftet sedan varit att undersöka hur marken nyttjades och vilka grödor som odlades innan företagen övertog markrättigheterna. Utöver socioekonomiska konsekvenser av markförvärv kan det förekomma jordbruks- och ekosystemrelaterade, agroekologiska, konsekvenser. Detta undersöktes genom att modellera ett lämplighetsindex för de nya grödorna som företagen odlar. Detta jämfördes sedan med ett modellerat resultat över traditionella grödor från Ghana för att undersöka om de nya grödorna är mer eller mindre lämpliga att odla i området. Totalt 20 markförvärv kunde identifieras i Ghana deras tidigare markanvändning var småskaligt jordbruk, multifunktionell mark (allmän mark som på olika sätt nyttjas av lokalbefolkningen), skogsbruk eller storskalig odling. Det visade sig också att de grödor som används av företagen hade ett högre lämplighetsindex än de grödor som är traditionella för Ghana. Satellitbilder är ett användbart och intressant verktyg för att identifiera förändringar i markanvändande, så som ett markförvärv, men det bör kompletteras med fältdata för att styrka trovärdigheten av resultatet. De nya grödorna visade sig vara mer lämpade för de undersökta områdena i Ghana, men det gick

Over the past decade, several foodborne disease outbreaks provoked widespread reforms to the fresh produce industry. Subsequent concerns about wildlife vectors and contaminated manures created pressure on growers to discontinue use of manureâbased composts and remove nearby semiânatural vegetation. Despite widespread adoption, impacts of these practices on ecosystem services such as pest control have not been assessed. We used a landscapeâscale field experiment to quantify associations between compost applications, semiânatural vegetation, pest control services and lettuce yields on organic farms throughout California's Central Coast, a region experiencing food safety reforms. We found that farms with surrounding semiânatural vegetation supported a diverse arthropod assemblage, whereas a herbivoreâdominated assemblage occupied farms in simplified landscapes. Moreover, predatory arthropods consumed more herbivores at sites with more surrounding nonâcrop vegetation and reduced aphid pest infestations in lettuce. Compost improved lettuce yields by increasing soil nutrients and organic matter, but affected neither pest control nor Escherichia coli prevalence. Synthesis and applications. Food safety concerns are prompting practices that simplify farms and landscapes. Our results demonstrate that two practices â elimination of manureâbased composts and removal of nonâcrop vegetation â are likely having negative impacts on arthropod biodiversity, pest control and soil quality. Critically, our findings and previous research suggest that compost can be applied safely and that habitat removal is likely ineffective at mitigating food safety risk. There is thus scope for coâmanaging fresh produce fields for food safety, ecosystem services, and biodiversity through applying appropriately treated composts and stopping habitat removal.

Land-stewardship programmes are a major focus of investment by governments for conserving biodiversity in agricultural landscapes. These programmes are generally large-scale (e.g. >1000 km) spanning multiple biogeographic regions but developed using spatially limited (e.g. landscape-scale; <100 km) ecological data interpolated across broad areas for one, or a few, well-studied taxonomic groups. Information about how less-studied taxa respond to regional differences in management and environmental effects has potential to further inform land-stewardship conservation programmes, but suitable data sets are rarely available. In this study, we sought to enhance planning of large-scale conservation programmes by quantifying relationships between reptile assemblages and key environmental attributes at regional scales within a large-scale (>172 000 km2) Australian land-stewardship programme. Using 234 remnant woodland monitoring sites spanning four distinct biogeographic regions, we asked: Do reptile assemblages show different environmental associations across biogeographically distinct regions? We found that environmental features important to reptile diversity differed over each region. Abundance and rare species richness of reptiles responded at regional-scales to elevation, native groundcover and aspect. We identified four implications from our study: (1) large-scale conservation schemes can achieve better outcomes for reptiles using regional-scale knowledge of environmental associations; (2) regional-scale knowledge is particularly valuable for conservation of rare reptile taxa; (3) consideration of abiotic environmental features which cannot be directly managed (e.g. aspect, elevation) is important; (4) programmes can be tailored to better support reptile groups at higher conservation risk. Our study shows that reptile-environment associations differ among biogeographic regions, and this presents opportunity for tailoring stronger policy and management strate

This article presents some reflections about the socio-technical changes in agriculture understood as counter-movements to development strategies based on modernization. By examining the emblematic case of Ipê-Antônio Prado in the far south of Brazil, this study confirms that through the collaboration of various actors new productive practices, discourses, performances and multiple social processes emerge that reposition local forms of organization. The study identifies the emergence of an endogenous expression of ‘ecological agriculture’ that was initiated within the broader framework of alternative agriculture. However this shift has triggered heterogeneous courses of action in the region that have configured new processes of change for agricultural production., O artigo propõe uma reflexão sobre mudanças sociotécnicas na agricultura, entendidas como respostas contra-tendentes ao desenvolvimento orientado pela modernização. A partir do caso emblemático do território Ipê-Antônio Prado no extremo sul do Brasil, demonstra-se que o engajamento de distintos atores resulta em novas práticas produtivas, discursos, performances e múltiplos processos sociais, que reposicionam modos locais de organização. Identifica-se a emergência de uma expressão nativa de ‘agricultura ecológica’, que inicia sob o signo da agricultura alternativa, todavia, deflagra heterogêneos cursos de ação que configuram potenciais agendas de mudança para a produção de alimentos., Este artículo plantea una reflexión sobre los cambios sociotécnicos en la agricultura, entendidos como respuestas contratendenciales al desarrollo orientado por la modernización. A partir del caso emblemático del territorio Ipê-Antônio Prado en el extremo sur de Brasil, se confirma que la vinculación de distintos actores resulta en nuevas prácticas productivas, discursos, performances y múltiples procesos sociales que reposicionan modos locales de organización. Se identifica la emergencia de una expresión nativa de “agricultura ecológica” que se inicia bajo el signo de la agricultura alternativa, sin embargo, desencadena cursos de acción heterogéneos que configuran potenciales agendas de cambio para la producción de alimentos.

Food security is one of the indicators of sustainability of small family farm units. The state of food security has been studied in ten rural households located in Porce river basin in northeastern region of Antioquia department, together with individual nutritional status based on the analysis of Body Mass Index (BMI). After visiting 48 farms in the municipalities of Santo Domingo, Gomez Plata, Santa Rosa, Yolombo and Amalfi, only the farms which met the inclusion criteria to start an agroecological transition were selected in order to become in the future standards of sustainable agriculture for the region. Preliminary assessment of the food security state was considered important to obtain a base line prior to the transition. Ethnographic observation showed that the diet meets a diversified pattern of foods, which mostly are produced in the same farms for self-consumption at home. This means that there is not only food security but there is a degree of sovereignty in food supply. However, the survey of self-rated food security revealed that only half of the households were perceived in normality and instead the other half in mild insecurity. Overweight was found to be the main nutritional problem, involving a greater proportion of women compared to men. The study showed agro-ecosystem features could threaten in the medium term current food security conditions, and therefore some criteria are discussed for farm protection against eventualities with food insecurity., La sécurité alimentaire constitue l’un des indicateurs de soutenabilité des petites unités agricoles familiales. Les conditions de sécurité alimentaire ont été étudiées dans dix foyers paysans du bassin du fleuve Porce dans le nord-est du département d’Antioquia et l’état nutritionnel a été analysé partir de l’Indice de Masse Corporelle (IMC). Les exploitations ont été choisis après avoir visitées 48 fermes dans les municipalités de Santo Domingo, Gómez Plata, Santa Rosa, Yolombó et Amalfi, qui répondaient aux critères d’inclusion pour entamer la transition vers un modèle agriculture durable pour la région. L’évaluation préliminaire de la situation de la sécurité alimentaire a été jugée importante avant de proposer un système de production agro-écologique. L’observation ethnographique a montré que le régime alimentaire est varié et que les aliments sont pour la plupart produits dans les mêmes fermes pour l’autoconsommation. Ceci signifie que non seulement il y a de la sécurité alimentaire mais qu’il existe aussi un certain degré de souveraineté dans l’approvisionnement des aliments. L’enquête d’autoperception de la sécurité alimentaire a dévoilé que la moitié de témoignages s’est perçue dans la normalité et l’autre moitié dans une situation de légère insécurité. Le surpoids a été le principal problème nutritionnel et il est plus fréquent chez les femmes. L’étude a montré que les caractéristiques de ces agro-écosystèmes pourraient mettre en danger la sécurité alimentaire à moyen terme, de sorte que certains critères de protection ont été proposés, A segurança alimentar constitui um dos indicadores de sustentabilidade das pequenas unidades agrícolas familiares. Forem estudadas as condições de segurança alimentar em dez famílias camponesas localizadas na bacia do rio Porce no nordeste do departamento de Antioquia, e a situação nutricional a partir da análise do Índice de Massa Corporal (IMC). Os agricultores foram escolhidos entre 48 moradores dos municípios de Santo Domingo, Gómez Plata, Santa Rosa, Yolombó y Amalfi, selecionando os que cumpriram os critérios de inclusão para seu redesenho agroecológico, com objetivo de constituírem-se no futuro em modelo de una agricultura sustentável para a região. A avaliação da situação de segurança alimentar considerouse importante para a obtenção de uma linha base no redesenho. A observação etnográfica mostrou que a dieta responde a um padrão variado de alimentos, os quais em sua grande maioria se produzem nas mesmas propriedades para o autoconsumo. Isto significa que não somente possuem segurança alimentar se não que existe certo grau de soberania no abastecimento de alimentos. Contudo a pesquisa de autopercepção da segurança alimentar revelou que somente a metade das unidades domésticas se percebe em normalidade, e a outra metade em situação leve de insegurança. A má nutrição por excesso foi o principal problema nutricional e se encontra em maior proporção entre as mulheres do que nos homens. O estudo revelou que as características destes agroecossistemas poderia por em risco a médio prazo, as condições de segurança alimentar atual, pelo que se propõem alguns critérios de proteção frente a eventualidades com insegurança alimentar., La seguridad alimentaria constituye uno de los indicadores de sostenibilidad de las pequeñas unidades agrícolas familiares. Se estudiaron las condiciones de seguridad alimentaria en diez hogares campesinos ubicados en la cuenca del río Porce en el nordeste del departamento de Antioquia, así como el estado nutricional a partir del análisis del Índice de Masa Corporal (IMC). Los predios fueron escogidos entre 48 fincas en los municipios de Santo Domingo, Gómez Plata, Santa Rosa, Yolombó y Amalfi, seleccionando los que cumplieran los criterios de inclusión para su rediseño agroecológico, con miras a constituirse en el futuro en modelo de una agricultura sostenible para la región. La evaluación de la situación de seguridad alimentaria se consideró importante para la obtención de una línea base del rediseño. La observación etnográfica mostró que la dieta responde a un patrón variado de alimentos, los cuales en su gran mayoría se producen en las mismas fincas para el autoconsumo. Esto significa que no solamente hay seguridad alimentaria, sino que existe un cierto grado de soberanía en el abastecimiento de alimentos. No obstante, la encuesta de autopercepción de la seguridad alimentaria reveló que solo la mitad de las unidades domésticas se percibieron en normalidad, en tanto que la otra mitad lo hicieron en situación leve de inseguridad. La malnutrición por exceso fue el principal problema nutricional y se encontró en mayor proporción entre las mujeres con respecto a los hombres. El estudio mostró que las características de estos agroecosistemas podrían poner en riesgo a mediano plazo las condiciones de seguridad alimentaria actuales, por lo que se proponen algunos criterios de protección frente a eventualidades con inseguridad alimentaria.

Food security is one of the indicators of sustainability of small family farm units. The state of food security has been studied in ten rural households located in Porce river basin in northeastern region of Antioquia department, together with individual nutritional status based on the analysis of Body Mass Index (BMI). After visiting 48 farms in the municipalities of Santo Domingo, Gomez Plata, Santa Rosa, Yolombo and Amalfi, only the farms which met the inclusion criteria to start an agroecological transition were selected in order to become in the future standards of sustainable agriculture for the region. Preliminary assessment of the food security state was considered important to obtain a base line prior to the transition. Ethnographic observation showed that the diet meets a diversified pattern of foods, which mostly are produced in the same farms for self-consumption at home. This means that there is not only food security but there is a degree of sovereignty in food supply. However, the survey of self-rated food security revealed that only half of the households were perceived in normality and instead the other half in mild insecurity. Overweight was found to be the main nutritional problem, involving a greater proportion of women compared to men. The study showed agro-ecosystem features could threaten in the medium term current food security conditions, and therefore some criteria are discussed for farm protection against eventualities with food insecurity., La sécurité alimentaire constitue l’un des indicateurs de soutenabilité des petites unités agricoles familiales. Les conditions de sécurité alimentaire ont été étudiées dans dix foyers paysans du bassin du fleuve Porce dans le nord-est du département d’Antioquia et l’état nutritionnel a été analysé partir de l’Indice de Masse Corporelle (IMC). Les exploitations ont été choisis après avoir visitées 48 fermes dans les municipalités de Santo Domingo, Gómez Plata, Santa Rosa, Yolombó et Amalfi, qui répondaient aux critères d’inclusion pour entamer la transition vers un modèle agriculture durable pour la région. L’évaluation préliminaire de la situation de la sécurité alimentaire a été jugée importante avant de proposer un système de production agro-écologique. L’observation ethnographique a montré que le régime alimentaire est varié et que les aliments sont pour la plupart produits dans les mêmes fermes pour l’autoconsommation. Ceci signifie que non seulement il y a de la sécurité alimentaire mais qu’il existe aussi un certain degré de souveraineté dans l’approvisionnement des aliments. L’enquête d’autoperception de la sécurité alimentaire a dévoilé que la moitié de témoignages s’est perçue dans la normalité et l’autre moitié dans une situation de légère insécurité. Le surpoids a été le principal problème nutritionnel et il est plus fréquent chez les femmes. L’étude a montré que les caractéristiques de ces agro-écosystèmes pourraient mettre en danger la sécurité alimentaire à moyen terme, de sorte que certains critères de protection ont été proposés, A segurança alimentar constitui um dos indicadores de sustentabilidade das pequenas unidades agrícolas familiares. Forem estudadas as condições de segurança alimentar em dez famílias camponesas localizadas na bacia do rio Porce no nordeste do departamento de Antioquia, e a situação nutricional a partir da análise do Índice de Massa Corporal (IMC). Os agricultores foram escolhidos entre 48 moradores dos municípios de Santo Domingo, Gómez Plata, Santa Rosa, Yolombó y Amalfi, selecionando os que cumpriram os critérios de inclusão para seu redesenho agroecológico, com objetivo de constituírem-se no futuro em modelo de una agricultura sustentável para a região. A avaliação da situação de segurança alimentar considerouse importante para a obtenção de uma linha base no redesenho. A observação etnográfica mostrou que a dieta responde a um padrão variado de alimentos, os quais em sua grande maioria se produzem nas mesmas propriedades para o autoconsumo. Isto significa que não somente possuem segurança alimentar se não que existe certo grau de soberania no abastecimento de alimentos. Contudo a pesquisa de autopercepção da segurança alimentar revelou que somente a metade das unidades domésticas se percebe em normalidade, e a outra metade em situação leve de insegurança. A má nutrição por excesso foi o principal problema nutricional e se encontra em maior proporção entre as mulheres do que nos homens. O estudo revelou que as características destes agroecossistemas poderia por em risco a médio prazo, as condições de segurança alimentar atual, pelo que se propõem alguns critérios de proteção frente a eventualidades com insegurança alimentar., La seguridad alimentaria constituye uno de los indicadores de sostenibilidad de las pequeñas unidades agrícolas familiares. Se estudiaron las condiciones de seguridad alimentaria en diez hogares campesinos ubicados en la cuenca del río Porce en el nordeste del departamento de Antioquia, así como el estado nutricional a partir del análisis del Índice de Masa Corporal (IMC). Los predios fueron escogidos entre 48 fincas en los municipios de Santo Domingo, Gómez Plata, Santa Rosa, Yolombó y Amalfi, seleccionando los que cumplieran los criterios de inclusión para su rediseño agroecológico, con miras a constituirse en el futuro en modelo de una agricultura sostenible para la región. La evaluación de la situación de seguridad alimentaria se consideró importante para la obtención de una línea base del rediseño. La observación etnográfica mostró que la dieta responde a un patrón variado de alimentos, los cuales en su gran mayoría se producen en las mismas fincas para el autoconsumo. Esto significa que no solamente hay seguridad alimentaria, sino que existe un cierto grado de soberanía en el abastecimiento de alimentos. No obstante, la encuesta de autopercepción de la seguridad alimentaria reveló que solo la mitad de las unidades domésticas se percibieron en normalidad, en tanto que la otra mitad lo hicieron en situación leve de inseguridad. La malnutrición por exceso fue el principal problema nutricional y se encontró en mayor proporción entre las mujeres con respecto a los hombres. El estudio mostró que las características de estos agroecosistemas podrían poner en riesgo a mediano plazo las condiciones de seguridad alimentaria actuales, por lo que se proponen algunos criterios de protección frente a eventualidades con inseguridad alimentaria.

As calls for bolstering ecosystem services from croplands have grown more insistent during the past two decades, the search for ways to foster these agriculture-sustaining services has become more urgent. In this context we examine by means of a meta-analysis the argument, proposed by Robert McC. Netting, that small-scale, mixed crop-livestock farming, a common livelihood among poor rural peoples, leads to environmentally sustainable agricultural practices. As predicted, mixed crop-livestock farms exhibit more sustainable practices, but, contrary to predictions, a small scale of operation does not predict sustainability. Many smallholders on mixed crop-livestock farms use sustainable practices, but other smallholders practice a degrading, input-scarce agriculture. Some large farm operators use soil-conserving, minimum-tillage techniques while other large operators ignore soil-conserving techniques and practice an industrialized, high chemical input agriculture. The strength and pervasiveness of the link in the data between mixed crop-livestock farming and sustainable agricultural practices argues for agricultural policies that promote mixed crop-livestock livelihoods

'Conversations with Farmers' opens a reservoir of information regarding the past, present and future face of farming in Australia by documenting the first-hand experiences of farmers across a region of NSW. Whilst covering a spectrum of issues that affect contemporary farming, the mythological image of the 'innovative' farmer emerged from within the farming sub-culture. This thesis documents the ‘eco-innovator's’ change journey into regenerative farming practice, and ultimately, a new story for agriculture.The future of farming in Australia requires the integration of production and conservation, via eco-innovation, for sustainable farming systems to be realised. Sustainable change requires farmers to adapt their practices to local environmental conditions and instil conservation into their decision-making processes. The concepts of change and control have been utilised to frame the focus of this thesis; transforming farming practice requires personal transformations. The frontrunner in this change process is known as the 'innovator'. 'Who' an innovator is and whether they embody sustainable agriculture is defined and debated in contrasting tones by academics and agriculturalists alike. This research, via a participatory rural appraisal and a micro-ethnographic study, identified then (re)defined peer and self-acknowledged ‘eco-innovators’ who were practicing successful, regenerative and adaptive farming techniques in NSW. Eco-innovators in this particular landscape were proponents of Holistic Management, Grazing for Profit, and Biodynamics, as well as other farmer-driven movements. These innovators were championing certain integrative practices, including regeneration of native grasses, adaptive/strategic grazing, and pasture cropping/no-kill cropping. These eco-innovators were ultimately redefined by their journeys of change, which navigated from a traditional/productivist paradigm to a 'new', alternative paradigm. Their experiences were shaped by major transitions

If agro-ecological systems are to realize their potential as sustainable alternatives to conventional agricultural systems, innovation diffusion needs to be enhanced. We conducted surveys among 214 small-scale vegetable farmers in Benin, a food-deficit country in West Africa, on how they perceived the different attributes of eco-friendly nets (EFNs). The nets act as physical barriers against insects in vegetable production and so reduce pesticide use. Understanding farmer perceptions about new technologies helps reveal farmers’ propensity to adopt them. Intensity of attitude was measured on a Likert scale, and an ordered probit model was used to determine which characteristics of nets were most influential. Eighteen percent of farmers thought that EFNs would benefit them, but almost half preferred not to adopt this technology at all. The main reason for rejecting the nets was the perceived high labor requirement, particularly on larger plots of land. This largely negative perception was strongest among farmers with large areas cultivated with vegetables, farmers who had little or no experience in a trial, and those living far from extension services. We recommend expanded trials that engage a higher proportion of farmers, strengthening of external support for those wanting to use the nets and further technological development to reduce labor costs, improved access to finance and increased education about the negative impacts of insecticides abuse.

La principal imagen del movimiento 15-M viene simbolizada por las acampadas en las plazas de numerosas ciudades españolas, es decir, su apariencia urbana. No obstante, el derecho a la alimentación sana, el consumo responsable, el acceso a la tierra, la conservación de ecosistemas agrarios y la despoblación del medio rural han sido algunas de las temáticas debatidas en el seno del movimiento. Ello demuestra una sustancial preocupación por la cuestión tanto ambiental como agraria, para las cuales se reclaman alternativas desde una perspectiva propiamente rural. Como se pretende hacer ver en este artículo, en el seno del movimiento 15-M las cuestiones urbanas y rurales son indisociables. Entre ellas destaca la reivindicación de la soberanía alimentaria y de la agroecología como horizontes de una transformación en la organización del territorio. En este artículo se sintetizan los aspectos de ruralidad del movimiento 15-M y sus reivindicaciones de carácter social, ambiental y territorial. De manera particular, se consideran las características propias de iniciativas incipientes que se están llevando a cabo en la provincia de Alicante, en el sureste del Estado español, así como de sus interrelaciones con movimientos rurales en el ámbito regional, nacional e internacional., The main image of the 15-M Movement is symbolized by the occupations in the squares of many Spanish cities, i.e., its urban appearance. However, the rights to healthy food, responsible consumption, access to land, the preservation of agricultural ecosystems and the depopulation of rural areas have been some of the topics discussed at the heart of the movement. This demonstrates a substantial concern for both environmental and agricultural issues, which demand alternatives from a properly rural perspective. As we propose in this article, urban and rural issues are inseparable in the 15-M Movement. The themes that we highlight are the demand of food sovereignty and agro-ecology as horizons for a transformation of the territories organization. This article summarizes the aspects of rurality of the 15-M Movement and its political, social, economic, environmental and territorial claims. In particular, we consider the characteristics of emerging initiatives in the province of Alicante, in the southeast of the Spain, as well as its relations with rural movements in regional, national and international level.

This article is about the evolution of the agrarian sciences and how innovation plays a crucial role in its development. It also notes how not all innovations have had a positive impact on ecosystems and biodiversity. Such is the case for the relentless advancement of agro-industrial production, which oriented toward obtaining more efficiency and profits, and supported by monocultivation and transgenic varieties through intensive and extensive cultivation. Different alternatives that involve the application of present and ancient knowledge must be used to achieve food sovereignty and safety, based on multidisciplinary knowledge, co-production between public Universities, different types of small-scale farmer and research centers supported by inclusive policies that protect these practices., Este artículo trata de la evolución de las ciencias agrarias en el tiempo y como la innovación juega un papel fundamental en su desarrollo. También apunta que no todas las innovaciones y avances tecnológicos realizados han tenido un impacto positivo en los ecosistemas y la biodiversidad como es el caso del avance implacable de la producción agroindustrial orientada a obtener mayores márgenes de eficiencia y ganancia apoyados fundamentalmente en el monocultivo y el empleo de variedades transgénicas mediante cultivos intensivos y extensivos. Para el logro de la soberanía y seguridad alimentarias deben fomentarse alternativas que involucren la aplicación de los conocimientos científicos actuales y los saberes locales y ancestrales, que atesoran nuestras regiones y campesinado tan variado y heterogéneo que con la coproducción de conocimientos multidiciplinarios con universidades públicas, y centros de investigaciones respaldados por políticas inclusivas y que protejan estas prácticas se puede lograr mitigar estas amenazas.

Background: An extensive body of literature in the field of agro-ecology claims to show the positive effects that maintenance of ecosystem services can have on sustainably meeting future food demand, by making farms more productive and resilient, and contributing to better nutrition and livelihoods of farmers. In Africa alone, some research has estimated a two-fold yield increase if food producers capitalize on new and existing knowledge from science and technology. Site-specific strategies adopted with the aim of improving ecosystem services may incorporate principles of multifunctional agriculture, sustainable intensification and conservation agriculture. However, a coherent synthesis and review of the evidence of these claims is largely absent, and the quality of much of this literature is questionable. Moreover, inconsistent effects have commonly been reported, while empirical evidence to support assumed improvements is largely lacking. Objectives: This systematic map is stimulated by an interest to (1) collate evidence on the effectiveness of on-farm conservation land management for preserving and enhancing ecosystem services in agricultural landscapes, by drawing together the currently fragmented and multidisciplinary literature base, and (2) geographically map what indicators have been used to assess on-farm conservation land management. For both questions, we will focus on 74 low-income and developing countries, where much of the world's agricultural expansion is occurring, yet 80% of arable land is already used and croplands are yielding well below their potential. Methods/Design: To this end, reviewers will systematically search bibliographic databases for peer-reviewed research from Web of Science, SCOPUS, AGRICOLA, AGRIS databases and CAB abstracts, and grey literature from Google Scholar, and 22 subject-specific or institutional websites. Boolean search operators will be used to create search strings where applicable. Ecosystem services included in the

In just over a decade, soybean production in Uruguay emerged from almost non-existence to second most important export product. The extraordinary rapid soybean expansion is often referred to as representing changes that go far beyond the mere substitution of one agrarian activity for another, but evolved into a broad societal concern. Accordingly, the soybean expansion has not only been debated in national media, but among NGO’s, firms, scholars, farmers, political parties as well as within broad sectors of the state apparatus. Although the views expressed are allegedly about the soybean expansion, they are found to reflect much deeper values and assumptions about what is good, appropriate and desirable. All this ultimately represents discordant alternative visions and paths of development. This dissertation outlines and analyzes the dynamics of different, complementary and competing views on the soybean expansion in Uruguay between 2002 and 2013. These have in turn been related to wider debates about “development” of longer historical roots within the social sciences. Rather than exclusively relying on the mediatized accounts expressed in the public debate, often posed in a rather superficial and antagonistic way in accordance to some media logic, this study has made intensive use of in-depth interviews. This has allowed for deeper, more complex and nuanced accounts, as well as made possible to include voices that were only indirectly “represented” in the public debate. The main agreements and disagreements expressed in relation to the soybean expansion have been outlined, described, situated and explored. While constant contingency and unfixity are acknowledged, three main broader competing world-views, or discourses, have also been identified. These are discerned through the analysis of patterns of regularities in the articulations about the soybean expansion. The first is labelled “agro-ecology discourse”, reflecting anti-capitalist notions and centered in value, FORMAS - 2006-2246 "The soybean chain in contemporary agro-food globalization: challenges for a sustainable agro-food system"

The Second Green Revolution explores genetic progress based on the application of modern biotechnology to agriculture, seeking to improve agricultural practices and products. Likewise, its main aspect is the creation of genetically modified organisms (GMO), best known as transgenics. The Second Green Revolution implies using techniques like micro-propagation, genetic engineering, and – more recently – using bacteria as potential bio-fertilizer, among them nitrogen-fixing, phosphate-solubilizing, and auxin producer bacteria, etc. Genetic engineering groups techniques of gene identification, selection, transference, and control, with transgenesis being the genetic engineering technique most applied in agriculture. With the tools, techniques, and methodologies of modern biotechnology, it is possible to more quickly produce new plant varieties than before, with improved nutritional characteristics, tolerance to adverse conditions, resistance to specific herbicides, and pest control. Soil integrates environmental components and permits development of life, life which in turn forms soils offering broadly diverse ecosystemic opportunities, constantly nourishing and producing food for all species, including man. However, the alteration of the soil-forming factors, due to natural cycles or man’s intervention, impacts notably on its productivity and the temporality demanded by humans. Between supply and demand an increasingly broadening gap is forged and the dehumanization of territories when trying to schematize nature, offers opportunities to science to meet needs with different techniques.

Algaba de Ronda is a cooperative business initiative which started its activity in the 2002, in the south of the town of Ronda (Malaga province), in Spain, in the midst of the area known as the Serranía de Ronda. The initiative was promoted and carried out by a group of people with multidisciplinary education and with the goal to work on the conservation, study and disseminating information on the natural, cultural and historic heritage of the Serranía de Ronda. It is an initiative which is social, cultural and economic in nature and is mainly stemming from the three fields: agro-ecology, environmental education and experimental archaeology. Algaba de Ronda has defined and created a model of integrated heritage management. This was carried out and applied at Finca Algaba as a model of an ecological venture which creates employment, prevents the rural areas from losing their intellectual assets, strengthens the value of the knowledge of country men and women on the matter of food sovereignty, boosts the socio-economical function of the heritage, encourages the culture of sustainability through meaningful educational experiences and advocates conservation of biodiversity, in particular of the forested areas. In this sense, the model of management of the world of rural heritage defined by Algaba de Ronda has succeeded in offering a place to share information and raise awareness about the richness of the Serranía de Ronda heritage; to promote existential closeness to prehistory through a reconstruction of a Neolithic settlement and to broaden the knowledge of prehistoric past through experimental archaeology; to maintain and promote traditional and organic production of agroforestry; to carry out a program of recovering those livestock breeds which are in danger of extinction; to create an observation point of the cultural reality of the rural world and its natural and historic patrimony by collaborating in research always with conservation in mind; to bring art and sci, Algaba de Ronda es una iniciativa empresarial cooperativa que inició su actividad el año 2002, al sur de la ciudad de Ronda (Málaga) España, en plena Serranía de Ronda, promovida y llevada a cabo por un grupo de personas de formación multidisciplinar, con el objetivo de trabajar por la conservación, investigación y difusión del patrimonio natural, cultural e histórico de la Serranía de Ronda. Se trata de una iniciativa de carácter social, cultural y económico, definida principalmente a partir de tres disciplinas: agroecología, educación ambiental y arqueología experimental. Algaba de Ronda ha definido y materializado un modelo de gestión integral del patrimonio, desarrollado y aplicado en la finca Algaba como modelo de emprendimiento ecológico que crea empleo y evita la fuga de capital intelectual de los espacios rurales, afianza el valor de los conocimientos de los hombres y las mujeres del campo en materia de soberanía alimentaria, dinamiza la función socioeconómica del patrimonio, fomenta la cultura de la sostenibilidad a partir de experiencias educativas significativas y aboga por la conservación de la biodiversidad, especialmente de los espacios forestales. En este sentido, el modelo de gestión del patrimonio del mundo rural definido por Algaba de Ronda ha logrado ofertar un lugar para la difusión y sensibilización de la riqueza patrimonial de la Serranía de Ronda; promover un acercamiento vivencial a la prehistoria a partir de la recreación de un poblado neolítico y ampliar los conocimientos sobre el pasado prehistórico a partir de la arqueología experimental; mantener y fomentar la producción agroforestal tradicional y ecológica; llevar a cabo un programa de recuperación de razas ganaderas en peligro de extinción; crear un observatorio de la realidad cultural del mundo rural y de su patrimonio natural e histórico colaborando en investigaciones y velando siempre por su conservación; acercar las ciencias y las artes a las áreas de montaña como elemento enriquec

Management decisions by farmers are influenced by complex interrelations of ecological, economic and social factors. Of equal importance are the individual farmers’ objectives. However, their relevance has been rarely considered in analyses of management decisions in farming systems. This study systematically analyses the role of farmers’ objectives in their decision-making under various climatic conditions, with dryland grazing systems as a case study.We develop a generic ecological–economic simulation model to compare the performance of a range of fixed grazing strategies under two objectives: (i) maximising expected utility under risk-aversion and (ii) achieving stochastic viability (‘safety-first’). We investigate combined effects of several management components in rotational grazing systems and assess the robustness of the results under different climate scenarios.The two objectives considered have structurally different outcomes. The evaluation under the objective to maximise (risk-averse) expected utility indicates a trade-off between mean income and income variability under which farmers would choose one individually optimal management strategy depending on their risk preferences. In contrast, a whole set of strategies is viable under the safety-first objective. Thus, it offers a solution space for decision-support rather than selecting a single optimal strategy.Under both objectives, economically preferable strategies share common characteristics: Short standing time, large paddock number and reasonably high stocking rate improve the efficiency of a farm enterprise in terms of higher mean income, lower variance, coverage of certain minimum income requirements while preserving pasture quality.Synthesis and applications. The outcomes of this study contribute to both management support at the farm scale and policy advice at the regional scale and beyond. An insight of practical relevance for individual farmers is that a strategy type with high-intensity, shor

The article approaches knowledges and biodiversity maintenance among ecological farmers in the west of Santa Catarina state, Brazil. The intellectual property rights have had direct effects onseed production. Between patents and other systems of control, family farmers deny treating life as a «resource». This paper has adouble aim: firstly, to analyze the intellectual property international panorama over biodiversity and knowledge; secondly, to examine practices of organic smallholders engaged to Rede Ecovida de Agroecologia (an organic farming network born in the southern Brazil) related to alternative forms of knowledge management and production of patent-free seeds. The result is the action which parallels the critique of the decrease on the availability of crop varieties and the effort to multiply seeds and knowledges throughout networks and agro-biodiversity centres., Este artículo examina la relación entre los conocimientos y la preservaciónde la agrobiodiversidad de agricultores ecológicos del oeste de Santa Catarina, Brasil. Los derechos de propiedad intelectual han tenido efectos directos sobre la producción de semillas. Entre patentes y otras formas de controles, agricultores familiares y actores conexos no aceptan tratar la vida como un «recurso». Este trabajo tiene un doble objetivo: primero, analizar el panorama internacional de la propiedad intelectual sobre la biodiversidad y la producción de conocimientos, y segundo, examinar las acciones de agricultores vinculados con Ecovida —red de agroecología compuesta por agricultores, consumidores y mediadores sociales en el sur del Brasil— para inventar formas alternativas de gestión de los saberes y de semillas «libres». El resultado es una acción paralela de crítica al estrechamiento de la base genética y un esfuerzo por la multiplicación de semillas y saberes por medio de redes y centros de agrobiodiversidad.

The sugar plantation zone of Pernambuco, Brazil, with a conservative culture forged out of chattel slave history, has been the most challenging region for the Brazilian landless peasants movement to penetrate in order to implement agrarian reform. The movement founded the Frei Gondim Settlement in the heart of the region in 1994 in order to present an alternative to the pollution of sugar monoculture and the injustices of landlessness around it. This thesis holds that the settlement represents a true alternative, but that the juxtaposition of a settlement socially isolated from its surroundings with a mode of production in which cooperation is limited creates challenges for economic and ecological sustainability. I submitted ethnographic data I collected on the settlement to the Netting Model, a test of family farmer success. An important part of my data was derived from an ethnobotanical study of native Atlantic Rainforest medicinal plants on the settlement.'