Agroecologically efficient agricultural systems for smallholder farmers: contributions to food sovereignty

Abstract

The realization of the contribution of peasant agriculture to food security in the midst of scenarios of climate change, economic and energy crisis, led to the concepts of food sovereignty and agroecologically based production systems to gain much attention in the developing world in the last two decades. New approaches and technologies involving application of blended modern agricultural science and indigenous knowledge systems and spearheaded by thousands of farmers, NGOs, and some government and academic institutions are proving to enhance food security while conserving agrobiodiversity soil and water resources conservation throughout hundreds of rural communities in the developing world. Case studies from Cuba, Brazil, Philippines, and Africa are presented to demonstrate how the agroecological development paradigm based on the revitalization of small farms which emphasizes diversity, synergy, recycling and integration, and social processes that value community participation and empowerment, proves to be perhaps one of the only viable options to meet present and future food needs. Given the present and predicted near future climate, energy and economic scenarios, agroecology has emerged as one of the most robust pathways towards designing biodiverse, productive, and resilient agroecosystems available today.

Forty research issues for the redesign of animal production systems in the 21st century

“…Soil and climate conditions significantly affect yields because animals are tied to their physical environment. Agroecological APS acknowledge and value diversity, instead of merely enduring it, and use diversity in a programmed way to strengthen adaptive capacity and resilience (Altieri et al, 2012). They combine vertical and horizontal complexities.…”

Operational challenges faced by smallholder farmers: a case of Ethekwini Metropolitan in South Africa

“…Landesa (2014) also claims that smallholder farmers can be the driving force behind rural development which is equitable, sustainable and productive. Altieri et al (2012) claim that small scale agricultural production is a contributor to national food security. Nwanze (2011) claims that smallholder farmers should be treated as entrepreneurs, as farming practised at whatever scale is a business.…”

Climate change and crop diversity: farmers’ perceptions and adaptation on the Bolivian Altiplano

“…On the other hand, incorporation of scientific findings into ''traditional'' knowledge is important for building adaptive capacity (Berkes et al 2000;Berkes and Turner 2006;Valdivia et al 2013;Reyes-García et al 2014), especially as climate change is bringing new challenges at a rapid rate. Approaches that blend traditional and scientific knowledge can also help address environmental degradation (Altieri et al 2012), which according to the results of the resilience assessment is a serious problem-especially the pollution of local rivers and Lake Titicaca, which is causing declining fish stocks (Monroy et al 2014) and is a hazard for livestock and human health. Further degradation of the local resource base will reduce the resilience of Altiplano communities (McDowell and Hess 2012).…”