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The coffee crop is one of the most important farming systems for Colombia, allowing its economic development and recognition, as well as allowing the substitution of illicit crops, as occurred in the south of Meta department. However, due to the armed conflict in this region, research hadn't been carried out focused on estimating the effect of coffee production on soil microbial and enzymatic activity, and likewise, very little research generally considers the effect of the agronomic practices on these variables. Considering the above, 40 semi-structured surveys were conducted with coffee growers to identify their agronomic practices. Additionally, soil sampling was carried out in each of the farms, where the age and type of associated crop in each coffee crop were considered, taking at least three random samples from each of the coffee crops visited, for a total of 150 samples collected. To select the explanatory variables (agronomic practices) of greatest relevance concerning the response variables, a principal components analysis was carried out, which allowed redundant variables to be eliminated, and non-collinearity was also verified. Likewise, the farmer's perception of the identification of dry season, organic carbon, pH, soil particle size distribution, and acidity were selected as covariates. For the response variables, the enzymes related to the C, P, and S nutrient cycling (Beta-glucosidase, acid and alkali phosphatase, and arylsulfatase, respectively) and dehydrogenase were measured. We also recorded the cumulated microbial respiration and the basal respiration rate. To analyze the effect of explanatory variables and covariates, a partial redundancy analysis was used, which allowed us to identify that the covariates represented 23% of the variability in soil microbial and enzymatic activity, while the agronomic practices explained 33%. Finally, a statistically significant model (p < 0.001) could be identified that managed to explain 27.2% of the variabil

Assessing the conditions and performance of agroecological transitions in different contexts is key to supporting these transitions. However, assessing agroecological transitions presents methodological challenges, including: 1) being adaptable to local conditions, 2) consideration of social interactions among stakeholders involved in transitions, 3) clarifying the concept of agroecology, 4) consideration of the temporal dynamics of the transitions to better understand barriers and levers in their development, and 5) using a participatory bottom-up approach. The objective of this research was to design a method that provided evidence on 1) the barriers and levers in the development of agroecological transitions, and 2) their performance related to four dimensions: techno-economic issues, agroecosystem health, quality of life and resilience. To design, test and adapt such a method, while also involving end-users, we adopted a co-design approach based on prototyping. The co-design approach unfolded in nine stages alternating research work and co-design with end-users. The prototype was built on the approaches of existing published methods covering the five challenges for assessing agroecological transitions. It consisted of a four chronological step assessment method. The first three steps consisted of framing the assessment, with the final step a multidimensional performance assessment, using an initial set of 73 indicators to cover the four dimensions. The prototype was then tested and adapted in the village of Sare Boubou, Senegal, which is going through an agroecological transition supported by a non-governmental organization. Changes during the testing and adaptation phase affected three steps of the prototype and allowed the initial prototype to adapt to the case study's specificities, related to its scale and context. Context-related changes particularly affected the performance assessment, with a total of 31 indicators changed. The analysis of barriers and lev

By mapping the potential interactions between two conceptual frameworks of agroecology (HLPE 2019) and food systems (David-Benz et al. 2022), and by analysing the scientific literature focusing on the agroecology/food system interface, a wide variety of links has been identified between 13 agroecological principles and 4 sustainability dimensions of food systems. They illustrate the multidisciplinary of these subjects and the potential contribution of the agroecological transition towards more sustainable food systems. Food security, nutrition and health on the one hand, and the agroecological principles of biodiversity, co-creation of knowledge and social values on the other hand, appear to be the most treated aspects of the interface. On the contrary, other agroecological principles and sustainability dimensions of food systems need further research. These include among others the equity within food systems and the principles of land and resources governance, input reduction, recycling and economic diversification. The farm/agricultural system scale is the most covered segment of food value chains, while mid-stream segments would benefit from being further explored, just like multi-scales/multi-dimensional/multi-actors research is needed to allow deeper understanding of systems and trade-offs. The key findings of this report are expected to usefully assist and guide further research relevant to the agroecological transition towards sustainable food systems.

Recently, the State of Ceará was affected by a severe multi-year drought (2012-2018) that had devastating consequences for various sectors of society. This drought has hinted at that current water resources management is not so resilient in the face of drought. Consequently, a paradigm shift has emerged in the State and a multi-level cross-sectorial water governance model is being constructed in the scope of the Sertões project. This communication presents the main points that led to this paradigm shift and the challenges and steps in progress for implementing this innovative water governance model.

The last multi-year drought (2012-2018) in Ceará has challenged the human water supply, the agricultural development and the water resource management of the State. This drought has triggered an increase in the construction of individual small dams which may compete with State strategic dams for human water supply. However, these small dams are part of a logic of multiple water uses and how they contribute to agricultural development have been poorly documented. The objective of this communication is to look at these individual small dams in a systemic and territorial perspective and to understand how they fit into the current agricultural trajectories. We show how the strong dynamic of dairy development has driven a process of intensification for fodder production in lowland and infiltration areas around dams: these areas are beneficiated from the humidity of soil and thus can be cultivated during the dry season, becoming a strong productive advantage. We emphasize the need of finding trade-offs between upstream-downstream and macro-micro water infrastructures and more broadly between socio-economic local development and water security for human supply. Finally, we highlight the importance of working on a model of territorial water governance.

Agroecology is seen as the most promising approach to overcome the daunting economic, environmental and social challenges that agriculture is currently facing. Yet, there is a lack of systemic, multiscale and multidimensional assessments of agroecological transitions (GTAE, 2018; Wiget et al., 2020). Research is also needed to gather evidence from and communicate about stories of success and failures to draw lessons on how to accelerate these transitions (Dendoncker et al. 2018). Assessing agroecological transitions presents many methodological challenges related to their complexity. The aim of this study was to develop and apply an innovative multiscale and multidimensional assessment method that overcomes the methodological challenges of the assessment of agroecological transitions. This innovative method builds on a systematic review of existing assessment methods, through which we identified 14 methods. Using the characteristics of these 14 methods, our method articulates different steps, encompassing various scales: 1) a contextualisation step depicting the socio-economic and environmental context and analysing the level of agroecological transition and its development conditions, 2) a multicriteria assessment of the multidimensional impacts at the field, individual, household, farm and landscape levels, and 3) a multistakeholder multicriteria assessment of the impacts at the territory scale. A total of 61 indicators were calculated for the multicriteria assessment: 53 at the field, farm and landscape levels that enabled to reveal technical performance, social aspects and environmental impacts and resilience, and 8 at the individual level that allowed to assess individual well-being. We applied the method in a case study in Eastern Senegal, in the village of Sare Boubou, located in the Tambacounda region. Supported by a Senegalese NGO, the village is going through an agroecological transition with the aim of improving households' self-sufficiency. The applicati

Designing innovative cropping systems is an active field of agricultural research challenged by the agroecological transition. One of the challenges is to adapt cropping systems to the diversity of farms and contexts. For instance, in the cotton production zone of Burkina Faso differences between farm resources, agricultural situations and agronomic constraints have resulted in a wide range of farming systems. In this context, to break with the trend toward cotton production, we co-designed eight legume-based innovative cropping systems (ICS) likely to meet the objectives sought and the constraints faced by a wide range of local farmers, thus constituting a “basket of options”. Our approach was to enable each farmer to choose the option they considered best suited to their conditions. To that end, the ICSs were implemented and discussed with farmers in participatory prototyping trials. After one season of co-evaluating the different ICSs, the farmers taking part in the co-evaluation were able to test an ICS on their own farm, by choosing and adapting one of the options. Thirty-nine farmers out of seventy-three chose an ICS to test. They were asked the reasons for their choice. Their selection criteria were analyzed in relation to comments made during collective activities organized in the participatory prototyping trials. To complete this analysis, we built an expert-based farming system typology and a statistical typology based on data collected in a rural household multi-indicator survey (RHoMIS) of 63 farms participating in this study. The two farming system typologies were compared, and the relationships between farming system types and the ICS tested on the farm were analyzed. We found that farmers did not really base their choice on their farming system. Rather, they used a wide range of criteria that varied from farmer to farmer, and they were influenced by what they had learned during the collective activities organized in the participatory prototyping trial

Le premier bilan d'étape de l'impact de l'initiative de la Grande Muraille Verte (GMV) au Sahel (septembre 2021) met en évidence l'urgence d'actions coordonnées, impliquant tous les acteurs, pour atteindre les ambitions annoncées en 2007. Aujourd'hui elles ne sont pas au rendez-vous. Pour soutenir l'Agence Panafricaine de la Grande Muraille Verte, l'Accélérateur GMV a été créé en 20211 afin d'assurer un soutien plus coordonné aux États membres, aux structures et aux institutions de la GMV par une approche multi-acteur et structurée basée sur cinq piliers2. Ce texte met en avant les enjeux de co-construction de connaissances à approfondir et de processus à développer au service des projets GMV. Il est illustré par quelques exemples de projets montrant la pertinence de la recherche scientifique dans la mise en oeuvre et l'atteinte des objectifs GMV.

To promote greater sustainability in agriculture, development of agroecology is increasingly being invoked. What are the conditions for establishing agroecological production in tropical regions? Based upon case studies in several tropical areas, we provide here some answers to this question. We review the “pillars” (i.e. principles) and the “implementation levers” (i.e., tools) for the development of agroecology. We identify three main pillars: (1) the mobilization and management of ecological processes for the sustainable production and the resilience of agroecosystems; (2) the development of interactions between technical, social, environmental, and institutional components of agroecosystems for a holistic approach to agroecology; and (3) the scaling up of agroecology that takes place with a plurality of actions and pathways at different organization levels rather than an increase in resources and a replication of standardized technical processes. To implement these three pillars, we identify 11 main bio-technical, cognitive, socio-political, and organizational levers. Bio-technical levers include those for (1) mobilizing complementarity between crop species to optimize natural resources use, (2) mobilizing functional biodiversity at the plot scale to optimize natural regulation of pests and diseases, (3) managing biodiversity at landscape and territorial scales, (4) increasing the efficiency of biogeochemical cycles, and (5) renewing targets for genetic improvement. Cognitive, socio-political, and organizational levers include those for (6) political and institutional action at the national and global level, (7) action at the local level to support producers, (8) political and organizational action at the territorial level, (9) the marketing and the development of new agri-chains, (10) the development of new methods for evaluating production systems, and (11) the recognition of the values of gender and generation within families and other organisational levels.

In the cotton-production zone of Burkina Faso, poor soil fertility and limited access to appropriate fertilizers call for alternative approaches to sustain productivity, such as the introduction of more legumes into the agroecosystem. Legumes have nearly disappeared from local cropping systems under the pressure of the cotton monocropping model. To develop new legume-based cropping systems using a bottom-up approach, this study was based on local farmers' agroecological innovations. In a first step, called on-farm innovation tracking, five innovative legume-based cropping systems were identified and characterized on farms located in the study area through interviews with “innovative farmers” who had designed and implemented these cropping systems: (i) Sorghum and legume (cowpea, soybean or peanut) intercropping in rotation with maize or cotton; (ii) Soybean as a cash crop in rotation with maize or cotton; (iii) Red cowpea intra-annual succession with a biomass crop; (iv) Mucuna in rotation with maize; and (v) Pigeon pea in rotation with maize. In a second step, these five “innovative cropping systems” (ICSs) were implemented in “participatory prototyping trials” (PPTs) in two communities located in the study area were they were evaluated during field days by local farmers (“field-day farmers”) having no previous experience with ICSs. By comparing evaluations made by innovative farmers with those of field-day farmers, it was shown that (i) locally implemented ICSs adapted to local drivers of change are of great interest to other farmers, and (ii) the study's two-step participatory approach is an original and relevant way to co-design and introduce innovations.

Tropical Savannas cover an area of approximately 1.9 billion hectares around the word and are subject to regular fires every 1 to 4 years. This study aimed to evaluate the influence of burning windrow wood from Cerrado (Brazilian Savanna) deforestation on the spatial variability of soil chemical properties, in the field. The data were analysed by using geostatistical methods. The semivariograms for pH(H2O), pH(CaCl2), Ca, Mg and K were calculated according to spherical models, whereas the phosphorus showed a nugget effect. The cross semi-variograms showed correlations between pH(H2O) and pH(CaCl2) with other variables with spatial dependence (exchangeable Ca and Mg and available K). The spatial variability maps for the pH(H2O), pH(CaCl2), Ca, Mg and K concentrations also showed similar patterns of spatial variability, indicating that burning the vegetation after deforestation caused a well-defined spatial arrangement. Even after 20 years of use with agriculture, the spatial distribution of pH(H2O), pH(CaCl2), Ca, Mg and available K was affected by the wood windrow burning that took place during the initial deforestation.

L'agroécologie fait l'objet d'un intérêt grandissant comme moyen de progresser vers une agriculture et des systèmes alimentaires plus durables. Cependant, les preuves de la contribution de l'agroécologie à la durabilité restent fragmentées en raison de méthodes et de données hétérogènes, d'échelles différentes et de lacunes dans la recherche. Pour faire face à ces défis, 70 représentants d'organisations liées à l'agroécologie dans le monde ont participé au développement de l'Outil pour l'Évaluation des Performances de l'Agroécologie (TAPE de son acronyme en Anglais), afin de produire et de consolider des preuves sur les performances multidimensionnelles des systèmes agroécologiques. TAPE est un cadre analytique global qui utilise l'agroécologie pour mesurer la durabilité et la performance multi-dimensionnelle des systèmes agricoles. Basé sur les 10 Éléments de l'Agroécologie et étroitement lié aux Objectifs de Développement Durable, TAPE peut être utilisé, entre autres, pour caractériser le niveau de transition agroécologique de tout type de système agricole, pour suivre et évaluer les impacts de projets de développement durable, et/ou pour évaluer comment l'agroécologie contribue à la réalisation des ODD. Son application peut soutenir la co-création et le partage des connaissances entre les producteurs, favoriser l'adoption de pratiques de production plus durables et inspirer la formulation de politiques publiques qui soutiennent les transitions agroécologiques. Les résultats préliminaires des applications pilotes montrent que TAPE peut fonctionner dans une variété de régions et d'agroécosystèmes et qu'il permet d'évaluer les performances de divers critères qui vont au-delà des indicateurs classiques pour commencer à construire une base de données globale pour l'agroécologie et soutenir la transformation vers une production agricole et des systèmes alimentaires durables.

There is increasing interest in agroecology as a way to move toward more sustainable agriculture and food systems. However, the evidence of agroecology's contribution to sustainability remains fragmented because of heterogeneous methods and data, differing scales and timeframes, and knowledge gaps. Facing these challenges, 70 representatives of agroecology-related organizations worldwide participated in the development of the Tool for Agroecology Performance Evaluation (TAPE), to produce and consolidate evidence on the multidimensional performances of agroecological systems. TAPE is composed of: Step 0, the preliminary step that includes a description of the main socio-economic and demographic characteristics of the agricultural and food systems and an analysis of the enabling environment in terms of relevant policy, market, technology, socio-cultural and/or historical drivers; Step 1, the Characterization of Agroecological Transitions (CAET), based on the 10 Elements of Agroecology adopted by FAO and its member countries, using descriptive scales to establish scores and assessing the degree of transition, with information from the farm/household and community/territory scale; Step 2, the Core Criteria of Performance listing the key dimensions considered relevant to address the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs): Environment & climate change; Health & nutrition; Society & culture; Economy and Governance. Finally Step 3, a participatory validation of the results obtained from the previous steps with the producers and relevant stakeholders. TAPE can be used (i) to assess the extent of agroecological transition among agricultural producers in a community or a territory, (ii) to monitor and evaluate projects by characterizing the initialand subsequent steps in an agroecological transition, and/or (iii) to evaluate widely diverse agricultural systems against agroecological elements and how they contribute to the achievement of the SDGs. Its application can support the

This report represents the initial effort to structure existing knowledge about agroecology as farming and food system in support of the EC Knowledge Centre on Food and Nutrition Security (https://ec.europa.eu/knowledge4policy/global-food-nutrition-security_en). Scientific literature has been screened on a selection of developing countries in which food and nutrition security and sustainable agriculture represent a focal sector for EU intervention (Benin, Burkina Faso, Cuba, Ethiopia, Ghana, Guatemala, Kenya, Lao PDR, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Nicaragua, Niger, Senegal, Tanzania, Togo, Zimbabwe). In total, 172 documents have been synthesised, a country brief has been prepared for each investigated country, and some general conclusions have been drawn. Overall, the majority of analysed publications focuses on small scale, extensive farming systems that produce food at subsistence levels and for sale on local markets. This includes smallholder farming producing staple crops (millet, sorghum, yam, etc.) or vegetable gardening for local markets. The agroecological practices that are mostly studied are: agroforestry, intercropping (or mixed cropping), introduction of legumes in rotations, soil and water conservation practices (mulching, return of crop residues, zaï holes etc.), use of animal manure, biocontrol methods to mitigate chemical pesticide use. At least 50% of the analysed papers report a positive contribution of agroecological practices to food security, mostly due to improved yields and/or a better economic situation of producers. The improvement of soil quality is key to improve yields and consequently income and food security; this can be achieved using various practices including the use of residue mulch from tree leaves in agroforestry, as well as crop mixtures or intercropping and longer more diversified crop rotations. Moreover, higher on-farm crop species diversity often results in more diversified diets. Diversified crop systems, including the introduc