Advancing Food Security through Agroecological Technologies: The Implementation of the Biointensive Method in the Dry Corridor of Nicaragua

Abstract

In contrast with international food assistance programs, or with the new green revolution based on the sustainable intensification of agriculture, this work proposes an agroecological technology to overcome food insecurity problems in countries like Nicaragua, most especially in rural areas. In particular, it analyzes the effects of implementing the biointensive method—an agroecological food production initiative that is highly labor-intensive, but requires little land—in various communities of the Dry Corridor in Nicaragua. This project is the result of establishing an international consortium for development cooperation where grassroots communities played a prominent role. The main results are an improvement in local food security and a strengthening of the communities’ capacity to face major challenges arising from poverty and climate change, the effects of which are increasingly noticeable in Central America. The main weakness identified is that the necessary tropicalization of the method has not been sufficiently tested, for a two-year period is too short a time to transform the prevailing rural development dynamics significantly.

Agroecological public policies to mitigate climate change: public food procurement for school canteens in the municipality of Ames (Galicia, Spain)

“…In this sense, some regional or local governments and initiatives, like the one carried out in Ames, are using public food procurement to foster change in "how" food is produced, encouraging the purchase of organic and/ or peasant food (Borsatto et al 2019;Nuutila, Risku-Norja, and Arolaakso 2019) because in-farm production is the phase in the life cycle of school meals creating the most environmental pressure (GHG emissions) (Laurentiis et al 2019;Jungbluth, Keller, and König 2016). Incorporating the technical and economic principles of agroecology (Sevilla-Guzmán and Soler 2010) has the potential of not only mitigating GHG emissions, but favoring biodiversity conservation (Altieri 2002), increasing soil organic matter (Simón, Montero, and Bermúdez 2020), decreasing dependency on fossil fuels (SOCLA 2015), maintaining ecosystem services, and reducing pollution associated with agricultural practices, among other effects. (Aguilera et al 2020).…”

Modeling Crop Production under Climate Change in Southeast Nigeria: Agroecology as a Response

“…In some other parts of Africa such as Kenya and Tanzania, we have seen how effective Agroecology and indigenous knowledge can be in fostering sustainable agriculture among smallholder farmers through soil fertility improvement (Simon, Montero, and Bermudez, 2020), drought control (Botelho, Cardoso and Otsuki, 2016) and platform for social interactions among farmer (Silici, 2014). The emphasis should now shift from the big-scale transformation approach to the small-scale improvement strategy approach, which is attuned to Nigerian age-long farm practice.…”

Thermal Simulation of a Screenhouse Proposed for Fruit and Vegetable Production in the Lowlands of Panama

“…In countries such as Panama, there are factors that generate great concern among stakeholders in the agricultural sector, one of which is the vulnerability of subsistence agricultural systems to the adverse effects of climate change. This has a negative effect on the food security of the current population, an effect that will be even more critical for the future population levels [1,2].…”