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Agroecological management is considered a model of sustainable agriculture that off ers social, environmental and economic benefits. The hypotheses of this study were that agroecological production systems can promote changes in the physical fractions of soil organic matter (SOM) associated with aggregates of different origins, and that the greater diversity of plant species in the production system may favour an increase in the carbon concentration of these aggregates. The aim of this study was to a) determine the mass of the free light fraction (FLF), intra-aggregate light fraction (ILF) and light organic matter fraction (LOM) of biogenic and physiogenic soil aggregates; and b) quantify the organic carbon content of the three light SOM fractions and the residual particulate SOM fraction. Five production systems were evaluated: AgF -- Agroforestry system; CSun -- Coff ee grown in full sun; CSha -- Coffee grown in shade; FLE -- Flemingia grown in alleys; and NT -- No-tillage. The aggregates were separated, identified and classified according to their origin or formation pathway into biogenic (formed by biological processes) or physiogenic aggregates (resulting from chemical and physical actions). From these, the mass and carbon content of the FLF, ILF, LOM and residual particulate fractions were quantified. The greater diversity of plant species found in the AgF system has not yet favoured an increase in the carbon content of the aggregates. The longer set-up time and the management practices of the CSun system has led to an increase in the carbon content of the organic fractions of the aggregates (3.44-1.63 g kg-1 for C-LOM; 1.93-1.13 g kg-1 for C-FLF). The lowest overall mean values for LOM and ILF were found mainly in the aggregates of the NT system (1.22-1.67 and 1.55-2.20 g kg-1, respectively), being associated with the shorter time and greater mobilisation of the arable layer. Biogenic aggregation aff orded the highest overall mean values for LOM, and increased the mass of the light fractions (15.5%-27.8% for FLF; 23.4%-8.0% for ILF) and the carbon in the C-LOM, C-FLF and residual particulate fractions (42.3%, 12.9%, and 35.0%, respectively) in the surface layer, suggesting an improvement in soil quality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The adoption of agroecological and related alternative farming practices is frequently cited as a viable strategy for fostering transformative change within agricultural and food systems. This study investigates the role of agroecology as a pathway of transformation of small-scale agriculture in the Colombian Andes. Drawing upon the "three spheres" model of transformation, which encompasses interactions between the personal, practical, and political spheres, the study explores motivations, actions, and political implications associated with the adoption of agroecology in three sites within the Bogotá region. The study employs a qualitative methodology, including in-depth farmer interviews and participant observation. Study findings highlight a range of economic, cultural, and ecological motivations within the personal sphere, all of which are driving farmers toward adoption of agroecology. These motivations, many of which are rooted in an ethics of care and connection, manifest in the practical sphere through actions including soil care, plant care, and care of seeds. Within the political sphere, these actions are contributing to micropolitical changes that are fostering broader shifts toward sustainable local food systems. Taken together, these findings suggest that agroecological practices can offer a viable pathway for addressing the current challenges in agriculture, promising a more sustainable and socially just future for small-scale farming. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT Agroecological management is considered a model of sustainable agriculture that offers social, environmental and economic benefits. The hypotheses of this study were that agroecological production systems can promote changes in the physical fractions of soil organic matter (SOM) associated with aggregates of different origins, and that the greater diversity of plant species in the production system may favour an increase in the carbon concentration of these aggregates. The aim of this study was to a) determine the mass of the free light fraction (FLF), intra-aggregate light fraction (ILF) and light organic matter fraction (LOM) of biogenic and physiogenic soil aggregates; and b) quantify the organic carbon content of the three light SOM fractions and the residual particulate SOM fraction. Five production systems were evaluated: AgF - Agroforestry system; CSun - Coffee grown in full sun; CSha - Coffee grown in shade; FLE - Flemingia grown in alleys; and NT - No-tillage. The aggregates were separated, identified and classified according to their origin or formation pathway into biogenic (formed by biological processes) or physiogenic aggregates (resulting from chemical and physical actions). From these, the mass and carbon content of the FLF, ILF, LOM and residual particulate fractions were quantified. The greater diversity of plant species found in the AgF system has not yet favoured an increase in the carbon content of the aggregates. The longer set-up time and the management practices of the CSun system has led to an increase in the carbon content of the organic fractions of the aggregates (3.44-1.63 g kg-1 for C-LOM; 1.93-1.13 g kg-1 for C-FLF). The lowest overall mean values for LOM and ILF were found mainly in the aggregates of the NT system (1.22-1.67 and 1.55-2.20 g kg-1, respectively), being associated with the shorter time and greater mobilisation of the arable layer. Biogenic aggregation afforded the highest overall mean values for LOM, and increased the mass of the light fractions (15.5%-27.8% for FLF; 23.4%-8.0% for ILF) and the carbon in the C-LOM, C-FLF and residual particulate fractions (42.3%, 12.9%, and 35.0%, respectively) in the surface layer, suggesting an improvement in soil quality.

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A management plan based on Integrated and Sustainable Agroecological Production (Pais) technology for the cultivation of medicinal plants, through a case study. The Swot-AHP technique was adopted to evaluateproblems to agroecological cultivation, indicating stages of the implementation work, before the physical structuring of the project, integrated with a participative social action with employees of the institution who revealed the use of 64 medicinal plants, highlighting boldo, lemongrass, and lemon balm, while 174 plant species were identified in official Brazilian documents. The lack of electricity and funding delays by funders are the most significant problems, while the space for work and gardening courses are the best potential. The integration of these data has proposed the implementation of teams for fundraising and project implementation, based on a list of medicinal species to compose the future structure made with Pais social technology.

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

Copyright of Revista NERA is the property of Revista NERA and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

With the aim of producing potato tubers from the botanical seed for later reproduction for consumption, an experiment was carried out at the National Institute of Agricultural Sciences (INCA). Organic nutritional variants were included: soil plus manure and soil plus earthworm humus in a 2:1 ratio and a soil core without additives. In the seedbed at 15 days had already germinated 100 % of the seeds planted. In conditions of stonemasons the plant height was higher with the manure, doubling the control, the yield in number of tubers per plant and total mass were efficient in both variants, although the manure seems to exceed it. The inclusion of charcoal in worm humus showed no influence on the compound. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this article is to perform a comparative exercise of the creation of values and production costs, taking as an object the cultivation of lettuce in a conventional peasant production and another agroecological production. From there, a part of the theory of value-work based on Marx is put into discussion to try to show which of the two types of cultivation work, measured in time, is greater. Based on this, an analysis of the real production costs is made and it is intended to contribute to the discussion of the trend towards the elitization of agroecological products.

Organic solid wastes are rarely considered when planning for rural production in Argentina. Onion production in the low valley of Río Colorado (Buenos Aires) generates between 12,000 and 20,000 Mg year−1 of vegetal wastes (i.e., leaves, stems, skins, roots) from harvesting, cleaning and classification of bulbs, causing many problems with their management. The aim of this work is to study the effect of different doses of onion residue-bovine manure compost and onion residue-bovine manure compost tea on the soil physicochemical properties, microbial activity and agroecological onion production in sandy soil. Results showed that the highest dose of compost caused the highest effects on soil pH, electrical conductivity and nutrient content. Soil enzymatic activities were already high in the soil before the compost was applied, which may have contributed to the small effect caused by any dose on soil activity. A significant positive effect on bulb weight and organic onion yield were found as a result of the amendment and growing season. In conclusion, agroecological production of onion with the addition of a 300 kg N ha−1 compost and compost tea guarantee yields comparable to those of conventional fertilization, as occurred during the two growing seasons of this study.

Copyright of Revista de Ciencias Sociales (13159518) is the property of Revista de Ciencias Sociales de la Universidad del Zulia Venezuela and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The adoption of agroecological and related alternative farming practices is frequently cited as a viable strategy for fostering transformative change within agricultural and food systems. This study investigates the role of agroecology as a pathway of transformation of small-scale agriculture in the Colombian Andes. Drawing upon the "three spheres" model of transformation, which encompasses interactions between the personal, practical, and political spheres, the study explores motivations, actions, and political implications associated with the adoption of agroecology in three sites within the Bogotá region. The study employs a qualitative methodology, including in-depth farmer interviews and participant observation. Study findings highlight a range of economic, cultural, and ecological motivations within the personal sphere, all of which are driving farmers toward adoption of agroecology. These motivations, many of which are rooted in an ethics of care and connection, manifest in the practical sphere through actions including soil care, plant care, and care of seeds. Within the political sphere, these actions are contributing to micropolitical changes that are fostering broader shifts toward sustainable local food systems. Taken together, these findings suggest that agroecological practices can offer a viable pathway for addressing the current challenges in agriculture, promising a more sustainable and socially just future for small-scale farming. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Identify the national landscape of research on long supply circuits as a driving force for agroecology in Mexico. Methodology: Five databases were used to search for articles published between 2017 and 2023 using keywords such as "long supply circuit" and "agroecology". Theoretical and practical findings: A referential analysis was obtained on the relationship between long supply circuits and agroecology in the maize system in Mexico, highlighting a research gap. Transdisciplinarity and sustainability innovation originality: This recent and updated study contributes to state of the art in applying agroecology and long supply circuit in agricultural production systems. Conclusions and limitations: More research is needed on long supply chains as a tool to promote the efficiency of agroecological systems at a commercial scale. The literature primarily focuses on short supply chains as an alternative to the agro-industrial system and as a tool for sustainable economic and social development at the local level [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Biological soil attributes have shown to be good indicators of soil changes as a result of the management function. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of using cover crops, as well as planting and tillage systems on the biological attributes of a yellowish red latosol soil. Soil samples were taken at 0 to 0.10 m depth, seven days before the bean harvest. Microbial biomass carbon and nitrogen, basal soil respiration, metabolic ratio and total enzyme activity were evaluated in this study. The best agroecological management was achieved under the association of the ground cover with millet and in direct seeding because they showed higher soil microbial biomass carbon and nitrogen content and lower metabolic quotient, being pork bean the best plant coverage. All biological soil attributes were sensitive to the tillage system, which showed the best results of the total enzyme activity and of the soil metabolic quotient which resulted to be the most efficient.

Agroecological production is a comprehensive framework for sustainable use of biodiversity that also supports productivity and resilience. Farmers benefit from diversified systems through increased economic resilience, reduced dependence on agricultural inputs. Agroecological models in the sustainable agriculture strand are characterized into organic; organic; biodynamic; and permaculture farming, households are vital for transition to more sustainable models of agriculture. The present work aimed at describing the agro-ecological model of the family sector, for which, with recourse to random sampling, surveys were carried out among 200 households in the communities of the district of Pemba-Metuge in the localities of Metuge-sede (Nacuta) and Mieze, of the district of Gondola in the localities of Gondola sede and Inchope on the traditional and/or local knowledge of the forms of production. Maize was the main crop in all areas (100%), cassava is grown more in Nacuta (94%), Gondola (84%), Inchope (65%) and Mieze (44%). Rainfed agriculture was the type of crop most used by households with frequencies of 98% (Mieze), 94% (Nacuta), 93% (Inchope), with the most frequent intercropping (29.40%) consisting of maize, cassava and groundnut. The productive characteristics of the communities evidenced the non-use of any agricultural supplements resembling the organic production model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The general purpose of this article is to contribute to a broader comprehension of collective grassroots processes that generate effective social and environmental transformations in the practices of urban communities. We start with a brief analysis of the concept of ‘ecological footprint’, which has been widely used as a way of measuring sustainability. It will be shown, however, that there are limitations to the calculations of the ecological footprint, some of which are directly related to agroecological forms of production. Various environmental and social benefits of community agroecological production in the cities are then described and the importance of grassroots forms of organisation is reinforced. In the last sections we present the activities, results and challenges of an urban collective project developed in the city of Morelia, Mexico. The ways in which the Jícara Project changed community practices in reference to the production and use of resources, mental habits, communicative styles, and forms of collective organisation are discussed. In conclusion, we argue that the ecological, intellective and relational transformations promoted by the Jícara Project offer us a proof of what can be achieved through grassroots self-organised urban collectives.

O trabalho foi desenvolvido em duas etapas: a produção de mudas de couve-chinesa em bandejas e posterior transplante para o campo, objetivando avaliar o desempenho de diferentes substratos sobre o desenvolvimento da cultura. Para isso determinou-se, tanto na fase de formação das mudas, quanto nas plantas adultas, o comprimento da parte aérea, número de folhas, comprimento da raiz, massa seca da parte aérea, massa seca da raiz e diâmetro do coleto. A etapa de produção de mudas foi conduzida em ambiente protegido, com os seguintes tratamentos: T0 substrato comercial Plantmax® (HA); T1: 100% composto; T2: 95% composto + 2,5% areia + 2,5% pó de rocha; T3: 90% composto + 3% areia + 7% de pó de rocha e T4: 85% composto + 6% areia + 9% pó de rocha. Na produção de mudas, os substratos orgânicos, formulados com 100% e 85% composto, apresentaram melhores resultados, aos 15 e 28 DAS, respectivamente. Os resultados de campo demonstraram que adição de pó de rocha é um fator determinante no desempenho das mudas, sendo os melhores resultados obtidos nas parcelas cultivadas com mudas obtidas nos substratos formulados com 7 e 9% de pó de basalto.The research was carried out in two stages: the production of seedlings of chinese cabbage in trays with subsequent transplantation for the field, aiming to evaluate the performance of different substrates on the culture development. For this reason it was determined, both at the stage of formation of the seedlings, as in adult plants the length of the aerial part, number of leaves, root length, dry mass of the aerial part, root dry mass and diameter of the root collar. The experiment was conducted in a protected environment with the following treatments: T0 Plantmax substrate® (HA); T1: 100% compound; T2: 95% compost + 2.5% sand + 2.5% rock powder; T3: 90% compost + 3% sand + 7% powdered rock and T4: 85% compost + 6% sand + 9% rock powder. In the production of seedlings, the organic substrates formulated with 100% and 85% compound, had better results, the 15 and 28, respectively. The results of field have shown that the addition of rock powder is a determinant factor in the performance of seedlings, with the best results in the plots cultivated with seedlings obtained in the substrates formulated with 7 and 9% of basalt powder.

O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar a influência de sistemas de manejo agroecológico sobre os atributos físicos e químicos de um Argissolo Vermelho-Amarelo. Foram selecionadas as seguintes áreas: preparo convencional (milho/feijão); plantio direto (berinjela/milho); consórcio maracujá/Desmodium sp.; área cultivada com figo; e sistema agroflorestal (SAF). Amostras indeformadas de solo foram coletadas em duas profundidades (0-5 e 5-10 cm) e em duas épocas (verão/2005 e inverno/2006). As propriedades edáficas analisadas foram: densidade do solo (Ds); volume total de poros; diâmetro médio ponderado (DMP) e diâmetro médio geométrico (DMG) de agregados; pH, Al, Ca+Mg, K, H+Al, P e carbono orgânico total (COT). Os maiores valores de Ds, P e K foram verificados na área de figo. O sistema milho/feijão apresentou os menores valores de DMP e DMG. Os maiores valores de DMP e DMG foram observados nos sistemas maracujá/Desmodium e berinjela/milho. As diferenças entre os valores de COT foram maiores à profundidade de 5-10 cm. O SAF apresentou maiores percentuais de porosidade total. A análise de componentes principais mostrou que a área cultivada com figo está associada a maiores índices de fertilidade do solo.The objective of this study was to evaluate the influence of agroecological management systems on physical and chemical attributes of an Udult soil. The following areas were selected: conventional tillage (corn/beans); no tillage (eggplant/corn); consortium of passion fruit/Desmodium sp.; fig cultivation; and an agroforestry system (AFS). The undisturbed soil samples were taken from two layers (0-5 and 5-10 cm) and in two periods, the summer of 2005 and the winter of 2006. The soil properties analyzed were: bulk density (Ds), total pore volume, mean weight diameter (MWD) and mean geometric diameter (MGD) of aggregates, pH, Al, Ca+Mg, K, H+Al, P, and total organic carbon (TOC). The highest values of Ds, P and K were observed in the fig area. The system with corn/beans had the lowest MWD and MGD values. The highest values of MWD and MGD were observed in the passion fruit/Desmodium and eggplant/corn systems. Differences in TOC were greater at the 5-10 cm depth. Soil in the AFS had the highest percentage of total porosity. The analysis of main components showed that the area cultivated with fig had the highest soil fertility.